Impact of Underwater Aging on the Volatile and Phenolic Compounds of Campania Wine-Based Liqueurs “Elixir Falernum”
Underwater aging of alcoholic beverages has gained growing interest in recent years as a novel strategy for product differentiation. This study investigated the effects of 12 months of underwater aging at 13 m depth on the chemical, volatile, and phenolic profiles of wine-based liqueurs, compared to...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-03-01
|
| Series: | Beverages |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5710/11/2/43 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850144177604526080 |
|---|---|
| author | Andrea Balivo Giovanni D’Auria Pasquale Ferranti Alessia Cepollaro Salvatore Velotto Raffaele Sacchi Alessandro Genovese |
| author_facet | Andrea Balivo Giovanni D’Auria Pasquale Ferranti Alessia Cepollaro Salvatore Velotto Raffaele Sacchi Alessandro Genovese |
| author_sort | Andrea Balivo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Underwater aging of alcoholic beverages has gained growing interest in recent years as a novel strategy for product differentiation. This study investigated the effects of 12 months of underwater aging at 13 m depth on the chemical, volatile, and phenolic profiles of wine-based liqueurs, compared to traditional cellar aging. Individual bottles were analysed using an E-nose, achieving 96% correct classification in the cross-validated confusion matrix. Chemical analysis revealed no significant differences in pH, ethanol content, total and volatile acidity. Although total phenolic content did not differ significantly, underwater-aged liquors exhibited higher levels of anthocyanins, suggesting reduced degradation of phenolic compounds in the anaerobic underwater environment. This was supported by higher levels of free alpha-amino nitrogen and total proteins, suggesting slower oxidation. As a result, underwater-aged liquors showed a lower b* index (yellowness), likely due to the reduced oxidation of red colour compounds. Underwater aging induced some changes in the volatile profile, with a significant increase in certain furanones and pyranones, such as 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, 4-hydroxydihydro-2-(3<i>H</i>)-furanone and 3,5-dihydroxy-6-methyl-2,3-dihydro-4<i>H</i>-pyran-4-one, responsible for strawberry, toasted, and caramel notes. This increased production could be attributed to the unique underwater environment, characterised by oscillating vibrations, blue-green light, lower and more constant temperatures and reduced oxygen levels. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d45d2e77f3a1437dbb68d61f5b315d16 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2306-5710 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Beverages |
| spelling | doaj-art-d45d2e77f3a1437dbb68d61f5b315d162025-08-20T02:28:27ZengMDPI AGBeverages2306-57102025-03-011124310.3390/beverages11020043Impact of Underwater Aging on the Volatile and Phenolic Compounds of Campania Wine-Based Liqueurs “Elixir Falernum”Andrea Balivo0Giovanni D’Auria1Pasquale Ferranti2Alessia Cepollaro3Salvatore Velotto4Raffaele Sacchi5Alessandro Genovese6Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Piazza Carlo di Borbone 1, 80055 Naples, ItalyDepartment of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Piazza Carlo di Borbone 1, 80055 Naples, ItalyDepartment of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Piazza Carlo di Borbone 1, 80055 Naples, ItalyDepartment of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Piazza Carlo di Borbone 1, 80055 Naples, ItalyDepartment of Promotion of Human Sciences and the Quality of Life, University of Study of Roma “San Raffaele”, via di Val Cannuta, 247, 00166,Rome, ItalyDepartment of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Piazza Carlo di Borbone 1, 80055 Naples, ItalyDepartment of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Piazza Carlo di Borbone 1, 80055 Naples, ItalyUnderwater aging of alcoholic beverages has gained growing interest in recent years as a novel strategy for product differentiation. This study investigated the effects of 12 months of underwater aging at 13 m depth on the chemical, volatile, and phenolic profiles of wine-based liqueurs, compared to traditional cellar aging. Individual bottles were analysed using an E-nose, achieving 96% correct classification in the cross-validated confusion matrix. Chemical analysis revealed no significant differences in pH, ethanol content, total and volatile acidity. Although total phenolic content did not differ significantly, underwater-aged liquors exhibited higher levels of anthocyanins, suggesting reduced degradation of phenolic compounds in the anaerobic underwater environment. This was supported by higher levels of free alpha-amino nitrogen and total proteins, suggesting slower oxidation. As a result, underwater-aged liquors showed a lower b* index (yellowness), likely due to the reduced oxidation of red colour compounds. Underwater aging induced some changes in the volatile profile, with a significant increase in certain furanones and pyranones, such as 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, 4-hydroxydihydro-2-(3<i>H</i>)-furanone and 3,5-dihydroxy-6-methyl-2,3-dihydro-4<i>H</i>-pyran-4-one, responsible for strawberry, toasted, and caramel notes. This increased production could be attributed to the unique underwater environment, characterised by oscillating vibrations, blue-green light, lower and more constant temperatures and reduced oxygen levels.https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5710/11/2/43wine-based liqueurdeep-sea agingE-noseMOS sensorsfree alpha amino nitrogenSPME-GC/MS |
| spellingShingle | Andrea Balivo Giovanni D’Auria Pasquale Ferranti Alessia Cepollaro Salvatore Velotto Raffaele Sacchi Alessandro Genovese Impact of Underwater Aging on the Volatile and Phenolic Compounds of Campania Wine-Based Liqueurs “Elixir Falernum” Beverages wine-based liqueur deep-sea aging E-nose MOS sensors free alpha amino nitrogen SPME-GC/MS |
| title | Impact of Underwater Aging on the Volatile and Phenolic Compounds of Campania Wine-Based Liqueurs “Elixir Falernum” |
| title_full | Impact of Underwater Aging on the Volatile and Phenolic Compounds of Campania Wine-Based Liqueurs “Elixir Falernum” |
| title_fullStr | Impact of Underwater Aging on the Volatile and Phenolic Compounds of Campania Wine-Based Liqueurs “Elixir Falernum” |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impact of Underwater Aging on the Volatile and Phenolic Compounds of Campania Wine-Based Liqueurs “Elixir Falernum” |
| title_short | Impact of Underwater Aging on the Volatile and Phenolic Compounds of Campania Wine-Based Liqueurs “Elixir Falernum” |
| title_sort | impact of underwater aging on the volatile and phenolic compounds of campania wine based liqueurs elixir falernum |
| topic | wine-based liqueur deep-sea aging E-nose MOS sensors free alpha amino nitrogen SPME-GC/MS |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5710/11/2/43 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT andreabalivo impactofunderwateragingonthevolatileandphenoliccompoundsofcampaniawinebasedliqueurselixirfalernum AT giovannidauria impactofunderwateragingonthevolatileandphenoliccompoundsofcampaniawinebasedliqueurselixirfalernum AT pasqualeferranti impactofunderwateragingonthevolatileandphenoliccompoundsofcampaniawinebasedliqueurselixirfalernum AT alessiacepollaro impactofunderwateragingonthevolatileandphenoliccompoundsofcampaniawinebasedliqueurselixirfalernum AT salvatorevelotto impactofunderwateragingonthevolatileandphenoliccompoundsofcampaniawinebasedliqueurselixirfalernum AT raffaelesacchi impactofunderwateragingonthevolatileandphenoliccompoundsofcampaniawinebasedliqueurselixirfalernum AT alessandrogenovese impactofunderwateragingonthevolatileandphenoliccompoundsofcampaniawinebasedliqueurselixirfalernum |