Gas-chromatographic analysis of volatile compounds in different types of commercial alcoholic beverages

Abstract

In this study, volatile compounds were analysed in seven samples of different types of commercial alcoholic beverages available in stores in the Republic of Serbia. A total of 75 volatile compounds were detected by the gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric (GC/MS) method. Regarding the class of identified compounds, esters were the most dominant class identified in samples Prirodna prepečenica, Metaxa and Whiskey; Tequila and Quince brandy were dominated by higher alcohols, while in the samples Pelinkovac and Travarica, other classes of compounds were identified as the main. The major volatile compounds identified in tested samples were different. Prirodna prepečenica and Travarica were dominated by ethyl lactate; Metaxa was dominated by diethyl malate; Quince brandy had the highest amount of n-hexanol; most dominant compound in Tequila was benzyl alcohol; Whiskey was dominated by phenyl ethyl alcohol, while in Pelinkovac trans– thujone was identified as major compound. The results obtained in this study have shown that tested alcoholic beverages have different qualitative and quantitative compositions regarding the volatile compounds.