New approach for barrel-aged distillates classification based on maturation level and machine learning: A study of cachaça

The Spirit of Cachaça Production: An Umbrella Review of Processes, Flavour, Contaminants and Quality Improvement

This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the production, classification, and quality control of cachaça, a traditional Brazilian sugarcane spirit with significant cultural importance. It explores the fermentation and distillation of sugarcane juice, the ageing process in wooden containers, and the regulatory aspects of cachaça labelling. It emphasises the role of quality control in maintaining the spirit's integrity, focusing on monitoring copper levels in distillation stills. Ethyl carbamate (EC), a potential carcinogen found in cachaça, is investigated, with the study illuminating factors influencing its formation and prevalence and the importance of its vigilant monitoring for ensuring safety and quality. It also underscores the control of multiple parameters in producing high-quality cachaça, including raw material selection, yeast strains, acidity, and contaminants. Further, the impact of ageing, wood cask type, and yeast strains on cachaça quality is examined, along with potential uses of vinasse, a cachaça by-product, in yeast cell biomass production and fertigation. A deeper understanding of the (bio)chemical and microbiological reactions involved in cachaça production is essential to facilitate quality control and standardisation of sensory descriptors, promoting global acceptance of cachaça. Continued research will address safety concerns, improve quality, and support the long-term sustainability and success of the cachaça industry.

Identification, quantitation and organoleptic contributions of furan compounds in brandy

Furan compounds actively contribute to the characteristics of brandy. Herein, we have attempted to identify and quantify the furan compounds present in brandy using three different extraction methods combined with comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography and time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Threshold determination and omission experiments were carried out to verify their organoleptic contribution. Liquid-liquid extraction using dichloromethane was found to be the optimal extraction method. A total of 21 furan compounds were identified, in which 5 were detected in brandy for the first time. Our quantitative results showed a positive correlation between the furan compound content and the aging time. Among them, ethyl 5-oxotetrahydro-2-furancarboxylate exhibited a very high odor activity value (1.64 < OAV < 179.53) and smoky aroma. Omission tests showed that the three furan compounds with an OAV > 1 made a significant difference to brandy. These findings bring a new perspective to the sensory and chemical characteristics of brandy.

Kurtosis-based projection pursuit analysis to evaluate South American rapadura

Rapadura is an artisanal candy obtained from concentrated sugarcane juice. In this study, a differentiation between South American rapadura producers has been tried using a Kurtosis-based projection pursuit analysis (kPPA) concerning essential minerals, acrylamide, moisture contents, pH, and color. These parameters revealed significant inter- and intra-country differences. Based on the employed measurements, a multivariate exploration with kPPA extracted information from rapadura even though it is a very artisanal product and was effective in separating classes, especially Brazilian and Ecuadorian rapadura, where principal component analysis failed. Moreover, ellipse confidence regions showed significant differences between non-organic and organic rapadura from Colombia and Peru in granulated form. From a chemometric point of view, the application of kPPA can be used in cases when other metrics (as based on the variance) fail and can be useful in the exploratory analysis of complex multivariate chemical data.