Effect of long term storage of sugarcane spirit in stainless steel on physiochemical

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

Cachaça and sugarcane spirits are beverages consumed in Brazil and all over the world. These beverages are usually stored in wooden or stainless steel containers. The objectives of this work were to analyze the physicochemical and chromatographic profile of sugarcane spirits produced in different harvests and the influence on the quality parameters of this beverage stored in stainless steel containers. Fifteen samples from crops produced between 1996 and 2016 and stored in stainless steel tanks were analyzed. There was a wide variation in the percentages of secondary compounds and contaminants. Of the 15 samples analyzed, the compositions of five samples were outside the legal limits: A/1996 (butan-1-ol concentration was above 3.0 mg/100 mL of anhydrous alcohol (aa)), D/2000 (concentration of alcohol and congeners was lower than 38% v/v and 200 mg/100 mL of aa, respectively), F/2002 (concentration of congeners were lower than 200 mg/100 mL of aa), G/2003 (butan-1-ol concentration was greater than 3.0 mg /100 mL of aa), N1/2016 (aldehyde concentrations were greater than 30 mg/100 mL of aa), Thus, these samples are not recommended for consumption and commercialization. None of the samples contained copper concentrations that exceeded the legal limit. Zinc was detected at concentrations lower than 1.0 mg/L. Cadmium, chromium, lead and iron were not detected. The storage of the beverage in stainless steel barrels for a period of up to 20 years modified the physical-chemical characteristics of the spirit. However, it does not offer risks regarding the contamination of the product by metals because, when detected, they were present in concentrations that that would not be harmful for consumers.