Variation in Quantity of Methanol Recovered from Raisins

Abstract

Abstract The amount of naturally occurring methanol in fruit must be known so that the quantity left as fumigation residue can be determined. In a study of methanol content of raisins, which had given inconsistent results, the raisins were subjected to different conditions of treatment immediately prior to methanol determination. Conditions that favored pectin esterase activity gave higher values for methanol content than conditions known to inactivate enzymes. Evidence was also obtained that both chemical and enzymic hydrolysis of methyl ester groups of pectic materials occur during analysis.