DISTILLATION INFLUENCE ON THE COMPOSITION AND SENSORIAL QUALITY OF SUGAR CANE DISTILLED BEVERAGE
The knowledge of substances related to sensorial quality of sugar cane distilled beverage is fundamental in the production monitoring, in its characteristical changes and/or beverage quality control. Separation, selection and concentration of these substances are performed during the distillation process. Physical-chemical and sensorial analyses of sixteen sugar cane distilled beverage samples were analized. Their relationships were established through the factor analysis by the principal component method. Afterwards the substance behaviour related to the beverage sensorial quality during the distillation was studied. A need of analysing a greater number of sugar cane distilled beverage components was detected in order to increase the correlation coefficient between analytical and sensorial data, optimizing the setting of parameters for the distillation process and for the other stages that take part in the sugar cane distilled beverage production. It was also noticed that the higher the propanol content and acidity levels the worst was the product sensorial quality. On the other hand, when the product distillation is fractioned, the acidity levels drop as well as the propanol contents in the sugar cane distilled beverage.