Distilled spirits, in addition to satisfying the legal requirements with respect to its composition, must possess a sensorial quality capable of satisfying its consumers. The present work describes the analysis of volatile compounds, trace elements and glycerol in thirteen samples of Mozambican spirits collected in different regions of the country. Extraction of volatile components was a accomplished using the headspace SPME technique, the quantification of glycerol was achieved by UV/Vis spectroscopy and the determination of trace elements by atomic absorption spectrometry. Of the 35 volatile compounds identified, 19 were esters, of which ethyl hexanoate, ethyl octanoate, ethyl nonanoate, ethyl decanoate, ethyl laurate, ethyl hexadecanoate, ethyl tetradecanoate, ethyl benzenepropanoate, 3-methylbutyl acetate and isoamyl alcohol were the predominant compounds found in the different samples, contributing to the characteristics and aroma of the beverages. As for glycerol, concentrations below 5 mg L -1 were observed in all the samples studied. The samples were found to be contaminated by metals such as copper, lead and zinc. In addition, the results provided information on the quality of Mozambican spirits regarding some aspects related to the determination of metals and glycerol. This information might stimulate producers to be more attentive to the conditions of production and the risks involved in achieving good quality spirits.

Knowledge of the chemical composition of Mozambican spirits is extremely important because the studies of potentially toxic compounds have been a determinant factor in quality control. The objectives of this work were to analyze and physicochemically characterize distilled sugarcane spirits and other raw materials from Mozambique on the basis of the standards established by the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply (MAPA). The samples came from five provinces of southern and central Mozambique, provided by the owners of the stills in the localities of Manhiça, Xinavane, Chókwe, Massinga, Mafambisse, Beira and Chimoio. The four samples from Brazil were randomly collected from different regions of Minas Gerais. The parameters analyzed were ethanol, methanol, higher alcohols, aldehydes, volatile acidity, furfural, esters and copper concentrations. The Mozambican spirits produced from different raw materials, compared to Brazilian spirits, contained very variable concentrations of the components analyzed. Mozambican spirits are of much lower quality than Brazilian beverages and are not suitable for consumption.