Possibilities for methanol content reduction in plum brandy

Several methods for reducing the methanol content of plum brandies were tried: possibilities for its reduced forming during fruit must alcohol fermentation, and employing effective and rational methods in order to decrease the already existing amount of methanol by applying demethanolization column. Apart from numerous valued components, plum brandy also contains some undesirable ingredients, among which methanol has a special place. It appears during hydrolysis of pectin substances under the influence of the specific pectolytic enzymes, pectyn-methyl-esterasis in particular. A certain amount still has to be present in natural brandies in order to maintain the authentic fruit origin. Reduction of the existing methanol amounts by applying demethanolization column was most effective and came to 43-77% in comparison to the starting amount