Polyfunctional thiols are some of the most potent aroma compounds found in nature and have been identified in a wide array of fruits and vegetables, and products such as wine. These thiols, several of which are present in enantiomeric forms, have some of the lowest aroma detection thresholds of any food odorant, and are important varietal impact compounds in Sauvignon blanc wine. Three of the most ubiquitous of these thiols, 3-sulfanylhexan-1-ol, 3-sulfanylhexyl acetate and 4-methyl-4-sulfanylpentan-2-one, are present in a range of varietal wines other than Sauvignon blanc but their broader relevance to wine aroma profiles is relatively unknown.<br/><br/>Quantification of these compounds in wine has been challenging due to their reactivity and the sensitivity required for their accurate measurement, i.e. at low nanogram-per-liter concentrations. To achieve this, a specialized method was developed for their determination using in situ derivatization of thiols in wine with 4,4’-dithiodipyridine, a simple concentration and cleanup of the sample through solid phase extraction, followed by HPLC-MS/MS analysis of extracts. This robust analytical method, which employs stable isotope dilution analysis, was further extended to quantify the enantiomers of two of the thiols and was applied to a survey of various wines to characterize their enantiomeric distribution. Additionally, a study of Chardonnay wines to investigate the importance of thiols to the ‘tropical fruit’-related characters in this grape variety will also be discussed.

Quantitation of potent polyfunctional thiols and their enantiomers in wine using HPLC-MS/MS after derivatization

254th National Meeting (2017)

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