Derivatized volatile organic compound characterization of Friulano wine from Collio (Italy–Slovenia) by HS-SPME-GC-MS and discrimination from other varieties by chemometrics

Purpose: Methods to assess the authenticity and traceability of wines have been extensively studied as enhancers of food quality, allowing producers to obtain market recognition and premium prices. Among analytical techniques, the volatilome profile attained by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry is acquiring more and more attention by the scientific community, together with the use of chemometrics Design/methodology/approach: The volatilome profile of three varieties of blanc wines from the Collio area (namely Ribolla Gialla, Malvasia and Friulano) between Italy and Slovenia, was determined by head space-solid phase micro extraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, enhancing the carbonyl compounds identification with O-(2, 3, 4, 5, 6-pentafluorobenzyl)-hydroxylamine with the aim of identifying the autochthonous Friulano variety. Findings: A two-step chemometric approach based on an unsupervised technique (PCA) followed by a supervised one (PLS-DA) allowed to identify possible markers for discriminating the Friulano Collio variety from the others, in particular two chemical classes were identified by PCA (ketones and long chain esters). PLS-DA showed 87% accuracy in classification. A correct classification (i.e. non-Friulano Collio) of a group of wines obtained from the same grape variety but produced in an extra-Collio area was obtained as well. The results confirmed the benefits of using a derivatization step prior to volatile organic compounds analysis. Research limitations/implications: Among methods to assess the authenticity and traceability of wines, volatilome profile of wines determined by head space-solid phase micro extraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, enhanced by the carbonyl compound identifications with O-(2, 3, 4, 5, 6-pentafluorobenzyl)-hydroxylamine, may have a key role in conjunction with chemometrics and, in particular with principal component analysis and partial least square discriminant analysis. Practical implications: Among methods to assess the authenticity and traceability of Friulano wine, volatilome profile of wines determined by head space-solid phase micro extraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, enhanced by the carbonyl compound identifications with O-(2, 3, 4, 5, 6-Pentafluorobenzyl)Hydroxylamine hydrochloride, may have a key role in conjunction with chemometrics. Originality/value: Few works investigated both wine traceability with a volatilome enhancer and chemometrics of the Friulano wine variety obtaining such an improvement in this wine variety discrimination.