Romanian Wines Quality and Authenticity Using FT-MIR Spectroscopy Coupled with Multivariate Data Analysis

Abstract

Fourier Transform Mid-Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-MIR) combined with multivariate data analysis have been applied for the discrimination of 15 different Romanian wines (white, rosé and red wines), obtained from different origin-denominated cultivars. Principal component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis was performed using different regions of FT-MIR spectra for all wines. The general fingerprint of wines was splitted in four characteristic regions, corresponding to phenolic derivatives, carbohydrates, amino acids and organic acids, which confer the wines quality and authenticity. By qualitative and quantitative evaluation of each component category, it was possible to discriminate each wine category, from red, to rosé and white colours, to dry, half-dry and half-sweet flavours. The multivariate data analysis based on absorption peaks from FT-MIR spectra demonstrated a very good, significant clustering of samples, based on the four main components: phenolics, carbohydrates, amino acids and organic acids. Therefore, the ATR-FT-MIR analysis proved to be a very fast, cheap and efficient tool to evaluate the quality and authenticity of wines, and to discriminate each wine category, based on their colour and sweetness, as consequence of their biological (cultivar) specificity.