Note: Influence of the Packaging Material on the Major Volatile Compounds of Tsipouro, A Traditional Greek Distillate

Abstract

Tsipouro is a traditional Greek alcoholic beverage, produced by distillation of fermented grape pomace. Some of the by-products of the alcoholic fermentation such as acetaldehyde, ethylacetate and amyl alcohols are mainly responsible for the aroma of alcoholic beverages and their amounts specify the quality of the distillate. Several tsipouro samples were stored for 12 months in three types of containers (PET, PVC and glass bottles) to determine the effect of thepackaging material on changes in aroma of the distillate. Determination of volatile compounds was performed by gas chromatography and identification by mass spectrometry. The results revealed that the major volatile constituents of tsipouro were not significantly affected by the container material. Changes in concentrations could be attributed to the natural evolution of the distillate. However, migration of plasticisers from plastic containers into the distillate has been detected, an issue that requires further investigation.