Abstract:

This study evaluated the influence of different fumigation processes on aroma compounds of Shanxi aged vinegar.
The aroma components of vinegars from steam fumigation (120 ℃ for 21 h) and traditional charcoal fumigation (80–90 ℃
for 5 days) were dynamically analyzed by headspace solid phase micro-extraction coupled with gas chromatography-mass
spectrometry. The results showed that 48 aroma compounds were identified before fumigation, and 83 compounds were
detected after steam fumigation, while the number of compounds detected decreased to 46 after charcoal fumigation. Among
them, the number of heterocyclic compounds detected in steam fumigated vinegar increased by 27 and by only 2 in charcoal
fumigated vinegar. The amounts of acid, ester, ketone and alcohol compounds were gradually reduced by 35.72%, 68.14%,
67.91% and 57.87% after steam fumigation, and by 67.10%, 76.00%, 67.12% and 71.84% after charcoal fumigation,
respectively. The amounts of total heterocyclic compounds and ligustrazine presented a gradual increase by 22.58 and
57.07 times after steam fumigation, and increased by only 9% and 39% after charcoal fumigation, respectively. Compared
with charcoal fumigation, steam fumigation not only greatly shortened the fumigation time and reduced the loss of aroma
components, but also facilitated the formation of heterocyclic aroma. The steam fumigation technology has a great potential
for popularization and application.

Key words: Shanxi aged vinegar, steam fumigation, charcoal fumigation, headspace solid-phase microextraction
(HS-SPME), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), aroma compounds