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Updated: Feb 26, 2026
Semi-Targeted Ultra-High-Performance Chromatography Coupled to Mass Spectrometry Analysis of Phenolic Metabolites in Plasma of Elderly Adults
Published on: April 22, 2022
Characterization of condensed tannin oxidative transformation pathways during red wine ageing: Insights from
Yongce Huang1, Dongsheng Cui1, Yiming Zhang1
1Center for Viticulture and Enology, College of Food Science & Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China; Key Laboratory of Viticulture and Enology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing 100083, China.
Abstract:
The oxidation of condensed tannins via quinone and acetaldehyde pathways critically shapes wine astringency during ageing, yet their individual contributions remain unclear. We developed a pseudo-targeted metabolomics approach with optimized menthofuran depolymerization method, identifying 30 oxidative subunits including new galloylated and trihydroxylated forms. For the first time, both quinone- and acetaldehyde-mediated oxidative units, along with native units of condensed tannins were simultaneously profiled in wines undergoing barrel ageing and different accelerated ageing tests (AATs). Oak barrel ageing significantly reduced native tannins and increased oxidized tannins-a profile unreplicated by AATs. Quantitatively, quinone-oxidized tannins were the predominant oxidized form, exceeding acetaldehyde-derived tannins by 7-9 fold. Structurally, quinone oxidation targeted terminal/extension units, while acetaldehyde units distributed across both free and extension forms. Oxidative susceptibility, EC-type flavanols were most oxidation-prone, whereas trihydroxylated forms exhibited higher stability. This work provides a foundational framework for elucidating tannin transformation during wine ageing.
