Characterization of pyrazines in some Chinese liquors and their approximate concentrations

Pyrazines are very important impact aroma compounds in Chinese liquors. The identification of pyrazine derivatives was carried out by liquid-liquid extraction (LLE). The liquor sample was adjusted to the H+ concentration of 1 N with 12 N HCl and then concentrated by rotatory evaporator under vacuum condition. The concentrated liquor was extracted by diethyl ether, and the residual aqueous phase was adjusted to pH 10. The basic compounds were detected and identified by gas chromatography (GC)-mass spectrometry (MS). A total of 27 pyrazines were identified in Chinese liquors, mainly alkyl- and acetylpyrazines. A method for determining pyrazines in Chinese liquors was developed. It involves extraction by headspace (HS) solid phase microextraction (SPME) and determination using GC-flame thermionic detector (FTD). The optimum method was that the sample alcohol concentration was diluted to 12% vol by freshly redistilled-deionized water, and the diluted samples were saturated with NaCl and equilibrated at 50 degrees C for 15 min and extracted for 30 min at the same temperature. The developed method enabled detection limits of <200 ng/L. Linearity (R-2 > 0.99) and recovery rate were satisfied in all cases. Pyrazines of 12 commercial typical Chinese liquors were quantified by HS-SPME followed by GC-FTD and had a wide range of concentration.