Metabolic composition of healthy and infected Grüner Veltliner grapes and wine assessed by high resolution mass spectrometry

Abstract

Grapevines are susceptible to a wide range of fungal diseases that result in significant annual economic losses in the global wine industry. The present study uses a non-targeted mass spectrometry approach to explore metabolic profiles of healthy and infected Austrian Grüner Veltliner grapes and wine. The samples were analysed by liquid chromatography coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry and ion mobility-mass spectrometry combined with multivariate statistical data analysis. Clear differences between healthy and infected samples were observed using multivariate analysis, allowing sample classification according to infection. In total, 111 grape and wine markers were identified as a result of infection, of which 68 were identified with confidence levels 1 or 2. The statistical analysis results outlined metabolites such as (-)-epicatechin, (+)-catechin, astilbin, quercetin 3-O-glucuronide, gluconic acid, alpha-lipoic acid, caftaric acid, galactaric acid, fumaric acid, 1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid, indole-3-lactic acid, dipeptides and tripeptides, to be discriminant in detection of grapes and wine infection.