Prediction and metabolomics reveal aroma profiles of mead aged in glass bottle and oak barrels.

Journal: Food chemistry
Published Date: May 6, 2025

Abstract

Metabolomic analysis of volatile compounds in mead during aging in glass bottles and oak barrels revealed significant impacts on sensory characteristics. Using headspace solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with three columns, 247 volatile compounds were identified, including 161 confirmed by standards. The XGBoost model accurately predicted sensory traits after 10 and 12 months of aging. Compared to freshly fermented mead, aged samples showed reduced off-flavors and increased herbal and fruity-sweet compounds, with OM samples exhibiting more pronounced changes (herbal compounds increased by 60.12 %, fruity-sweet compounds by 118.41 %, and off-flavors reduced by 17.07 %). PCA and OPLS-DA analyses highlighted the superiority of oak barrel aging. Key volatile compounds like ethyl caproate and ethyl heptanoate were identified through reconstitution and omission experiments. NetworkX analysis revealed rate-limiting steps in flavor compound formation, such as the conversion of benzaldehyde to phenylethanol and FPP to linalool. These findings provide key insights for optimizing mead's flavor. The abbreviations for all flavor compounds are provided in the supplementary file Table S1.

Authors

  • Xian Li
    Laboratory of Fruit Quality Biology, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Integrative Biology, The State Agriculture Ministry Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Growth, Development and Quality Improvement, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
  • Yankang Li
    College of Food Science and Engineering, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, China.
  • Wanqing Zhang
    College of Food Science and Engineering, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, China.
  • Xiao Tan
    College of Food Science and Engineering, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, China; School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Yulin University, Yulin 719000, China.
  • Qian Li
    Emergency and Critical Care Center, Department of Emergency Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
  • Ziwei Liu
    College of Food Science and Engineering, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, China.
  • Yibing Qiao
    College of Food Science and Engineering, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, China.
  • Tiantian Zhang
    College of Petroleum and Chemical Engineering, Longdong University, Qingyang, Gansu 745000, China.
  • Zhulin Wang
    College of Food Science and Engineering, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, China; Cangzhou Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Cangzhou 061001, China.
  • Wushuang Bai
    College of Food Science and Engineering, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, China. Electronic address: bws@nwu.edu.cn.
  • Di Wang
    Center for Endocrine Metabolism and Immune Diseases, Beijing Luhe Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
  • Jiayun Liang
    School of Intelligent Manufacturing, Lishui Vocational &Technical College, Lishui 323000, China.
  • Binglin Li
    College of Food Science and Engineering, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, China; Cangzhou Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Cangzhou 061001, China. Electronic address: libinglin@nwu.edu.cn.

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