2001 Volume 48 Issue 3 Pages 202-209
Awamori is distilled liquor containing up to 43% ethanol concentration. A rapid and simplified technique for the analysis of major volatile compounds in Awamori using solid phase extraction was developed. A column packed with Porapak Q resin was used for extraction of volatile compounds. For recovery tests, a model solution (10%-43% ethanol concentration) containing 4 kinds of alcohol, 3 kinds of ester and 3 kinds of fatty acid as representative volatile compounds in Awamori was used. The recoveries of alcohols and fatty acids increased as ethanol concentration decreased. In the case of different amount of the model solution used, the recoveries of compounds showed also significant differences. The highest recovery efficiency was obtained by adjustment of ethanol concentration and amount of the sample solution. Relative standard deviations were less than 7.23%. Awamori samples were firstly adjusted to 10% (v/v) ethanol concentration with pure water and secondly filled up to 860 ml with 10% ethanol solution. Volatile compounds from Awamori were trapped on Porapak Q resin and recovered. Analysis of extracts from three varieties of Awamori by GC and GC-MS revealed significant differences in the concentration of alcohols, esters and fatty acids.
