Determination of major aroma compounds in wine by HS-SPME-Arrow GC-FID

Abstract

Wine is a complex matrix in which a diverse array of volatile compounds, ranging from major components to trace compounds, collectively define its quality. Among these are compounds produced during alcoholic fermentation, typically found in concentrations exceeding their odor thresholds (ranging from 0.1 mg/L to several hundred mg/L). Specifically, ethyl esters, acetates, higher alcohols, volatile acids, acetaldehyde, and 2,3-butanedione are critical to the interpretation of wine aroma. While numerous analytical methods exist for these compounds (1), this study presents the development and validation of a method based on SPME Arrow extraction. This approach provides a robust, cost-effective, eco-friendly, and highly automated procedure for analyzing major wine aroma compounds. The proposed method utilizes headspace (HS) SPME Arrow GC-FID on highly diluted wine samples. This dilution effectively eliminates matrix effects and standardizes alcohol content, that are usually the drawbacks of original SPME, allowing for the simultaneous analysis of 29 compounds. The figures of merit confirm that the method’s reproducibility, linearity, detection limits, and accuracy are comparable to the liquid microextraction techniques used in our laboratory for years. Furthermore, this new method significantly reduces analysis time and sample manipulation while eliminating the use of organic solvents.

References

1. Culleré, L., et al. (2019). The Instrumental Analysis of Aroma-Active Compounds for Explaining the Flavor of Red Wines. Red Wine Technology. A. Morata. London, Elsevier: 283-307.