Differentiation of Spanish Alcoholic Drinks, Orujo, Obtained from Red and White Grape Pomace Distillation: Volatile Composition

Abstract

A total of 61 samples of Galician (NW Spain) Orujo spirits, 28 from white grape pomace and 33 from red grape pomace, were analyzed by gas Chronoatography with flameionization detector (GC-FID) in order to determine which volatile compounds show significant differences (p ≤ 0.05). Orujo spirits obtained from white grape residues showed a higher concentration of methanol, hexanols, hexenols, ethyl lactate, benzaldehyde, 2-butanol, and rate 1-propanol/2-methyl-1-propanol, which indicated a high trend to the degradation by anaerobic microorganisms during the storage and alcoholic fermentation of the raw material. However, in the spirits from red grape, the concentration of ethyl esters was higher as was the concentration of the compounds that are derived from the activity of aerobic bacteria or oxygen contact with the fermented grape pomace, especially acetaldehyde and ethyl acetate.