CHEMOMETRIC APPROACH TO DETERMINATION OF THE AUTHENTICITY OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF SERBIAN AND MACEDONIAN BRANDY

Abstract

The isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) was used to determine the value of the stable isotope carbon (¹³C/¹²C), hydrogen (²H/¹H) and oxygen (¹⁸O/¹⁶O) in the molecule of ethanol, produced by alcoholic fermentation of fresh fruit (apples, pears, plums and grapes) from the Republic of Serbia and Macedonia, with and without the addition of sugar from sugar beet. IRMS analysis of alcohols with known botanical and geographical origins enabled the creation of authentic database for Serbian and Macedonian brandy. Regression analysis has been shown as very effective in prediction of the amount of added sugar beet in fruit brandy based on δD values. Statistical data analysis was performed by comparing stable isotope values for different types of brandies. ¹⁸O/¹⁶O ratio values proved to be very useful in determination of the geographical origin.