Influence of physical and chemical barrel sanitization treatments on the volatile composition of toasted oak wood

Abstract

Various chemical and physical barrel sanitization methods were evaluated in terms of their effect on oak volatiles in situ. A gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) method using a programmable temperature vaporizing (PTV) injector in solvent-split mode was developed and validated for the analysis of oak volatiles extracted in aqueous acetone. Results revealed that barrel sanitization methods affected oak volatile compounds and that the degree of modification depended on the type of sanitization method and the duration or concentration of the applied treatment. Sanitization predominantly lowered concentrations of oak volatiles when hot water treatment at 80 °C, steam, ethanol treatment, and a 200 ppm peracetic acid treatment were applied. Gaseous sulphur dioxide, aqueous ozone, and hot water treatment at 60 °C, however, had no significant effect. This work provides the first direct comparison of an array of barrel sanitization methods in relation to their impact on desirable oak volatile compounds.