Headspace-Solid Phase Micro Extraction – Gas Chromatography – Mass Spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS) Analysis for Oak Barrel Flavor Compounds in Whiskey

Author

Hailey F. Jarzynka

ORCID Identifier(s)

0000-0001-9564-210X

Graduation Semester and Year

2021

Language

English

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Chemistry

Department

Chemistry and Biochemistry

First Advisor

Kevin A Schug

Abstract

This study presents a method to simultaneously detect both fault compounds and oak barrel flavor compounds in whiskey using headspace-solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS). A major contaminant in whiskey is geosmin and an array of oak barrel compounds includes 2-methoxy-4-methylphenol, 5-methylfurfural, guaiacol, trans-whiskey lactone, 2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol, 4-ethylguaiacol, eugenol, vanillin, and 4-ethylphenol. Geosmin is a fault compound that produces a musty or moldy taste to the whiskey and the other compounds originate from the barrels in which the whiskey is aged in and transfer to the whiskey in the aging process. Each compound was quantitated and 15 different whiskies were compared to one another in the MRM mode. The whiskies were further compared using the SIM mode to compare the areas on the compounds on interest to all the other components in the whiskey.

Keywords

Whiskey, Headspace, SPME arrow, GCMS, Oak barrel, Flavor compounds

Disciplines

Chemistry | Physical Sciences and Mathematics

License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.

Comments

Degree granted by The University of Texas at Arlington

Recommended Citation

Jarzynka, Hailey F., "Headspace-Solid Phase Micro Extraction – Gas Chromatography – Mass Spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS) Analysis for Oak Barrel Flavor Compounds in Whiskey" (2021). Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses. 97.
https://mavmatrix.uta.edu/chemistry_theses/97