Integration of Chemometrics and Sensory Metabolomics to Validate Quality Factors of Aged Baijiu (Nianfen Baijiu) with Emphasis on Long-Chain Fatty Acid Ethyl Esters

Yashuai Wu; Hao Chen; Yue Sun; He Huang; Yiyuan Chen; Jiaxin Hong; Xinxin Liu; Huayang Wei; Wenjing Tian; Dongrui Zhao; Jinyuan Sun; Mingquan Huang; Baoguo Sun

doi:10.3390/foods12163087

Integration of Chemometrics and Sensory Metabolomics to Validate Quality Factors of Aged Baijiu (Nianfen Baijiu) with Emphasis on Long-Chain Fatty Acid Ethyl Esters

Foods. 2023 Aug 17;12(16):3087. doi: 10.3390/foods12163087.

Authors

Yashuai Wu^{1

2

3}, Hao Chen^{1

2

3}, Yue Sun^{1

2

3}, He Huang^{1

2

3}, Yiyuan Chen^{1

2

3}, Jiaxin Hong^{1

2

3

4}, Xinxin Liu^{1

2

3}, Huayang Wei^{1

2

3}, Wenjing Tian⁵, Dongrui Zhao^{1

2

3}, Jinyuan Sun^{1

2

3}, Mingquan Huang^{1

2

3}, Baoguo Sun^{1

2

3}

Affiliations

¹ China Food Flavor and Nutrition Health Innovation Center, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing 100048, China.
² Key Laboratory of Brewing Molecular Engineering of China Light Industry, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing 100048, China.
³ Beijing Laboratory of Food Quality and Safety, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing 100048, China.
⁴ Department of Nutrition and Health, China Agriculture University, Beijing 100193, China.
⁵ Department of Food and Bioengineering, Beijing Vocational College of Agriculture, Beijing 102442, China.

Abstract

The storage process of Baijiu is an integral part of its production (the quality undergoes substantial changes during the aging process of Baijiu). As the storage time extends, the flavor compounds in Baijiu tend to undergo coordinated transformation, thereby enhancing the quality of Baijiu. Among them, long-chain fatty acid ethyl esters (LCFAEEs) were widely distributed in Baijiu and have been shown to have potential contributions to the quality of Baijiu. However, the current research on LCFAEEs in Baijiu predominantly focuses on the olfactory sensation aspect, while there is a lack of systematic investigation into their influence on taste and evaluation after drinking Baijiu during the aging process. In light of this, the present study investigates the distribution of LCFAEEs in Baijiu over different years. We have combined modern flavor sensory analysis with multivariate chemometrics to comprehensively and objectively explore the influence of LCFAEEs on Baijiu quality. The results demonstrate a significant positive correlation between the concentration of LCFAEEs and the fruity aroma (p < 0.05, r = 0.755) as well as the aged aroma (p < 0.05, r = 0.833) of Baijiu within a specific range; they can effectively reduce the off-flavors and spicy sensation of Baijiu. Furthermore, additional experiments utilizing a single variable suggest that LCFAEEs were crucial factors influencing the flavor of Baijiu, with Ethyl Palmitate (EP) being the most notable LCFAEE that merits further systematic investigation.

Keywords: aged Baijiu (nianfen Baijiu); chemometrics; long-chain fatty acid ethyl ester; sensomics; softness.

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant number 32001826, D.Z.), the National Key R&D Program of China (grant number 2022YFD2101205, D.Z.), the Beijing association for science and technology young elite scientist sponsorship program by bast (grant number BYESS2023055, D.Z.), and the 2023 Beijing Technology and Business University Graduate Student Discipline Competition Project (grant number 20230417, Y.W.).