Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 30, 2025

Author Spotlight: Exploring Tea Aroma Using Solvent-Assisted Flavor Evaporation Technique
Published on: May 26, 2023
Uncovering the Counterfeit: A study of whiskey authenticity through volatile organic compound fingerprinting, aroma
Vítor Luiz Caleffo Piva Bigão1, Jonas Joaquim Mangabeira da Silva2, Murilo Henrique Anzolini Cassiano3
1School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo 14040-093, Brazil.
Abstract:
This study presents a method employing gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry and headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME-GC-MS), supplemented with chemometrics (Soft independent modelling of class analogies - SIMCA), to analyze volatile organic compound (VOCs) profiles in suspect whiskey samples. Furthermore, a sensory analysis of aroma and color was conducted with a panel of 52 non-trained volunteers to evaluate their ability to discriminate and preference for counterfeit whiskeys. The HS-SPME-GC-MS method successfully distinguished 41 seized samples from authentic beverages. Interestingly, sensory analysis revealed that panelists could differentiate between counterfeit and authentic samples with a reference standard but did not consistently show a preference for aroma. In some cases, there was even a preference for the color of counterfeit whiskeys. The findings suggest that sensorial tests alone may not effectively distinguish counterfeit from authentic whiskeys, especially for non-expert consumers, highlighting the need for analytical instrumentation methods in fraud detection.
More Related Videos
08:43PTR-ToF-MS Coupled with an Automated Sampling System and Tailored Data Analysis for Food Studies: Bioprocess Monitoring, Screening and Nose-space Analysis
Published on: May 11, 2017
08:07A Two-Step Pyrolysis-Gas Chromatography Method with Mass Spectrometric Detection for Identification of Tattoo Ink Ingredients and Counterfeit Products
Published on: May 22, 2019
Related Concept Videos
Qualitative Analysis
There are two main approaches to qualitative analysis:...
Mass Spectrometry: Alcohol Fragmentation
IR Frequency Region: Fingerprint Region
Attenuated Total Reflectance (ATR) Infrared Spectroscopy: Overview
The ATR process begins by directing a beam...
IR Spectroscopy: Molecular Vibration Overview
Stretching vibrations are vibrational motions that occur along the bond line, changing the bond length or distance between two bonded atoms. They are further distinguished as symmetric or asymmetric. In symmetric stretching, the...
IR and UV–Vis Spectroscopy of Aldehydes and Ketones