Wine and Alcohol Products: Volatile Compounds and Sensory Properties

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Drinks and Liquid Nutrition".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 12 December 2025 | Viewed by 1332

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation Microbiology Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China
Interests: development and utilization of microbial resources; modern brewing and fermented foods; flavor analysis of fermented products

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The sensory appeal of wine and alcohol products is largely driven by volatile compounds, which contribute to their aroma, flavor, and overall consumer experience. However, the complex interactions between these compounds and sensory properties, as well as the factors influencing their formation, remain areas requiring deeper exploration. This Special Issue of Foods aims to address these challenges by showcasing innovative research on the chemistry and sensory science of alcoholic beverages. We invite submissions that focus on the identification and characterization of volatile compounds, their biosynthetic pathways, the impact of production techniques, and their role in sensory perception. Studies employing advanced analytical methods, deletion and recombination experiments, interaction of aroma substances, sensory evaluation, or interdisciplinary approaches are particularly encouraged. Submissions must align with the journal’s guidelines and provide novel insights into the field.

Prof. Dr. Liping Du
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • volatile compounds
  • sensory properties
  • wine, alcoholic beverages
  • aroma
  • flavor chemistry
  • fermentation
  • aging
  • consumer perception
  • analytical techniques

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

26 pages, 1712 KB  
Article
A Comparative Study of Cabernet Sauvignon Red Wine Aroma Profiles During Ageing in Medium-Toasted Oak Barrels
by Anita Pichler, Ivana Ivić, Josip Mesić, Brankica Svitlica, Nela Nedić Tiban, Iva Ostrun, Tanja Marković and Mirela Kopjar
Foods 2025, 14(18), 3178; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14183178 - 12 Sep 2025
Viewed by 530
Abstract
Ageing in oak barrels affects the tertiary aroma of red wine, yet further research on the impact of different conditions used for medium toasting of barrels could still be conducted to optimise wine production and meet consumer preferences. In this study, using the [...] Read more.
Ageing in oak barrels affects the tertiary aroma of red wine, yet further research on the impact of different conditions used for medium toasting of barrels could still be conducted to optimise wine production and meet consumer preferences. In this study, using the GC/MS method, the aroma profiles of two consecutive vintages of Cabernet Sauvignon wine and samples aged for 12 months in different vessels were determined. Besides the stainless steel tanks, Excellence barrels with medium, medium plus, and medium long toasting, and Premium barrels with medium toasting were used. A total of 48 aroma compounds were identified, and their odour activity value (OAV ≥ 1) was calculated. According to it, 10 key compounds were selected: β-damascenone, ethyl octanoate, ethyl vanillate, ethyl cinnamate, lauric acid, linalool, hotrienol, ethyl hexanoate, diethyl succinate, and 2-phenylethanol. The results showed that wooden barrels have a greater impact on wine aroma during ageing, compared to stainless steel tanks. The initial wine aroma and key compounds with fruity, floral, and fatty notes were most preserved in the stainless steel tank. The study highlights that controlled selection of barrel type (grain density) and toasting method can significantly modulate the aromatic complexity of Cabernet Sauvignon wines. Toasted barrels resulted in an increase in smoky and woody notes (volatile phenols and lactones), and a decrease in fruity and floral notes (β-damascenone, 2-phenylethanol, hotrienol, linalool, etc.). These findings could provide practical guidelines for winemakers for optimising ageing strategies and contributing new insights into the impact of wine vessels on aroma development and sensory perception. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wine and Alcohol Products: Volatile Compounds and Sensory Properties)
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21 pages, 937 KB  
Article
Influences of Non-Volatile Components on the Aroma of Strong-Aroma Baijiu by Gas Chromatography-Olfactometry and Recombination-Omission Test
by Yingqi Zhou, Yihong Wang, Jia Zheng, Siyi Pan, Xiaoyun Xu and Fang Yuan
Foods 2025, 14(14), 2490; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14142490 - 16 Jul 2025
Viewed by 633
Abstract
Aroma is an important indicator for evaluating the quality of baijiu. In this study, we determined the aroma-active compounds in four representative brands of strong-aroma baijiu from Sichuan and Jianghuai regions through GC-MS/O, and GC-TOF-MS quantification. In addition, the non-volatile composition of four [...] Read more.
Aroma is an important indicator for evaluating the quality of baijiu. In this study, we determined the aroma-active compounds in four representative brands of strong-aroma baijiu from Sichuan and Jianghuai regions through GC-MS/O, and GC-TOF-MS quantification. In addition, the non-volatile composition of four baijiu samples was quantified by BSTFA derivatization and GC-MS. By constructing a full recombination model containing both volatile and non-volatile components, the effect of different groups of non-volatile compounds on the aroma of strong-aroma baijiu was evaluated through recombination-omission tests. A total of 72 aroma-active compounds and 59 non-volatile compounds were identified and quantified. The results indicated that pyrazines, furfural, and furan derivatives displayed higher aroma intensities in strong-aroma baijiu produced in Sichuan compared to that produced in Jianghuai. The recombination model that included both aroma-active and non-volatile compounds showed a closer resemblance to the original baijiu samples, underscoring the critical role these compounds play in shaping the dominant aroma profile of strong-aroma baijiu. Non-volatile compounds significantly influenced six aroma attributes: fruity, sweet, sauce, pit, acidic, and alcoholic notes. Omission tests revealed that among posorly volatile organic acids, monobasic acids had distinct effects on the aroma profile, while dibasic acids did not show any noticeable influence on the sensory characteristics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wine and Alcohol Products: Volatile Compounds and Sensory Properties)
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