Electrochemical Approaches for Rapid Characterization of Oxidizable Compounds in Different Oak Alternatives

Abstract

Oak alternatives (OAs) such as chips, granulates or staves, are becoming increasingly used in the wine industry. Although they are mostly considered for their contribution to wine aroma, they are also a source of phenolic compounds to be released in the wine, in particular ellagitannins contributing to wine mouthfeel and antioxidant characteristics. In the present study, we explore the potential for a rapid analytical method based on linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) combined with disposable sensors to provide a rapid measure of the oxidizable compounds present in different OAs, as well as their characterization. Strong correlations were found between the tannin content of different OAs and the total current measures during LSV analysis, allowing a rapid quantification of the oxidizable compounds present, mostly ellagitannin. Application of derivatization to raw voltammograms allowed extraction of a number of features that can be used for classification purposes, in particular with respect to OAs types (chips or staves) and degree of toasting.