Metabolite Profiles of White Wines Revealed through Gas Chromatography and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

Strategic Insights -

Recent research has identified 108 metabolites in white wines using gas chromatography-coupled time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-TOF-MS), and 51 metabolites were identified using proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (H-1 NMR). The study, published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, analyzed the compositional differences in Chardonnay, Pinot gris, Riesling, Sauvignon blanc, and Viognier varieties. The research found correlations between the metabolites and the wine's sensory property, "body," or viscous mouthfeel.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study identified 108 metabolites using GC-TOF-MS and 51 metabolites using H-1 NMR spectroscopy in white wines.
  • The majority of the identified metabolites were the most abundant compounds found in wine, including ethanol, glycerol, sugars, organic acids, and amino acids.
  • Partial least-squares (PLS) regression was used to identify compositional differences in the wines, which correlated with the wine's sensory property, "body."
  • The study found that GC-TOF-MS and H-1 NMR-based PLS models have coefficients of determination of 0.83 and 0.75, respectively, indicating a strong correlation between the measured and predicted values.
  • The research demonstrates the potential for predictive models to replace expensive and time-consuming sensory panels.
  • The study presents new insights into the chemical basis for wine mouthfeel properties.

Statistics:

  • 108 metabolites were identified using GC-TOF-MS in white wines.
  • 51 metabolites were identified using H-1 NMR spectroscopy in white wines.
  • The study analyzed the compositional differences in 5 white wine varieties: Chardonnay, Pinot gris, Riesling, Sauvignon blanc, and Viognier.
  • The coefficients of determination for GC-TOF-MS and H-1 NMR-based PLS models were 0.83 and 0.75, respectively.
  • The study was published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry in 2009.

Sources:

  • Skogerson, K., et al. (2009). Comparison of Gas Chromatography-Coupled Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry and H-1 Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Metabolite Identification in White Wines from a Sensory Study Investigating Wine Body. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 57(15), 6899-6907.
  • Fiehn, O. (Contact Information: University of California, Genome Center, 451 Health Science Dr., Davis, CA 95616, USA).
  • American Chemical Society (Publisher's Contact Information: 1155 16th St., NW, Washington, DC 20036, USA).