Chemical composition of sugar cane spirit produced from different distillation methods

Abstract This study aimed to determine the influence of distillation methods (single, double and redistillation) on the chemical composition of sugar cane spirits. Analysis of volatile compounds (aldehydes, esters, methanol, higher alcohols, acetic acid and furfural) and contaminants (n-butyl and sec-butyl alcohols, copper and ethyl carbamate) were carried out. All the distilled spirits presented chemical composition of volatiles and contaminants within Brazilian legal specifications. The single distilled sugar cane spirit presented higher concentrations of acetic acid, acetaldehyde, ethyl acetate, propyl alcohol, higher alcohols, furfural, and coefficient of congeners. The single distilled sugar cane spirit also presented higher concentrations of contaminants (methanol, sec-butyl alcohol, copper and ethyl carbamate). The methodologies of double distillation and redistillation provided a reduction in the concentration of volatile congeners (acetic acid, acetaldehyde, ethyl acetate, propyl alcohol, and furfural) and contaminants (methanol, sec-butyl alcohol, copper and ethyl carbamate) of the sugar cane spirits.摘要 本研究旨在探究蒸馏工艺（单馏、双馏与重馏）对甘蔗蒸馏酒（sugar cane spirits）化学成分的影响。本研究针对挥发性组分（醛类、酯类、甲醇、高级醇、乙酸及糠醛）与污染物（正丁醇、仲丁醇、铜及氨基甲酸乙酯（ethyl carbamate））展开了检测分析。所有受试甘蔗蒸馏酒的挥发性组分与污染物含量均符合巴西法定质量标准。其中，单馏甘蔗蒸馏酒的乙酸、乙醛、乙酸乙酯、丙醇、高级醇、糠醛及同系物系数浓度均显著更高；该酒样的污染物（甲醇、仲丁醇、铜与氨基甲酸乙酯）浓度同样处于较高水平。二次蒸馏与重馏工艺可显著降低甘蔗蒸馏酒的挥发性同系物（乙酸、乙醛、乙酸乙酯、丙醇及糠醛）与污染物（甲醇、仲丁醇、铜及氨基甲酸乙酯）的含量。