TITLE:
Physicochemical and Chromatographic Profiles of Distilled Sugarcane Spirits Produced in Mozambique
AUTHORS:
Manuel Carlos Minez Tábua, Maria das Graças Cardoso, Wilder Douglas Santiago, Gustavo da Silva Gonçalves, Richard Bispo Barbosa, Allan da Silva Lunguinho, Renan Elan da Silva Oliveira, Gabriel Biscotto d’Avila, Maísa Lamounier Magalhães, David Lee Nelson
KEYWORDS:
Mozambican Liquor, Quality, Distilled Alcoholic Beverages
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Plant Sciences,
Vol.9 No.4,
March
9,
2018
ABSTRACT: Knowledge of the chemical composition of Mozambican
spirits is extremely important because the studies of potentially toxic
compounds have been a determinant factor in quality control. The objectives of
this work were to analyze and physicochemically characterize distilled
sugarcane spirits and other raw materials from Mozambique on the basis of the
standards established by the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and
Food Supply (MAPA). The samples came from five provinces of southern and
central Mozambique, provided by the owners of the stills in the localities of
Manhica, Xinavane, Chókwe, Massinga, Mafambisse, Beira and Chimoio. The four
samples from Brazil were randomly collected from different regions of Minas
Gerais. The parameters analyzed were ethanol, methanol, higher alcohols,
aldehydes, volatile acidity, furfural, esters and copper concentrations. The
Mozambican spirits produced from different raw materials, compared to Brazilian
spirits, contained very variable concentrations of the components analyzed.
Mozambican spirits are of much lower quality than Brazilian beverages and are
not suitable for consumption.