Cátia Martins has uncovered hundreds of volatile molecules from several dozen national and international beers that are part or not of the aroma of one of the most appreciated beverages in the world. This unpublished work earned the young scientist the prize for better oral communication at the 10th National Meeting of Chromatography of the Portuguese Society of Chemistry 2017.
Have you thought while sipping a fresh cold beer in the summer how many flavors you can taste in this delicious drink? From fruity fragrances, vegetables, toasted aromas and caramel from hops or malt. Flavors of cereals based on wheat, corn or barley, sweeten with honey, jam or syrup. There are many aromas and flavors that can be experienced by consuming a beer. Created nearly 40 years ago, the WAB (wheel of aromas of beers) makes it possible for breweries and consumers around the world to assess the aromas and flavors in the beverage so far.
Adding to this old tool, the University of Aveiro (UA) now adds another level of information with which it intends to help in the production and control of beers: the volatile molecules that may or may not belong to each beer at that time of unique pleasure.
The unpublished work of Cátia Martins, carried out during her doctorate in biochemistry, with a scientific orientation by Sílvia Rocha, professor of the department of chemistry and researcher at the research unit of organic chemistry, natural products and agri-foods, co-orientation of Adelaide Almeida, of Biology and a researcher at the Center for Environmental and Marine Studies of the UA and Tiago Brandão of Unicer Bebidas, unveiled hundreds of volatile molecules from several dozen national and international beers.
Using advanced methods of gas chromatography, a technique used to separate chemicals, the researcher over the last five years has studied in detail the volatile molecules responsible for the aroma of each of the beers.
Based on the results this young scientist created the "Beer Aroma Molecular Atlas (BeerAMA)". BeerAma aims to make life easier for beer 'alchemists' as it reveals the characteristics of the tiniest and most essential ingredients of beer, a fundamental knowledge not only to optimize the production of brands already on the market but also to discover new aromas more easily.
Brewers still use WAB, which was developed in the 1970s by Danish chemical engineer Morten Meilgaard and at three levels of information, has 14 sensory groups, which are related to the aromas and flavors perceived in beer. In relation to the volatile molecules that are the basis of all the multiple sensations caused by the consumption of beer, but the aroma wheel contains little information about them.
With this new tool, says Cátia Martins, "with the addition of a 4th level of information related exclusively to molecules, it can be used as an aid in sensory analysis, allowing a detailed understanding not only at the level of aromas, but also of molecules characteristic of a certain aroma ". Also, through detailed knowledge of the molecules, it will be possible to monitor, for example, the origin of raw materials and the brewing process itself.
