Identification Of Alcoholic Beverages Research Articles

Identification and Traceability of Spiritous Drinks based on UV-spectrometry and Conductometry

This article is devoted to the identification and detection of adulterated alcoholic beverages on the example of brandy and vodka. According to different opinions, up to 40% of spiritous beverages turn out to be adulterated or counterfeit. Most commonly used to identify such adulteration analytical methods are either too expensive or time-demanding. The other important thing that there is no standard method developed for objective tracing of spirits to the level of a production lot. The paper proposes an express method for detecting adulterated alcoholic beverages based on the use of two analytical methods of different nature: conductometry and UV-spectrometry. The possibility of these methods’ joint use for identification of alcoholic beverages with the standard or by common features (non-signature identification) is proved by the usage of statistical methods on data got from analytical measurements and sensory evaluation of 171 drinks’ samples. The samples represent different countries of product origin, brands, ageing periods. Firstly we found out informative wavelength bands, spectral curve forms and conductivity limits for different types of drinks, both genuine and adulterated – adulteration was previously revealed by sensory test. Then, using k-means cluster analysis we developed typical spectra for 2 ‘styles’ of genuine brandies and adulterated brandies, for vodkas the same work was done using simpler statistical techniques (means and variation analysis). Finally, an algorithm for spiritous beverages identification and tracing is given. Additionally, changes in the values of the electrical conductivity and UV spectra during shelf life that do not affect the suitability of the proposed method were studied.

ДОСЛІДЖЕННЯ КЛАСИФІКАЦІЇ АСОРТИМЕНТУ КОНЬЯКІВ ТА ВИДІВ ЇХ ФАЛЬСИФІКАЦІЇ ЯК ЕТАПУ ДОСЛІДЖЕННЯ СУДОВОЇ ТОВАРОЗНАВЧОЇ ЕКСПЕРТИЗИ

This article examines the practical and theoretical principles of forensic examination. It is considered existent classifications and assortment of cognacs at the market of Ukraine. The article indicates the classification established by the National Interprofessional Bureau of Cognac and the classification, which operates on the territory of Ukraine, it was conducted a critical bibliographic review of literature sources sanctified to the problem that is investigated. At each stage of expert research, specific tasks are solved, among which an important place is occupied by the process of identification and detection of counterfeit products. The given article specifies the raw materials and materials used for production of cognacs of Ukraine, listed grape varieties for the production of cognac wine materials, defined set and sequence of technological processes that take place in the manufacture of cognac, covered technological standards for cognac wine material used in the production of cognacs in Ukraine. This article lists the main types of falsification of cognacs, such as reduced alcohol content, adulteration by age, adulteration with the use of flavors, dyes, distillates, made from non-grape wine materials, falsification with the use of forged labels of well-known manufacturers, as well as excise stamps, falsification with the default content of harmful substances. At examination of alcoholic drinks the major task is to to hold their identification and to define the accordance to the name of goods indicated on the labeling and accompanying documents, the established requirements. Identification of alcoholic beverages is carried out by organoleptic characteristics, strength, mass concentration of total extract, sugar, acids. The given work indicates the types of packaging and labeling for one unit of goods and for large batches that meet the regulatory and technical documentation in force in Ukraine. It is substantiated the influence of possible discrepancies with the requirements of normative documents on the process of determining the value of goods during the forensic examination.

Application of Chromatography and Spectrometry to the Authentication of Alcoholic Beverages

The use of gas chromatography (GC), gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS), and UV–VIS spectrophotometry for identifying the falsification of strong alcoholic beverages (vodka, gin, cognac, and whiskey) was considered. In the GC analysis of ethyl alcohol and vodkas based on it, the test alcohol was assigned to synthetic alcohol or to biochemically produced alcohol using a set of typical impurities, markers of the alcohol nature, which present in the test alcohol in a certain ratio and can be determined by GC or GC–MS analysis. The multicomponent analysis of cognacs and related liquors can reveal the replacement of cognac spirit with alcohol produced from nongrape raw materials, to determine whether the cognac spirit was in contact with oak wood and how long was the duration of its aging, and to detect the falsification of the age by adding certain ingredients. The limitations of chromatographic and spectrometric analytical techniques in the identification of adulterated alcoholic beverages was demonstrated. The validation criteria for testing the identification of alcoholic beverage components by chromatographic techniques received special attention.

A Simplified Procedure for the Concentration of Congeners in Alcoholic Beverages

As an aid in the analysis and identification of alcoholic beverages, a simplified extraction procedure, using column liquid phase material in ethyl ether, is followed. The minor constituents are thus concentrated and when analyzed using the gas chromatograph, give numerous obvious peaks useful for identification purposes and formation of patterns for comparison of the beverages.