Potent aroma compounds of two red wine vinegars

Gas chromatography olfactometry (GCO) was used to determine key aroma compo unds of two red wine vinegars. Sensory analysis was performed to choose the best neutralization agent of acetic acid (NaOH or MgO) and to test represe ntativeness of four extracts obtained by different methods (dichloromethane extraction, XAD-2, mixture of XAD-2 and XAD-7, and Extrelut resins extract ion). Neutralization with NaOH followed by dichloromethane extraction was s elected to extract volatile compounds of vinegars. Key odorant compounds we re determined by GCO based on detection frequency with 13 people. In the tw o red wine vinegars, 13 odors were perceived by at least 70% of the panelis ts, and 8 compounds among the 13 were identified: acetic acid, 3-methylbuty ric acid, 2-phenyl-1-ethanol, 2,3-butanedione, butyric acid, 2-methylbutyri c acid, mixture of 2- and 3-methyl-1-butanol, and two newly identified comp ounds in vinegar, 3-hydroxy-2-pentanone and 3-(methylthio)-1-propanal. Quan tification of all the volatile compounds was performed by GC-FID, and 10 ot her compounds were identified for the first time in wine vinegar.