GC-O-MS and Sensomics-Based Comparison of Laboratory and Pilot-Scale Pervaporation in Cabernet Sauvignon Grape Spirit Production

Pervaporation is an emerging, environmentally friendly separation technology that could serve as an alternative to distillation in spirit production. Studies at the laboratory scale have already demonstrated that this approach can work effectively for this application. To better understand how scaling up production affects aroma, a joint study compared laboratory-scale and pilot-scale Cabernet Sauvignon grape spirits using a Sensomics-based approach. The analysis showed that both samples had very similar aroma profiles. Researchers used gas chromatography-olfactometry-mass spectrometry (GC-O-MS) to identify 47 aroma compounds in the laboratory-scale spirit and 40 in the pilot-scale version, with the most important aroma compounds present at comparable levels in both. A paper based on this research was published in Food Research International.¹

What is the Composition of Grape Spirit and How Is its Flavor Determined?

Grape spirit is mainly made up of water and ethanol, usually with an alcohol content of about 40% by volume, along with small amounts of flavor compounds. Even though these compounds are present only in trace amounts, they play a major role in creating the aroma and taste that make grape spirit enjoyable. These flavor compounds include esters, alcohols, acids, aldehydes, acetals, aromatic compounds, terpenes, furans, and sulfur-containing compounds.²However, not every trace ingredient has a real impact on taste or aroma. To figure out which ingredients matter for flavor, scientists use the Sensomics approach. This method combines the sensitivity of the human sense of smell with analytical tools like gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. Together, these techniques allow the different components to be separated and detected while also linking them to what people can smell, helping to pinpoint the compounds that truly shape flavor.³

What is the Sensomics Approach?

The Sensomics approach is a holistic, comparative strategy within food science that aims to identify and understand the compounds responsible for the sensory perception of foods and beverages, including aroma, taste, and flavor interactions. As a branch of food-related “omics” sciences—alongside foodomics and flavoromics—sensomics focuses specifically on sensory-active molecules and compounds that may indirectly influence consumer perception through sensory interactions. Sensomics studies are inherently comparative and multivariate. They require comparison between different sample groups, such as treated versus control products, to determine how composition changes affect sensory perception. Successful sensomics research depends on carefully designed experiments, reproducible analytical methods, robust data analysis, and integration of sensory and chemical information. The goal is to link molecular composition with human sensory perception, identify key compounds driving flavor and aroma, and understand how processing, formulation, or technological factors alter the overall sensory character of foods and beverages.⁴

Does Scaling Up Production Affect the Flavor and Consumer Acceptance of Grape Spirit?

The researchers identified 49 aroma compounds and found that isoamyl alcohol and ethyl octanoate were present in the highest amounts. However, when it came to the compounds that have the strongest smell impact, ethyl octanoate, β-damascenone, and acetoin stood out the most. Most of the aroma compounds were very similar in both samples, with no meaningful differences in either their levels or their sensory impact. Sensory testing also showed that the overall aroma profiles of the two samples were almost identical, with a 94% similarity and no noticeable differences in how strong the aroma characteristics were. Finally, taste tests with consumers confirmed that people did not show a clear preference for one sample over the other.¹

“These results,” write the authors of the paper,¹ “demonstrate the feasibility and stability of equipment performance during scale-up, supporting the further application of pervaporation technology in industrial spirit production.”

The researchers pointed out that this correlation analysis is preliminary and based on only a small number of scale conditions (n = 2). Therefore, the findings should be viewed as hypothesis-generating rather than definitive conclusions. Additional studies using more intermediate scales, repeated experiments, and controlled changes in operating conditions—such as temperature, flow rate, and membrane configuration—will be needed to better understand how process conditions influence product outcomes and to establish more reliable scale-up guidelines.¹

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References

1. 1.Wang, X.; Zheng, Y.; Han, S. et al. Comparison of Laboratory- and Pilot-Scale Pervaporation Process: Influence on Volatile Compounds and Sensory Properties of 'Cabernet Sauvignon' Grape Spirit. Food Res Int. 2026, 236, 119223. DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2026.119223
2. Wang, X.; Cui, W.; Guo, W. et al. Separation Techniques for Manufacturing Fruit Spirits: From Traditional Distillation to Advanced Pervaporation Process. Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf. 2024, 23 (1), e13278. DOI: 10.1111/1541-4337.13278
3. Dunkel, A.; Steinhaus, M.; Kotthoff, M. et al. Nature's Chemical Signatures in Human Olfaction: A Foodborne Perspective for Future Biotechnology. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2014, 53 (28), 7124-7143. DOI: 10.1002/anie.201309508
4. 4.Vrzal, T.; Olšovská, J.2019. Sensomics - Basic Principles and Practice. Fermentation Industry (KVASNY PRUMYSL) 2019, 65 (5),166–173. DOI: 10.18832/kp2019.65.166