Microfluidics and the Spirits Industry: A Review

Abstract

There is and will always be the need to provide authentic and safe alcoholic beverages. To achieve this goal, researchers are constantly looking for innovative and practical approaches to analyze their samples and control their quality. Quality control can be challenging in the spirits industry due to their production (mashing, fermenting, distilling, aging, packaging) and their complex chemical composition. To assess the quality and safety of alcoholic beverages, a variety of analytical procedures have been developed and are currently in use. Although these laboratory-based approaches offer a high level of sensitivity, they can be both time-consuming and costly. Therefore, it is an ongoing need to advance simpler, faster, more precise, field-deployable, and more sensitive instruments to identify chemicals and abnormalities in alcoholic beverages. We believe many needs can be addressed using microfluidic technologies, sometimes referred to as lab-on-a-chip devices. In this review, we will discuss recent significant advancements in microfluidics for the assessment of alcoholic beverage products. The analysis and viewpoints presented in this study are intended to stimulate continued development of microfluidic devices in the spirits sector and other food safety testing and monitoring fields, benefiting human health and overall well-being.