Influence of the acetification process on phenolic compounds.

Area of Science:

• Food Chemistry
• Analytical Chemistry
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Phenolic compounds in beverages like wine and cider contribute to sensory properties and health benefits.
• The impact of acetification (vinegar production) on these phenolic profiles is not well understood.
• Understanding these changes is crucial for optimizing vinegar production and preserving valuable compounds.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the changes in specific phenolic compounds and total phenolic content during the acetification of cider, red wine, and white wine.
• To compare the phenolic profiles of the original beverages with their corresponding vinegars.
• To establish a new HPLC method for simultaneous analysis of phenolic acids and flavonoids.

Main Methods:

• Development and application of a novel High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) method for simultaneous separation and quantification of polar phenolic acids and less polar flavonoids.
• Identification of phenolic compounds using retention times and mass spectrometry.
• Photometric determination of total phenolic content in wines and vinegars.

Main Results:

• Acetification led to a decrease in total phenolic content, most notably in cider vinegars (40%), followed by red wine vinegars (13%) and white wine vinegars (8%).
• Individual phenolic compound content decreased significantly (approx. 50%) in red wine vinegar.
• No significant decrease in individual phenolic compounds was observed in white wine or cider vinegars.

Conclusions:

• The acetification process significantly alters the phenolic composition of beverages, with varying impacts depending on the starting material.
• Red wine vinegars experience a more pronounced reduction in individual phenolic compounds compared to white wine and cider vinegars.
• The developed HPLC method provides a robust tool for analyzing phenolic profiles in fermented and acidified products.