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Volatile Fatty Acids in Some Brands of Whisky, Cognac and Rum
Author(s) -
NYKÄNEN LALLI,
PUPUTTI ERKKI,
SUOMALAINEN HEIKKI
Publication year - 1968
Publication title -
journal of food science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 150
eISSN - 1750-3841
pISSN - 0022-1147
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2621.1968.tb00890.x
Subject(s) - chemistry , caprylic acid , capric acid , palmitic acid , acetic acid , palmitoleic acid , myristic acid , butyric acid , chromatography , fatty acid , lauric acid , food science , gas chromatography , organic chemistry
SUMMARY— Gas chromatography was applied to eight different types of whisky, two of cognac, one of brandy, and four of rum to determine the relative proportions of volatile fatty acids; with the lower molecular acids as free acids, but upwards from caprylic acid as methyl esters. Acetic acid and the total amount of volatile acids were measured quantitatively. Rum contained the largest amount of volatile acids, 600 mg/L, while one of the brands of Scotch whisky contained the least, 90 mg/L. Acetic acid represented 40–95% of the total amount of volatile acids in the whisky; for cognac and brandy, the value was .50–75%, and for rum 75–90%. The relative amounts have been reported for 21 acids, with acetic acid excluded. Capric, caprylic and lauric acid were the main components in whisky, cognac and brandy. Of the beverages analyzed, rum contained the largest quantity of lower fatty acids, particularly propionic and butyric acid; the main component of Jamaican rum was propionic acid. The main components of the group of long‐chain fatty acids were myristic, palmitic and palmitoleic acids. Scotch whisky contained equal amounts of palmitic and palmitoleic acid; palmitoleic acid regularly appeared in smaller amounts in the other beverages