Characterization of Key Odor-Active Compounds in Draft Beers for the Chinese Market Using Molecular Sensory Science Approaches

• Published in: Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Switzerland), 2024-05, Vol.29 (11), p.2537
• Main Authors: Zhang, Yu, Li, Sinuo, Meng, Qi, Song, Huanlu, Wang, Xiaojun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alcohol; Alcoholic beverages; Amino acids; aroma extraction dilution analysis; Beer; Beer - analysis; Beverages; China; Chromatography; draft beer; Electronic Nose; Flavoring Agents - analysis; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Humans; Hydrocarbons; Liquid-Liquid Extraction - methods; Marketing; Mass spectrometry; Metabolites; odor-active compound; Odorants - analysis; Odors; Olfactometry; Scientific imaging; Sensors; sensory evaluation; Solid Phase Microextraction - methods; two-dimensional comprehensive gas chromatography–olfactometry–mass spectrometry analysis; VOCs; Volatile organic compounds; Volatile Organic Compounds - analysis
• ISSN: 1420-3049; 1420-3049
• DOI: 10.3390/molecules29112537

Beer is a popular alcoholic beverage worldwide. However, limited research has been conducted on identifying key odor-active components in lager-type draft beers for the Chinese market. Therefore, this study aims to elucidate the odor characteristics of the four most popular draft beer brands through a sensory evaluation and an electronic nose. Subsequently, the four draft beers were analyzed through solid-phase microextraction and liquid-liquid extraction using a two-dimensional comprehensive gas chromatography-olfactometry-mass spectrometry analysis (GC×GC-O-MS). Fifty-five volatile odor compounds were detected through GC×GC-O-MS. Through an Aroma Extract Dilution Analysis, 22 key odor-active compounds with flavor dilution factors ≥ 16 were identified, with 11 compounds having odor activity values > one. An electronic nose analysis revealed significant disparities in the odor characteristics of the four samples, enabling their distinct identification. These findings help us to better understand the flavor characteristics of draft beer and the stylistic differences between different brands of products and provide a theoretical basis for objectively evaluating the quality differences between different brands of draft beer.