Abstract
Background: trans-anethole is the main component of anise, and its flavor is characteristic of all the aniseed spirits. It is known that trans-anethole oil/ethanol/water solution could result in the undesirable emulsion effect called the “ouzo effect”. Moreover, trans-anethole can undergo chemical decay, producing unhealthy compounds, mainly cis-anethole and para-anisaldehyde. In this work, the trans-anethole stability was challenged simulating commercial products’ long-term storage. Methods: Anethole standard solutions and two Italian aniseed spirits, namely Sambuca and Mistrà, were used to evaluate the trans-anethole response to light (both ultraviolet and visible) and its stability under thermal stress. Anethole decay was monitored by trans-anethole quantification using an HPLC method. Results: Light and high-temperature exposure affect the trans-anethole content of aniseed spirits during the storage, but sucrose revealed a role in the trans-anethole protection. Conclusions: as transport and storage are involved in the anethole decay, the Regulations on the minimum of the anethole that must be a guarantee in the aniseed spirits should be revised.
Highlights
Four samples (10 mL) for each solution were kept for 5 h either at 40, 50, or 60 ◦C in a water bath (Elettrofor, Rovigo, Italy) using the same Pyrex tube used for the light stress experiments. trans-anethole was quantified by High-Pressure Liquid Chromatography (HPLC)
European regulation requires the usage of the Gas Chromatography (GC) method for the trans-anethole quantification in spirits [22]
In the presence of high sugar concentration, like in many aniseed spirits, a step allowing for sugar separation is necessary before GC injection
Summary
All the solutions were added with 1 g/L of standard t-ANE (Sigma, Milan, Italy). For the VIS treatment, light 7 stress (EVER, Pramaggiore, Italy) was used This instrument consists of a box with different light-emitting diodes (LED), which could be used singularly or in combination. Samples (four replicates) were transferred into a 10 mL Pyrex test tube and kept perpendicularly to the light bulbs in order to maximize the exposure surface for 20 min. This time has been chosen based on preliminary results, as it was enough to observe t-anethol degradation, but at the same time not long enough to cause a significant increase in temperature. Peak identity was confirmed by comparison with the official GC method
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