Effects of log storage and drying on birch (Betula pendula) wood proanthocyanidin concentration and discoloration

In conventional drying, sawn birch (Betula sp.) timber darkens and reddens from the inside while the layer a few millimetres under the yellowish surface remains light in color. Lack of information concerning the chemical basis of the discoloration hinders the development of a reliable solution for this problem. In this study, the role of soluble proanthocyanidins in discoloration of birch wood was investigated because the polymerization and oxidation of these compounds are known to yield insoluble reddish compounds. Different periods of log storage affected the synthesis of soluble proanthocyanidins during conventional drying. Concentration of proanthocyanidins also correlated with changes in the color of birch wood. Discoloration appeared differently in conventionally dried and vacuum-dried wood, which indicates that the discoloration mechanism in these drying methods may differ chemically, and/ or the compounds that take part in discoloration may be different at different drying temperatures.