Rum, a popular alcoholic beverage, is either produced from molasses or sugar cane juice by fermentation, distillation, and storage. To check the influence of different raw materials on the key aroma compounds of two rums, rum A produced from molasses and rum B produced from sugar cane juice, were analyzed by means of the sensomics approach. A total of 35 compounds were quantitated using stable isotope dilution analysis (SIDA) resulting in 14 aroma-active compounds with odor activity values (OAVs) ≥ 1 in rum A and 27 in rum B, respectively. Higher OAVs were detected for all compounds in rum B causing a different overall aroma. In the following, a set of 51 rum samples differing in their raw materials were analyzed by means of a non-targeted approach based on the whole set of volatiles. By sPLS-DA, a successful differentiation of rums was shown, proving the influence of the raw material on the final product. However, to check the influence of the production process on the final aroma, the concentrations of 43 aroma compounds were determined in molasses, mash, distillate, and the final rum using SIDA. (E)-β-Damascenone was determined already in molasses and its concentration significantly increased during distillation resulting in the highest OAV in the rum. Vanillin, 4-ethylphenol, and 2-methoxyphenol are compounds mainly stemming from the wood barrels used for storage and showed all OAVs ≥ 1 in the rum. Altogether, the concentrations of 68% of aroma-active compounds increased during the process, demonstrating also an influence of the manufacturing process on the overall rum aroma.

Factors influencing the key aroma compounds of rum

255th National Meeting (2018)

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