Authentication Using Volatile Composition: A Proof-of-Concept Study on the Volatile Profiles of Fourteen Queensland Ciders

Abstract

Although relatively small, the Australian cider industry has experienced significant growth in recent years. One of the current challenges in the industry is the lack of research specific to Australian ciders. Establishing baseline volatile organic compound (VOC) profiles of Australian cider is paramount to developing a better understanding of the industry. This understanding may ultimately be utilized for both the categorization and authentication of existing ciders, and the targeted modification of cider volatiles for the development and improvement of cider quality. This study utilized gas chromatography, coupled with mass spectrometry, to identify key VOCs present in 14 ciders sourced from four different manufacturers in Queensland, Australia. A total of 40 VOCs were identified across the ciders, with significant variation depending on the flavor and manufacturer. Principal component analysis indicated that the ciders were well-separated based on the manufacturer, supporting the prospect of using the volatile composition to discriminate between cider manufacturers. Furthermore, hierarchical cluster analysis highlighted the commonalities and differences in cider composition between different manufacturers, which may be indicative of the varying ingredients and manufacturing processes used to create the ciders. Future studies profiling the volatile composition of larger numbers of Australian ciders are recommended to support the use of this analytical technique for authentication purposes. Likewise, exploration of the relationship between specific processes and VOCs is recommended to fortify an understanding of how to optimize cider production to improve consumer satisfaction.

Improving the Flavor Profile of Apple Spirits Using Traditional Cultivars

“…Furthermore, octanoic and decanoic acids as well as hexanoic acid ethyl ester were also identified as predictors of positive attributes. This is in accordance with the results of Wilson et al, who reported that these compounds are responsible for fruity and fermented odors in ciders.…”

Biotechnological Modification of Cider Brewing Processes for the Enhanced Production of 2-Phenylethanol

“…Extraction of the volatile compounds in the cider was achieved using a simple dichloromethane (DCM) extraction previously used to extract volatile compounds in a range of Queensland ciders [2]. In short, 1.0 mL of DCM was added to 5 mL of each cider sample, and one method was blank (n = 12).…”

“…According to a market report published by IBISWorld [1], consumer demand for higher-quality ciders is increasing, and as such, the producer's focus is likely to follow suit. It was suggested by Wilson et al [2] that in order to support the growth of the Australian cider industry, there needs to be a similar growth in research. Given the anticipated demand for higher-quality cider products, research needs to focus on technologies and methods that introduce and improve favourable organoleptic properties, mainly taste and aroma.…”

“…Known for its intense floral, rose, and honey aromas [4], it is extensively used in the cosmetics, perfumes, and food industries [5,6]. Moreover, 2-PE is also one of the most important and abundant VOCs found in cider [2,7,8], being reported at concentrations as high as 100 mg L −1 [9]; well above its aroma threshold of 10 mg L −1 in 10% ethanol [10].…”

The Impact of the Fermentation Strategy on the Flavour Formation of Ilzer Rose (Malus domestica Borkh.) Apple Wine

“…This increase in popularity is also reflected by the number of scientific papers that were published on this topic in the past decade. Several recent papers deal with flavour properties and volatile compounds of commercially available products [2][3][4][5], of ciders produced from different apple varieties [6,7], or different stages of maturity [6,8], or cider and apple wines produced with varying production strategies [7,[9][10][11][12][13]. In contrast to wine technology, however, in which the impact of grape variety, oenological yeast strains, fermentation strategy or other parameters have been well investigated, there is still a lack of knowledge with respect to the behaviour and the properties of apple wines and ciders.…”