White Spirits Research Articles

Amino acid sensitive latent fingermark detection formulations based upon improvised carrier solvents for resource-limited environments: A proof-of-concept study

HFE-7100 and petroleum ether (bp 40–60 °C) are routine carrier solvents used in amino acid sensitive fingermark reagents such as 1,2-indanedione/zinc chloride (IND-Zn) and ninhydrin. However, limited resource jurisdictions face major challenges in sourcing laboratory-grade reagents due to budgetary and geographical restrictions. Common hydrocarbon solvents, available from hardware stores and similar outlets, may offer a more readily available and inexpensive alternative for such jurisdictions. This study assessed the range of improvised carrier solvents for their suitability in the IND-Zn formulation and found that eight different hydrocarbon solvents were able to develop fingermarks when substituted into the formulation. The formulation based on shellite solvent outperformed all other improvised formulations tested, providing high-quality fingermarks and similar sensitivity to a petroleum ether (bp 40–60 °C) based formulation across six porous substrates using six donors. A similar approach was applied to ninhydrin, where it was discovered that formulations using kerosene, white spirits and shellite as carrier solvents performed comparably to a formulation based on petroleum ether (bp 40–60 °C). By chemically characterising each solvent using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, this study also provided a greater understanding of how the chemical composition of a carrier solvent impacts the efficacy of the resulting IND-Zn formulation, emphasising that hydrocarbon solvents should contain short-chain alkanes and minimal aromatic content to give a more volatile formulation. Additionally, the identity of the solvent was found to cause slight differences in the colour and luminescence intensity of ink diffusion on porous substrates. These results indicate that improvised hydrocarbon solvents are suitable alternatives to common carrier solvents with their operational use offering major benefits for limited resource jurisdictions by reducing costs and supply chain risks. A thorough risk assessment must be conducted by each jurisdiction that intends to use this method as health and safety considerations are concerns with these improvised solvents.

Research on the Development Strategy of Wine Enterprises based on ESG Concepts

In recent years, as "carbon neutrality" and "carbon peak" have become hot topics in the international community, low-carbon recycling has gradually become an indispensable element in the high-quality development of the wine industry. From the industry's perspective, actively promoting the green and low-carbon development of the wine industry is the focus of the industry's efforts.2021 In April 2021, the "Fourteenth Five-Year Plan" Development Guidance for China's Wine Industry pointed out that the wine industry should make a comprehensive transition to green ecological development, and for the first time, the "Zero-carbon Appellation" and "Zero-carbon Factory" will be developed. In April 2021, the Guiding Opinions on the Development of China's Wine Industry in the 14th Five-Year Plan pointed out that the wine industry should make a comprehensive transition to green ecological development, and for the first time set "zero-carbon production areas" and "zero-carbon factories" as the construction targets. 2022, the China Wine Association (CWA) completed the formulation of the industry standard for "green T factories" in respect of white spirits and beer, and in 2023, the CWA carried out a study on the GHG accounting methodology and reporting standards for white spirits enterprises. his paper takes Fenjiu Group's ESG practice action as the research object, through collecting and reviewing the annual reports, ESG reports, announcements on the official website of the company, media reports, ESG practice reports of related listed companies and other materials, and conducts a multi-faceted research and analysis based on the theory of strategic management of the enterprise, and puts forward the related sustainable development strategy by combining with the concept of ESG. Development strategy design based on ESG concept. Firstly, the SWOT tool is used to add the elements analyzed in the previous chapters as strategic elements to the analysis matrix of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, and the actions based on ESG concepts optimize the sustainable development while shaping the core competitiveness of Fenjiu Group; then the strategic framework is clarified; finally, the strategic safeguards of Fenjiu Group are formulated. The innovation of the thesis lies in the introduction of ESG concept in the development strategy of wine enterprises, which enriches the theoretical connotation and strategic significance of ESG, innovates the strategic mode and governance mode of sustainable development of wine enterprises, broadens the value boundary of green development, and realizes the governance optimization of diversified development, and also provides a certain reference for the same type of wine enterprises to survive the risks of the industry cycle and realize long-term development.

Dose-Response Relationship Between Alcohol Consumption and Gout Risk: Do Subtypes of Alcoholic Beverages Make a Difference?

Although previous studies have explored the association of drinking with gout risk, we sought to explore the dose-response relationship and the evidence between subtypes of alcoholic beverages and gout risk. The weekly alcoholic beverage consumption of patients in the UK Biobank was collected and calculated. The Cox regression model was applied to assess the effects of drinking alcohol in general and its subtypes on gout risk by calculating the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% CIs. Additionally, the restricted cubic splines were used to estimate the dose-response relationship between alcohol consumption and gout risk. To evaluate the robustness, we performed subgroup analysis across various demographic characteristics. During a mean follow-up period of 11.7 years, a total of 5728 new incident gout cases were diagnosed among 331,865 participants. We found that light alcohol consumption was linked to a slight decrease in gout incidence among female individuals (HR 0.78, 95% CI 0.65-0.94, P = 0.01), whereas there was no significant association in male individuals. Moreover, the dose-response relationship showed that drinking light red wine and fortified wine could reduce the gout risk, whereas beer or cider, champagne or white wine, and spirits increased the gout risk at any dose. Our study suggested a J-shaped dose-response relationship between drinking and gout risk in female individuals, but not in male individuals. For specific alcoholic beverages, light consumption of red wine and fortified wine was associated with reduced gout risk. These findings offer new insights into the roles of alcoholic beverages in gout incidence risk, although further validation is warranted.

Molecular Alterations Caused by Alcohol Consumption in the UK Biobank: A Mendelian Randomisation Study.

Alcohol consumption is associated with the development of cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and liver disease. The biological mechanisms are still largely unclear. Here, we aimed to use an agnostic approach to identify phenotypes mediating the effect of alcohol on various diseases. Methods: We performed an agnostic association analysis between alcohol consumption (red and white wine, beer/cider, fortified wine, and spirits) with over 7800 phenotypes from the UK biobank comprising 223,728 participants. We performed Mendelian randomisation analysis to infer causality. We additionally performed a Phenome-wide association analysis and a mediation analysis between alcohol consumption as exposure, phenotypes in a causal relationship with alcohol consumption as mediators, and various diseases as the outcome. Results: Of 45 phenotypes in association with alcohol consumption, 20 were in a causal relationship with alcohol consumption. Gamma glutamyltransferase (GGT; β = 9.44; 95% CI = 5.94, 12.93; Pfdr = 9.04 × 10−7), mean sphered cell volume (β = 0.189; 95% CI = 0.11, 0.27; Pfdr = 1.00 × 10−4), mean corpuscular volume (β = 0.271; 95% CI = 0.19, 0.35; Pfdr = 7.09 × 10−10) and mean corpuscular haemoglobin (β = 0.278; 95% CI = 0.19, 0.36; Pfdr = 1.60 × 10−6) demonstrated the strongest causal relationships. We also identified GGT and physical inactivity as mediators in the pathway between alcohol consumption, liver cirrhosis and alcohol dependence. Conclusion: Our study provides evidence of causality between alcohol consumption and 20 phenotypes and a mediation effect for physical activity on health consequences of alcohol consumption.

Protective Effect of Homology of Medicine and Food Compound Alleviate a Hangover Oral Liquid on Alcoholic Liver Injury in Mice

Objective:To explore the effect of Shiyuan Fufang alleviate a hangover oral liquid on the hangover effect of drunk mice and the liver-protecting effect of alcoholic liver injury mice. Methods:The mice were randomly divided into six groups,normal group,model group,positive control group(Neptune Gold Bottle 1.30 mL/10 g)low-dose group,medium-dose group,high-dose group(0.65,1.30,2.60 mL/10 g). Anti-alcoholic effect experiment:Gavage of high,medium and low dose groups with oral solution. The positive control group was given Neptune golden bottle for 7 days,and 30 minutes after the last intragastric administration,52 degrees of white spirits were used for intragastric administration. The regular reflection disappears and recovery time. Liver protection study:In addition to the normal group,the other groups were given with 52 degrees of white wine every day. After 30 minutes,in addition to the normal group and the model group,the positive control group and the high,medium and low dose groups Gavage Neptune Gold Bottle and oral liquid were consecutive given for 7 days. Measure the weight change of mice and calculate their liver coefficient,detect serum alanine aminotransferase(ALT),aspartate aminotransferase(AST)and liver tissue alcohol dehydrogenase(ADH)and acetaldehyde dehydrogenase(ALDH)content. Results:Compared with the model group,the oral solution of each dose group could significantly reduce the rate of drunken mice,prolong the drunken time(P 0.05);The low-dose group in oral solution could increase ADH activity(P 0.05),while the medium and high dose groups could significantly increase the vitality level of ADH(P<0.05)and ALDH(P<0.05). Conclusion:Oral liquid has the effect of hangover and protect liver.

Colorimetric sensor array based on silver deposition of gold nanorods for discrimination of Chinese white spirits

The rapid and effective discrimination of Chinese white spirits is of great significance for quality control in the white spirit industry. Herein, we proposed a colorimetric sensor for white spirits based on silver deposition on gold nanorods (AuNRs), which were formed by reducing silver ions to Ag nanoshells on the surface of the AuNRs by different reductants containing hydroxyl or amino groups. The degree of inhibition of silver deposition was demonstrated to be strongly associated with the various components of white spirits, such as organic acids, aldehydes, ketones, and esters, which resulted in color differences and a consequent colorimetric response for different types of white spirits. The color differences could be recognized using principal component analysis (PCA), hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), and linear discriminant analysis (LDA). The colorimetric sensor array was constructed by designing AuNRs with four different morphologies by utilizing different reducing agents to not only successfully distinguish various types of white spirits, including twelve types of strong-aroma-type spirits with similar flavor characteristics and different aroma-type spirits, but also to determine the concentration of the main ingredients affecting the quality of white spirits with a satisfactory linear range. Notably, the discriminating ability of the colorimetric sensor arrays was equal or superior than that of the untargeted metabolomic approach based on liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. This sensing strategy, with facile preparation, fast response, excellent discrimination and high-throughput signal output, provides a promising application platform for real-time quality monitoring of white spirits and other alcoholic beverages.

Determining High-Intensity Sweeteners in White Spirits Using an Ultrahigh Performance Liquid Chromatograph with a Photo-Diode Array Detector and Charged Aerosol Detector.

In China, white spirit is not only an alcoholic drink but also a cultural symbol. A novel and accurate method for simultaneously determining nine sweeteners (most authorized for use in China) in white spirits by ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) with a photo-diode array detector (PDA) and charged aerosol detector (CAD) was developed. The sweeteners were acesulfame, alitame, aspartame, dulcin, neotame, neohesperidine dihydrochalcone, saccharin, sodium cyclamate, and sucralose. The sweeteners were separated within 16 min using a BEH C18 column and linear gradient-elution program. The optimized method allowed low concentrations (micrograms per gram) of sweeteners to be simultaneously detected. The CAD gave good linearities (correlation coefficients > 0.9936) for all analytes at concentrations of 0.5 to 50.0 μg/g. The limits of detection were 0.16 to 0.77 μg/g. Acesulfame, dulcin, neohesperidine dihydrochalcone, and saccharin were determined using the PDA detector, which gave correlation coefficients > 0.9994 and limits of detection of 0.16 to 0.22 μg/g. The recoveries were 95.1% to 104.9% and the relative standard deviations were 1.6% to 3.8%. The UHPLC-PDA-CAD method is more convenient and cheaper than LC-MS/MS methods. The method was successfully used in a major project called “Special Action against Counterfeit and Shoddy white spirits” and to monitor risks posed by white spirits in China.

Biodegradation of biosolids and specific gravity determination

This paper presents a literature review on the geotechnical behaviour/properties of biosolids and sewage sludge materials, including biodegradation effects, and then focuses on the determination of specific gravity (Gs) for these challenging and difficult geomaterials. For water pycnometry, biodegradation occurring during the course of the test procedure results in apparent higher Gsvalues, leading to erroneous determinations for the solid, liquid and gas phases per unit volume. As demonstrated in the paper, this issue can be addressed by using kerosene or white spirits as the density liquid. Since the pycnometer method is tedious and time consuming, specific gravity is often correlated with total volatile solids (STV), as measured by ignition loss, which is a more straightforward test, having arguably greater reliability. Existing correlations are investigated but found unsuitable for biosolids and sewage sludge materials. Hence, a new Gs–STVrelationship is established specifically for these materials, avoiding the necessity for direct Gsdeterminations in practice. Other issues investigated include the effects of intraparticle voids within the test material and the different specimen oven-drying temperatures of 50 and 105°C specified in different codes. It is concluded that oven drying at 105°C should be consistently used for testing of these materials.

Occupational exposure to petroleum-based and oxygenated solvents and oral and oropharyngeal cancer risk in men: A population-based case-control study in France

ObjectiveTo examine the association between occupational exposure to petroleum-based and oxygenated solvents and the risk of oral and oropharyngeal cancer. MethodsThe ICARE study is a large population-based case-control study conducted in France between 2001 and 2007. This present analysis was restricted to men and included 350 and 543 cases of squamous cell-carcinoma of the oral cavity and oropharynx, respectively, and 2780 controls. Lifetime tobacco, alcohol consumption and complete occupational history were assessed through detailed questionnaires. Job-exposure matrices allowed us to assess occupational exposure to five petroleum-based solvents (white spirits; diesel/fuel oils/kerosene; gasoline; benzene; special petroleum products) and five oxygenated solvents (diethyl ether; tetrahydrofuran; ketones and esters; alcohols; ethylene glycol). Odds-ratios (ORs), adjusted for age, smoking, alcohol consumption and socioeconomic status, and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using unconditional logistic models. ResultsAssociations between oral cancer risk and exposure to white spirits and diesel/fuel oils/kerosene were suggested, but there was no exposure-response trend. Concerning exposure to oxygenated solvents, participants with the highest levels of cumulative exposure to diethyl ether had a significant excess risk of oropharyngeal cancer (OR = 7.78, 95%CI 1.42 to 42.59; p for trend = 0.04). Ever exposure to tetrahydrofuran was associated with a borderline significant increased risk of oral cancer (OR = 1.87, 95%CI 0.97 to 3.61), but no exposure-response trend was observed. Additional adjustments for exposure to other solvents did not substantially change the results. ConclusionOur results do not provide evidence for a major role of petroleum-based and oxygenated solvents in the occurrence of oral and oropharyngeal cancers in men.

Red wine triggers may lead to better understanding of migraine headache: a narrative review

ABSTRACTMigraine headache is a prevalent condition that places a substantial burden on the healthcare system. It is known that certain foods, food additives, alcohol, caffeine, stress, sensory stimuli, disruptions in sleep-wake patterns, hormonal changes, and many other things may trigger migraines. Red wine is a frequently reported trigger for migraines and other headaches but it is unclear what substance(s) in red wine triggers headache and why red wine is more associated with headache than white wine, sparkling wines, or spirits. Implicated as headache triggers are biogenic amines (histamine, phenylethylamine, tyramine, and others), phenols, polyphenols, and sulfites. Enzymatic action in the metabolism of phenols and polyphenols may cause fluctuations in dopamine and serotonin levels which, in turn, have been implicated as headache triggers. The role of sulfotransferase enzymes and dopamine appears to offer a promising explanation of the red wine headache. The investigation of potential red wine triggers may better elucidate headache pathogenesis.

Simultano određivanje pet ftalata u belim rakijama korišćenjem tečno-tečne ekstrakcije praćene gasnom hromatografijom

The aim of this paper is the development of the method for determination of five phthalates in white spirits. Dimethyl phthalate (DMP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP), benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP), di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and di-n-octyl phthalate (DOP) were extracted from white spirits by the optimized liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) method. In order to determine the best method for phthalate determination, LLE procedure was optimized by changing the following parameters: the number of extraction repetitions (1-4), the partial removal of ethanol by evaporation from alcoholic samples prior extraction, the type of agitation and the extraction time. Quantification was achieved by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) with di-n-butyl adipate (DBA) as internal standard. Phthalates were analyzed using a single ion monitoring (SIM) mode and a base ion for each phthalate was chosen (m/z 149 for DBP, BBP, DEHP and DOP and m/z 163 for DMP). The results show that the most effective phthalate extraction with n-hexane as a solvent is achieved with agitation by hand shaking with one-step extraction. Evaporation of ethanol from alcohol drinks provided the increased recovery value for DMP extraction but did not have an impact on the recovery values of DBP, BBP, DEHP and DOP extractions from the samples.

Přístroj pro monitorování změn barvy a zákalu nápojů přímo v komerčních lahvích

Color and turbidity are important properties of fermented beverages, especially light and dark beers, white and red wines and spirits. The spectrum of absorption and scattering of light is a decisive and very important analytical parameter of the consumer's quality and health acceptability of the beverages. A large number of the above types of beverages are filled into transparent glass and plastic bottles that allow for optical measurements. The Colorturb prototype has been designed, developed and constructed to determine color changes and turbidity in commercial packaging. The device uses a red-green-blue (RGB) light-emitting diode as a light source to enable independent measurement of absorbance in the sample in 3 wavelength regions ranging up to 4 absorbance units. Absorbance measurement at 3 wavelengths makes it possible to eliminate the effect of the bottle color on the measurement and, apart from color intensity, to distinguish differences in the color hue of the samples.

Occupational exposure to petroleum-based and oxygenated solvents and hypopharyngeal and laryngeal cancer in France: the ICARE study

BackgroundTo examine associations between occupational exposure to petroleum-based and oxygenated solvents and the risk of hypopharyngeal and laryngeal cancer.MethodsICARE is a large, frequency-matched population-based case-control study conducted in France. Lifetime occupational history, tobacco smoking and alcohol consumption were collected. Analyses were restricted to men and included 383 cases of hypopharyngeal cancer, 454 cases of laryngeal cancer, and 2780 controls. Job–exposure matrices were used to assess exposure to five petroleum-based solvents (benzene; gasoline; white spirits; diesel, fuels and kerosene; special petroleum products) and to five oxygenated solvents (alcohols; ketones and esters; ethylene glycol; diethyl ether; tetrahydrofuran). Odds ratios (ORs) adjusted for smoking, alcohol drinking and other potential confounders and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated with unconditional logistic models.ResultsNo significant association was found between hypopharyngeal or laryngeal cancer risk and exposure to the solvents under study. Non-significantly elevated risks of hypopharyngeal cancer were found in men exposed to high cumulative levels of white spirits (OR = 1.46; 95% CI: 0.88–2.43) and tetrahydrofuran (OR = 2.63; 95CI%: 0.55–12.65), with some indication of a dose-response relationship (p for trend: 0.09 and 0.07 respectively).ConclusionThis study provides weak evidence for an association between hypopharyngeal cancer and exposure to white spirits and tetrahydrofuran, and overall does not suggest a substantial role of exposure to petroleum-based or oxygenated solvents in hypopharyngeal or laryngeal cancer risk.

Diet Culture Inspired Facile Nanoengineering

Inspired from some time-honored recipes, we modified the current classical nanoengineering processes to explore some new features. The synthesis of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) was selected here as the model system. Inspired from the distilling technology of white spirits (Er Guo Tou), the size and properties of the obtained Ag NPs could be adjusted effectively without any additional agent. Moreover, according to the characteristic of a flowers jelly, polyethylene glycol encapsulated Ag was synthesized, which exhibited longer storage, lower skin toxicity, and unique touch triggered releasing features. Its relative applications on virtual reality (VR) glasses were also demonstrated with the aid of a 3D printing constructed paintbrush. The proposed strategy has a certain universality, which can also be applied to other kinds of nanomaterials. This study not only explored a novel nanoengineering conception but also solved some common problems in the current nanomaterials, such as poor dispersion, easy agglomeration, and high toxicity. More importantly, the whole process could be accomplished in an environmentally friendly and energy-saving manner, which thus paved the way for a green avenue to explore functional nanomaterials.

Prevalence of kidney stones and associated risk factors in the Shunyi District of Beijing, China.

Kidney stone formation is a multifactorial condition that involves interaction of environmental and genetic factors. Presence of kidney stones is strongly related to other diseases, which may result in a heavy economic and social burden. Clinical data on the prevalence and influencing factors in kidney stone disease in the north of China are scarce. In this study, we explored the prevalence of kidney stone and potentially associated risk factors in the Shunyi District of Beijing, China. A population-based cross-sectional study was conducted from December 2011 to November 2012 in a northern area of China. Participants were interviewed in randomly selected towns. Univariate analysis of continuous and categorical variables was first performed by calculation of Spearman's correlation coefficient and Pearson Chi squared value, respectively. Variables with statistical significance were further analysed by multivariate logistic regression to explore the potential influencing factors. A total of 3350 participants (1091 males and 2259 females) completed the survey and the response rate was 99.67%. Among the participants, 3.61% were diagnosed with kidney stone. Univariate analysis showed that significant differences were evident in 31 variables. Blood and urine tests were performed in 100 randomly selected patients with kidney stone and 100 healthy controls. Serum creatinine, calcium, and uric acid were significantly different between the patients with kidney stone and healthy controls. Multivariate logistic regression revealed that being male (odds ratio=102.681; 95% confidence interval, 1.062-9925.797), daily intake of white spirits (6.331; 1.204-33.282), and a history of urolithiasis (1797.775; 24.228-133 396.982) were factors potentially associated with kidney stone prevalence. Male gender, drinking white spirits, and a history of urolithiasis are potentially associated with kidney stone formation.

Occupational exposure to solvents and risk of head and neck cancer in women: a population-based case–control study in France

ObjectiveOur objective was to investigate the association between head and neck cancer and occupational exposure to chlorinated, oxygenated and petroleum solvents in women.MethodsInvestigation of occupational and environmental CAuses of REspiratory...

Composition of Unrecorded Distilled Alcohol (bai jiu) Produced in Small Rural Factories in Central China.

BackgroundUnrecorded traditional distilled spirits (bai jiu, 白酒) are made and used throughout rural China for everyday use and special occasions. Nearly every town or village has a distiller to supply the demand. In rural China, distilling bai jiu is legal and regulated lightly or not at all. The World Health Organization estimates that as much as 25% of all alcohol consumed in China is unrecorded alcohol, of which an unknown portion is unrecorded bai jiu. Little is known about the composition of unrecorded Chinese spirits from rural parts of the country. This study focused on white spirits because the high ethanol (EtOH) concentration makes them more likely to contribute to health risks compared to other types of lower alcohol by volume (ABV) Chinese unrecorded alcohol.MethodsResearchers purchased samples of Chinese white spirits from small‐factory distillers in central China. An independent laboratory conducted the analysis. Alcohol strength (ABV) was determined by hydrometer. Gas chromatography was used to determine the concentration of volatile organic compounds: EtOH, methanol, acetaldehyde, ethyl acetate, and higher alcohols. Samples were tested for 3 heavy metals—arsenic, cadmium, and lead. We used the guidelines developed by the Alcohol Measures for Public Health Research Alliance (AMPHORA) of the European Commission to assess risk.Results ABV ranged from 35.7 to 61.4%, and 58 of the 61 samples exceeded 40% ABV. The concentration of methanol, ethyl acetate, lead, arsenic, and cadmium was below AMPHORA guideline. The sum of higher alcohols exceeded the AMPHORA maximum in just 1 sample. Forty of the 61 samples had acetaldehyde levels beyond the AMPHORA guideline.ConclusionsThe unrecorded Chinese alcohols we analyzed had a high EtOH concentration—a public health concern that is also presented by recorded alcohols. The high percentage of samples (65.5%) that had elevated acetaldehyde suggests the need to investigate the causes for this result and the need for steps to reduce acetaldehyde levels. The cumulative long‐term risks of using high EtOH and high acetaldehyde Chinese spirits are heightened by the percentage of people in China who have a genetic trait for impaired acetaldehyde metabolism.

Towards chemical profiling of ignitable liquids with comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography: Exploring forensic application to neat white spirits

The application of GCÿGC⿿FID and GCÿGC⿿MS for the chemical analysis and profiling of neat white spirit is explored and the benefit of the enhanced peak capacity offered by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography is demonstrated. An extensive sampling exercise was conducted throughout The Netherlands and the production and logistics in terms of bottling and distribution of white spirits were studied. An exploratory approach based on target-peak tables and principal component analysis was employed to study the brand-to-brand differences and production variations over time. Despite the complex chemical composition of white spirit samples this study shows that chemical variation during productions is actually quite limited. Hence care has to be taken with the chemical comparison for forensic purposes. Although some clustering was noticed on brand level, the large scale production process leads to a very consistent composition across stores and brands. However, because of the broad specifications of this commodity product, substantial chemical variation was found over time. This temporal discrimination could be of forensic value when considering white spirits supplies in individual households.

Identification and quantification of 56 targeted phenols in wines, spirits, and vinegars by online solid-phase extraction – ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography – quadrupole-orbitrap mass spectrometry

Phenolic compounds seriously affect the sensory and nutritional qualities of food products, both through the positive contribution of wood transfer in barrel-aged products and as off-flavours. A new targeted analytical approach combining on-line solid-phase extraction (SPE) clean-up to reduce matrix interference and rapid chromatographic detection performed with ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole/high-resolution mass spectrometry (Q-Orbitrap), was developed for the quantification of 56 simple phenols. Considering the advantages of using on-line SPE and a resolving power of 140,000, the proposed method was applied to define phenolic content in red (N=8) and white (8) wines, spirits (8), common (8) and balsamic (8) vinegars. The final method was linear from the limits of quantification (0.0001–0.001μgmL−1) up to 10μgmL−1 with R2 of at least 0.99. Recovery, used to define method accuracy, ranged from 80 to 120% for 89% of compounds. The method was suitable for analytical requirements in the tested matrices being able to analyse 46 phenols in red wines, 41 phenols in white wines and in spirits, 42 phenols in common vinegars and 44 phenols in balsamic vinegars.

A reagentless flow injection system for the quantification of ethanol in beverages based on the schlieren effect measurement

A flow injection system comprising a gas-diffusion unit and schlieren effect detection was arranged in order to develop a simple methodology for the quantification of ethanol in different alcoholic beverages. It was possible to establish a linear range up to 25% (v/v), with a LOD and a LOQ of 0.6% and 2.0% (v/v), respectively; with good repeatability, RSD<4.6%. Only 80μL of sample was needed for quantification with a determination rate of one determination per minute.To evaluate the accuracy of the proposed method, a total of 43 alcoholic beverages, red and white table wine, port wine, beers, liquors, spirits and brandies were analysed. The results obtained by the developed method were in good agreement with the ones obtained by the reference method.