Effect of Protease Combined with Heat Treatment on the Volatile Composition and Aroma Quality in Liqueur Wine.

The aim of this paper was to compare the effects of two clarification methods, protease combined with heat treatment and bentonite, on the aroma quality of liqueur wines, and to identify and analyze the overall differences between the basic components and volatile aroma compounds of liqueur wines after the two treatments by chemical analysis, headspace-solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC/MS), and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA). The results showed that total acidity, volatile acidity and pH in liqueur wines after protease combined with heat treatment were not significantly different from those of the blank control, and the ability to remove proteins was equal to that of the bentonite treatment. A total of 58 volatile aroma compounds were detected by HS-SPME-GC/MS. Compared with the blank control group (44 species, total 108.705 mg/L), 52 (83.233 mg/L) and 50 (120.655 mg/L) aroma compounds were detected in the bentonite and protease combined with heat treatments, respectively. Compared with the control and bentonite treatment, the protease combined with heat treatment significantly increased the total content of aromatic compounds in liqueur wines, and the types and contents of olefins, furans and phenols were higher. Among them, the compounds with major contributions in the protease combined with heat treatment were ionone, ß-damascenone, 3-methyl-1-butanol, alpha-terpineol and limonene, which helped increase the content of terpenoids and enhance the floral and fruit aroma of the wine. Meanwhile, linalool, diethyl succinate, 2-methyl-3-heptanone, butanal diethyl acetal, hexanal and n-octanol were six compounds with high content of aromatic compounds unique to liqueur wines after protease combined with heat treatment. The sensory evaluation results were consistent with the results of aromatic compound detection, and the overall quality was better. The results may provide a reference for further exploration of protease-based clarifiers suitable for liqueur wines.

Pterospartum tridentatum Liqueur Using Spirits Aged with Almond Shells: Chemical Characterization and Phenolic Profile.

With great cultural significance, spirits and distillate beverages constitute an important niche market in Europe. The development of new food products, particularly for the functionalization of these beverages, is increasing exponentially. The present work aimed to develop a new wine spirit beverage aged with almond shells and flowers of P. tridentatum for further characterization of bioactive and phenolic compounds, coupled with a sensorial study to evaluate the acceptance of this new product by the market. Twenty-one phenolic compounds were identified, mainly isoflavonoids and O- and C-glycosylated flavonoids, especially in P. tridentatum flowers, indicating that it is a highly aromatizing agent. The developed liqueur and wine spirits (almonds and flowers) showed distinct physicochemical properties, with the last two samples showing greater appreciation and purchase intention by consumers due to their sweetness and smoothness. The most promising results were found for the carqueja flower, which should be further investigated in an industrial context to contribute to its valorization in its regions of origin, such as Beira Interior and Trás-os-Montes (Portugal).

The Effect of Crataegus Fruit Pre-Treatment and Preservation Methods on the Extractability of Aroma Compounds during Liqueur Production.

The leaves, inflorescences, and fruits of hawthorn have long been known for their therapeutic properties. A wide range of hawthorn products, including liqueurs, are manufactured, due to the technological potential of the raw material as well as the richness of its volatile compounds. This study aimed to determine the effect of the liqueur production method and various methods of fruit preservation on the quantitative and qualitative composition of volatile compounds in the liqueurs produced. Hawthorn fruits saturated with sucrose and non-saturated with sucrose, fresh or preserved through one of three methods: freezing, air-drying, and freeze-drying, were used for liqueur preparation. The samples were analyzed using a gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer. They were found to contain 54 volatile compounds classified into 12 groups of chemicals. All 54 identified volatile compounds were detected in the liqueur made from hawthorn fruits non-saturated with sucrose and preserved by freeze-drying. In this liqueur type, 12 of the identified volatile compounds occurred in the highest concentration when compared to the other treatments. Among all volatiles, the following compounds were present in the analyzed liqueurs in the highest concentrations: dodecanoic acid ethyl ester (11.782 g/100 g), lactones (6.954 g/100 g), five monoterpenes (3.18 g/100 g), two aromatic hydrocarbons (1.293 g/100 g), isobensofuran (0.67 g/100 g), alcohol-2-methyl-2-propanol (0.059 g/100 g), and malonic ester (0.055 g/100 g). Among all analyzed liqueurs, the one made from the fruits non-saturated with sucrose and frozen was characterized by the smallest diversity of volatiles, which were present in the lowest concentrations in that liqueur.

Evolving the core microbial community in pit mud based on bioturbation of fortified Daqu.

Directional stress is an effective measure to change the community structure and improve the bioactivity of pit mud (PM). In this study, the addition of fortified Daqu to artificial PM (APM) was intended to disturb the microbial community and further affect metabolites. To evaluate the effect of fortified Daqu on culturing APM, the microbial communities of APM with or without the addition of fortified Daqu were investigated by fluorescence in situ hybridization and Illumina MiSeq. The results indicated that microbes (Clostridium sp., Clostridium kluyveri, hydrogenotrophic methanogens, and acetotrophic methanogens) related to the production of key aroma compounds increased notably when fortified Daqu was added. In particular, the hydrogenotrophic and acetotrophic methanogens increased by 6.19- and 4.63-fold after 30 days of culture. Subsequently, metabolites (organic acids, volatile compounds) were also analyzed by HPLC (high-performance liquid chromatography) and HS-SPME-GC-MS (headspace solid phase microextraction - gas chromatography - mass spectrometry). The results showed that the content of butyric acid and hexanoic acid was significantly higher when fortified Daqu was added to APM. In addition, the proportion of esters and phenols was also higher than in APM without fortified Daqu. A survey of the microbial compositions of APMs with or without added fortified Daqu indicated that the microbial community evolves into a functional community favoring liquor brewing. We have developed a novel process by disturbing the community diversity.

Formulation of Novel Liqueurs from Juice Industry Waste: Consumer Acceptance, Phenolic Profile and Preliminary Monitoring of Antioxidant Activity and Colour Changes During Storage.

RESEARCH BACKGROUND: Apple juice is one of the most popular and liked beverages worldwide. Due to the increased health consciousness among consumers, beetroot and chokeberry juices have also rising consumption trends. Despite representing a considerable percentage of the processed fruit and rich source of bioactive compounds, fruit pomace, remaining after juice production, has still been underutilised. Here, the possibility of using apple, beetroot and chokeberry pomace in liqueur formulations is investigated. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: Apple and chokeberry liqueurs were produced from apple and chokeberry pomace extracts, respectively. Apple/chokeberry and apple/beetroot liqueurs were obtained by combining apple pomace with chokeberry and beetroot pomace extracts in ratios 50:50 and 70:30, respectively. The sensory quality and acceptability of freshly prepared liqueurs were evaluated by experts and consumers. Sugars and phenolics were identified and quantified by high-performance anion-exchange chromatography with pulsed-amperometric detection (HPAEC-PAD) and high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-MS/MS), respectively. Storability was preliminarily evaluated based on monitoring of total phenolic concentration, antioxidant activity and colour each month during 6 months of storage at 4 and 22 °C. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The expert and the consumer testing indicated that apple and chokeberry pomace could be used as raw materials without any flavour corrections while apple/beetroot pomace liqueur would require modification. High total phenolic content and antioxidant activity were found in all freshly prepared liqueurs, with chokeberry liqueur being by far superior. Among identified phenolics, ellagic acid and phlorizin were quantified as the most prominent, except in chokeberry liqueur, where phlorizin was not quantified. Despite the decrease in total phenolic concentration and antioxidant activity after 6 months, liqueurs still represented a rich source of phytochemicals. The highest phenolic compound retention and antioxidant activity maintenance were observed in chokeberry liqueur. Also, the appealing colour was retained despite the changes detected in chromatic characteristics. NOVELTY AND SCIENTIFIC CONTRIBUTION: The possibility of apple, beetroot and chokeberry pomace restoration into the food chain by the production of liqueurs has been demonstrated for the first time. Functional and sensorial properties of newly developed liqueurs indicated that the selected pomace represents the promising raw material for liqueur production. The applied approach represents a contribution to the circular economy in juice production.

Influence of elaboration process on chemical, biological, and sensory characteristics of European pennyroyal liqueurs.

BACKGROUND: Mentha pulegium is an aromatic and medicinal plant used in different Mediterranean herb-based liqueurs, whose phytochemical composition depends on the elaboration technique used. The aim of this work was to investigate differences in the sensory, chemical, and biological characteristics of pennyroyal liqueurs elaborated by hydro-alcoholic (HI) and aqueous (AI) infusions, percolation (P), maceration (M), and distillation (D) techniques, and by the mixture of spirit with pennyroyal essential oil (EO). The volatile composition determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and gas chromatography coupled to flame ionization detection (GC-FID), the total phenolic (TPC) and flavonoid (TFC) contents, the antioxidant (AC), and enzyme (α-glucosidase, tyrosinase, and acetylcholinesterase) inhibitory capacities, and the sensory analysis by napping, were evaluated in the liqueurs obtained. RESULTS: Monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes were the main volatiles present in liqueurs. The M, P, HI, and AI liqueurs showed the highest TPC, TFC, and AC values; and pulegone, the main hepatotoxic chemotype, was found in concentrations that gave rise to concern. The D and EO liqueurs stand out for their acceptable pulegone content and greater tyrosinase inhibition. Similar liqueur classifications were achieved by sensory analyses, and physico-chemical and biological analyses using multiple factor and principal component analyses, respectively. CONCLUSION: These results are an important contribution to the identification of the most appropriate elaboration conditions for herbal liqueurs with the healthiest chemical composition and functional properties. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Evaluation of novel green walnut liqueur as a source of antioxidants: Multi-method approach.

In this study, a novel green walnut liqueur (GWL) based on green walnuts, as the main ingredient, with the addition of fruits, aromatic plants, chocolate and honey, was produced at the pilot-scale. Antioxidant activity (AO) of the obtained GWL was determined using multiple AO assays in parallel, standard spectrophotometric (FC, DPPH and FRAP) and recently developed electrochemical ones, HydroxoPerhydroxoMercury(II) Complex and Mercury Reduction Antioxidant Power, and compared to similar commercial alcoholic beverages. Characterization of the GWL in terms of volatile and polyphenolic components was performed using SPE-GC-MS and HPLC-DAD-MS/MS, respectively. Sensory quality assessment was performed by experts in the field of sensory analysis of alcoholic beverages, using a scoring method. According to all AO assays applied, AO activity and total phenolics content of GWL were superior in comparison to commercial spirits considered. The volatile fraction of GWL was mainly composed of eugenol, α-terpineol and vanillin, while the most prevalent phenolic compounds were gallic (5.054 mg/L) and chlorogenic acid (1.307 mg/L) and flavonoids such as catechine (0.882 mg/L), quercetin (0.499 mg/L) and its sugar-conjugated derivatives, quercetin 3-O-glucoside (0.774 mg/L) and quercetin-3-O-rhamnoside (0.614 mg/L). Gallic acid is the major contributor to total AO activity, especially determined by DPPH and FRAP, followed by catechine, quercetin and chlorogenic acid. Among the terpenoids, contribution of eugenol to total AO activity is estimated as the highest. Excellent sensory quality (18.52 of maximum 20 scores) was ascribed to GWL. Consequently, the presence of bioactive compounds and high AO activity of GWL, in addition to high sensory quality score, indicates a high market potential for this high-value product.

The Ancient Neapolitan Sweet Lime and the Calabrian Lemoncetta Locrese Belong to the Same Citrus Species.

"Neapolitan limmo" is an ancient and rare sweet Mediterranean lime, now almost extinct but used until a few decades ago for the production of a fragrant liqueur called the "four citrus fruits". The objective of this work was to compare, through the use of chemical (flavonoids, volatile organic compounds, and chiral compounds) and molecular (DNA fingerprint based on RAPD-PCR) markers, the residual population of Neapolitan limmo with other populations of sweet limes, identified in Calabria and known as "lemoncetta Locrese". We report for the first time specific botanical characteristics of the two fruits and unequivocally show that the ancient sweet Mediterranean limes Neapolitan limmo and lemoncetta Locrese are synonyms of the same Citrus species. Owing to the biodiversity conserved in their places of origin, it will now be possible to recover, enhance and implement the use of this ancient sweet lime for agro-industrial purposes.

New herbal bitter liqueur with high antioxidant activity and lower sugar content: innovative approach to liqueurs formulations.

Herbal liqueurs are spirits with numerous functional properties, due to the presence of bioactive extractable compounds deriving from herbs. The aim of this study was to obtain new herbal bitter liqueur (HBL) on the basis of twelve selected bitter and aromatic plants extracts, with an optimal sensory profile for consumer acceptance. Also, the determination of optimal sugar content in HBL was done. Furthermore, antioxidant (AO) capacity and total phenolic content (TPC) of HBL was evaluated and compared to similar commercial herbal spirits. Among five tested formulations, assessed by 9-point hedonic scale, HBL with the ratio of bitter and aromatic plants 1:4 was the most acceptable. Ideal concentration of sugar in HBL, determined using a just-about-right scale, was found to be 80.32 g/l of sucrose, which is approximately 20% less than the minimum stipulated by European Union Regulation and several times lower than in the majority of commercial liqueurs. Obtained result indicates the possibility of sugar reduction in liqueurs, and suggests the need to carry out sensory analysis before production of these high-calorie beverages. Radical scavenging ability against DPPH and ABTS radicals, as well as ferric reducing antioxidant power and TPC of HBL were convincingly superior in comparison to similar commercial herbal alcoholic beverages. High correlation coefficients between TPC and other assays applied strongly support the significant role of the polyphenols in the total AO capacity of the HBL and other tested commercial herbal spirits. Headspace GC/MS revealed that the most abundant terpenes were menthone (3.75%), eucalyptol (3.42%) and menthol (3.10%), whereas methanol was present in a small amount (4.97 mg/l).

Phenolic Compounds, Volatiles and Antioxidant Capacity of White Myrtle Berry Liqueurs.

The aim of this research was to evaluate the antioxidant capacity and physical-chemical characteristics of commercial white myrtle berry (Myrtus communis L. var. leucocarpa DC) liqueur (WMBL). The total phenolic (TP) content was measured spectrophotometrically, applying a modified Folin-Ciocalteu's method, and phenolic compounds were identified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with electrospray mass spectrometry, and quantified by HPLC coupled with ultraviolet/visible detection. The antioxidant capacities were evaluated by FRAP, CUPRAC, DPPH•, and ABTS•+ assays. The volatiles were assessed by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC-MS/FID) after headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and liquid-liquid extraction (LLE). WMBL showed lower TP levels (636.3 ± 39.2 mg GAE/L) than in purple myrtle berry liqueur (PMBL). Nevertheless, WMBL exhibited better antioxidant capacities, potentially due to high concentrations of gallic acid (294.2 ± 14.2 mg/L) and its derivatives (58.3 ± 2.1 mg/L). Other phenolic compounds detected by HPLC-DAD and LC-MS/MS were flavonols like myricetin and its derivatives (myricetin-3-O-galactoside and myricetin-3-O-rhamnoside) with concentrations similar to those found in PMBL. GC-MS/FID analysis revealed 44 compounds (terpenes, higher aliphatic compounds and shikimic acid pathway derivatives). 1,8-Cineole was the most abundant terpene in the liqueur (26.5% (HS-SPME) and 9.6% (LLE)).

Volatile and Flavonoid Composition of the Peel of Citrus medica L. var. Corsican Fruit for Quality Assessment of Its Liqueur.

The volatile and flavonoid compositions of the peel of Citrus medica L. var. Corsican fruits cultivated in Corsica were studied according to the maturity of the citron fruits measured using growing degree-days. Quantitative variation with the stage of development of the fruit was observed using gas chromatography, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry. Thirty volatile compounds were identified in the peel essential oil. Limonene and γ-terpinene were the major compounds. The volatile compositions of commercial citron liqueurs were also characterized by high amounts of monoterpene hydrocarbons with the same two major components. The main flavonoid components of citron fruits and derived liqueurs were rutin and neohesperidin. This chemical characterization can be used for quality assessment of food products from C. medica var. Corsican.

Effect of water deficit stress during fruit cultivation on the carbon stable isotopes of organic acids in Japanese apricots and liqueur prepared from these fruits.

ABSTRACTThe objective of this study was to assess the impact of water deficit stress during fruit cultivation on the δ13C values of citric acid and malic acid in Japanese apricots at different ripeness stages and their resulting liqueurs. Our experiments show that water deficit stress increases the δ13C values of citric acid and malic acid in tree-ripened fruits, counteracting the typical decrease during ripening. However, water deficit treatment has a minimal effect on the δ13C values of organic acids in green fruits. Regardless of fruit ripeness or water status, the δ13C values of organic acids in fruits are directly reflected in the resulting liqueurs. Overall, water deficit stress during fruit cultivation has the potential to promote similarity in the δ13C values of organic acids across fruits at different ripeness levels, reducing variations among liqueurs derived from fruits of varying ripeness levels.

HPLC-Mass spectrometry analysis of phenolics comparing traditional bilberry and blueberry liqueurs.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences between the phenolics compositions of bilberry and blueberry liqueurs, to determine whether these are comparable. Both bilberry and blueberry liqueurs have the same name on the market, however they differ in phenolic composition and content. A total of 43 compounds were identified, 36 in the bilberry liqueur, and 21 in the blueberry liqueur. High performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) was used to identify and quantify these compounds, where they were fragmented to the MS4 fragments. Anthocyanins were the major phenolics group detected in the bilberry liqueurs, but only the second most abundant phenolics group in the blueberry liqueurs. The most abundant phenolics group in the blueberry liqueurs was hydroxycinnamic acids. The lowest content of individual phenolic compounds was for blueberry liqueur made from whole fruit. This study will provide valuable data to consumers in their choice of a more expensive bilberry liqueur or a cheaper blueberry liqueur.

Sex Differences in the Bitterness Perception of an Aromatic Myrtle Bitter Liqueur and Bitter Compounds.

We evaluated sex differences in the perception of bitter compounds and an aromatic bitter herbal liqueur (Mirtamaro) obtained by the infusion of myrtle leaves/berries together with a mixture of Mediterranean herbs/plants as flavoring/bittering ingredients. In a healthy population (n = 231 participants), using bivariate correlations and multivariate linear regression analyses, significant sex differences emerged in quinine bitterness perception, with women showing a higher bitter taste intensity rating than men. Among all participants, 40 subjects (subpopulation) were randomly selected for the evaluation of sex differences in Mirtamaro gustatory and olfactory perception using a hedonic Likert-type scale. Women showed higher ratings in Mirtamaro aroma (odor intensity) and bitterness (taste intensity) perception than men, with a superior capacity to perceive/describe its sensory attributes. 1,8-Cineole and methyl chavicol were the main contributors to the bitter liqueur aroma. A significant correlation (r = 0.564, p < 0.01) between Mirtamaro odor pleasantness/taste pleasantness was observed in women, indicating a positive contribution of aromatic herbs to bitter taste acceptability. Moreover, a higher bitter intensity rating of 6-n-propylthiouracil was evidenced in women than men. Our results highlighted sex differences in bitter taste acuity and the role of aromatic herbs/plants in modulating bitter taste acceptance, which is useful information in the field of precision nutrition and medicine.

Traditional Knowledge Evolution over Half of a Century: Local Herbal Resources and Their Changes in the Upper Susa Valley of Northwest Italy.

Susa Valley, located in the Italian Western Alps, has served as a meeting point for cultural, spiritual, and commercial exchange for a long period of history. The valley's role as one of the main connecting routes between south and southwestern Europe resulted in its acquisition of a rich traditional ecological knowledge. However, like other Italian mountainous valleys, this valley has suffered from abandonment and depopulation in the past 50 years. Our study aims to investigate the current ethnobotanical medicinal knowledge in the valley and to compare our findings with a study conducted over 50 years ago in the same area. In 2018, we conducted 30 in-depth semi-structured interviews on medicinal plants and food-medicines used in the Susa Valley. We documented 36 species, of which 21 species were used for medical purposes and 15 species were used as food-medicine. The comparison with the previous study on medicinal herbs conducted in 1970 in the valley demonstrated a significant decrease in both the knowledge and use of medicinal plants, which could be attributed to socioeconomic, cultural, and possibly environmental changes that occurred in the past half-century. Our study highlights several promising species for future use as nutraceuticals, food, and medicinal products, such as Taraxacum officinale, Urtica dioica, and Artemisia genipi.

Effect of Petal Color, Water Status, and Extraction Method on Qualitative Characteristics of Rosa rugosa Liqueur.

Flowers of Rosa rugosa Thunb. are a rich source of bioactive compounds with high antioxidant properties and are used for the production of jams, teas, juices, and wines. In the present paper, the petals of R. rugosa cv. Alba (white flowers) and Rubra (purple flowers) were evaluated for their morphological and phytochemical characteristics, and for the preparation of an alcoholic liqueur. In particular, the effect of two extraction procedures (conventional and maceration) of fresh and dry petals on the quality of a rose liqueur was determined. As expected, the concentration of the flower's bioactive compounds was affected by petal water content and by tested cultivars: dry petals showed higher total carotenoids and anthocyanins contents with respect to the fresh ones; cv. Rubra evidenced higher values compared to cv. Alba. As regards the quality of rose liqueur, the two petal extraction procedures did not affect the polyphenol content and higher values were recorded only on dry petals with respect to the fresh ones and, in particular, on those from cv. Rubra. The liqueur's flavonoid content was influenced by the petal extraction method, water content, and color as higher values were recorded on rose liqueur prepared after the maceration of cv. Rubra dry petals whereas lower values were observed on alcoholic drinks prepared after the conventional extraction of cv. Alba fresh petals. Our study shows that R. rugosa petals have a fair amount of secondary metabolites with antioxidant activity, making them suitable for use in the beverage industry.

Evaluation of antioxidant capacity and aroma quality of anthograin liqueur.

Moderate consumption of wine, beer, whisky or liqueur is known to be beneficial for improving health because of the radical scavenging action of antioxidants present in them. Thus, antioxidant and aroma properties of anthograin liqueur made from purple wheat grain were evaluated for the added-value processing purpose of that grain. Anthograin liqueur showed the highest 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity, total phenolic content (TPC) and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) in comparison with three control samples Canadian iceberg vodka (CIV), Hiram walker special old rye whisky (HWSORW) and Wiser's De Luxe Canadian whisky (WDLCW). Only anthograin liqueur contained anthocyanins and its total anthocyanin content (TAC) was 81mg/l. In lipid-soluble phase, TPC and ORAC were 241.1 and 998.6mg/l for anthograin liqueur, 40.0 and 93.6mg/ld for WDLCW, 23.1 and 63.6mg/l for HWSORW, and 1.1 and 12.4mg/l for CIV, respectively. In water-soluble phase, TPC and ORAC were 685.5 and 1467.7mg/l for anthograin liqueur, 29.0 and 96.0mg/l for WDLCW, 36.4 and 99.2mg/l for HWSORW, and 2.0 and 42.8mg/l for CIV, respectively. Eight types of phenolic acids in anthograin liqueur, four types of phenolic acids in WDLCW and three types of phenolic acids in HWSORW were found and no phenolic acid was detectable in CIV. Total phenolic acids in anthograin liqueur, WDLCW and HWSORW were 28.8, 10.3 and 5.7mg/l, respectively. Similarity in aroma quality was found between anthograin liqueur and CIV by using the electronic nose. Purple wheat grain may have potential as a novel material for liqueur brewing.

Effect of fruit thermal processing on ethyl carbamate content in maesil (Prunus mume) liqueur.

The thermal effect of maesil on the content of ethyl carbamate and its precursors during one-year ripening of maesil liqueur was investigated. Fresh maesil (control), fruit blanched for 2 min (blanched), and fruit blanched and dried for 15 h at 50 °C (blanched/dried) were soaked in the liquor containing 25% alcohol at a ratio of 1:2 (w/w) for 100 days at 25 °C and the liquid was further ripened for 260 days. Ethyl carbamate ranged from 13.1 to 204.4 µg/kg with the highest value at 210 day. Thermally treated samples had higher ethyl carbamate concentration than the control, suggesting that thermal treatment increased the formation of ethyl carbamate. A positive correlation between ethyl carbamate content and ß-glucosidase activity in all samples indicated that enzymatic hydrolysis of amygdalin by ß-glucosidase determined ethyl carbamate concentration during the fermentation of maesil liqueur.

A strategy for rapid discovery of traceable chemical markers in herbal products using MZmine 2 data processing toolbox: A case of Jing Liqueur.

Objective: The quality evaluation of herbal products remains a big challenge. Traceable markers are the core concept of the authentication of herbal products. However, the discovery of traceable markers is labor-intensive and time-consuming. The aim of this study is to develop a convenient approach to rapidly screen the traceable markers for herbal product authentication. Methods: Commercial Jing Liqueur and its 22 species of herbal ingredients were analyzed using HPLC-QTOF-MS and GC-MS to characterize nonvolatile and volatile chemicals. The acquired data were imported into MZmine 2 software for mass detection, chromatogram building, deconvolution and alignment. The aligned data were exported into a csv file and then traceable markers were selected using the built-in filter function in Excel. Finally, the traceable markers were identified by searching against online databases or publications, some of which were confirmed by reference standards. Results: A total of 288 chemical features transferred from herbal materials to Jing Liqueur product were rapidly screened out. Among them, 52 markers detected by HPLC-QTOF-MS were annotated, while nine volatile markers detected by GC-MS were annotated. Moreover, 30 of these markers were confirmed by comparing with reference standards. A chemical fingerprint consisting of traceable markers was finally generated to ensure the authentication and quality consistency of Jing Liqueur. Conclusion: A strategy for rapid discovery of traceable markers in herbal products using MZmine 2 software was developed.

Physicochemical and aromatic characterization of carob macerates produced by different maceration conditions.

Carob liqueur is an alcoholic drink (minimum 15% v/v of ethanol and 100 g/L of sugar) typical for the Mediterranean countries. In the current work, carob macerate produced by maceration of carob pods in hydroalcoholic base at different maceration conditions was characterized for the first time based on its aroma compounds/profile, physicochemical parameters, and chromatic characteristics. The results confirm the migration process of bioactive compounds, aroma compounds, and sugars flowing from the carob pod to the hydroalcoholic base. Changes in ethanol concentration modify the physical properties of the solvent and influence the phenolic and aroma compounds extraction, color, and acidity of the obtained samples. The higher content of phenolic compounds was determinate in the samples obtained in the darkness. The amounts of phenols were in the range of some red fruit liqueurs or walnut liqueurs, and sugars (mostly sucrose) ranging between 96 and 107 g/L. Twenty-six (out of total 94) aroma compounds were detected in all samples, of which 17 esters, 3 alcohols, 4 ketones, and 2 acids. Low molecular weight ethyl esters, ethyl hexanoate, ethyl 2-methyl propanoate, ethyl octanoate, ethyl benzoate, ethyl butanoate, and ethyl cinnamate, were the most abundant. Carob pod maceration in 50% v/v hydroalcoholic base (1:5 solid to liquid ratio) in darkness at room temperature during 8 weeks can be recommended as optimal maceration conditions for production of the aromatic carob macerate with functional properties.