Determination of geosmin and 2,4,6-trichloroanisole in white and red Austrian wines by headspace SPME-GC/MS and comparison with sensory analysis

This paper describes the development and application of a fast and simple headspace solid phase microextraction GC–MS method for simultaneous determination of geosmin and 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (2,4,6-TCA), two main contributors to off-flavors in wine. The compounds were adsorbed onto a polydimethoxysiloxane (PDMS) fiber at 35 °C for 40 min without prior equilibration, thermally desorbed and analyzed by GC–MS in the selected ion monitoring mode. The parameters for adsorption onto and desorption from the fiber were optimized. This method was applied to analysis of 118 Austrian white and red wines, which were also characterized by sensory analysis. Geosmin was above the limit of detection (0.5 ng/L) in 110 wines (93%) and additionally quantified (>2 ng/L) in 65 wines (55%). It could be detected in wines of each off-flavor (moldy, corky, damp, musty, rotten, woody, grassy) in concentrations up to 16.7 ng/L and even in 90% of the sensorially faultless wines (up to 6.5 ng/L). On the other hand, 2,4,6-trichloroanisole was detected only in 24 wines (20% of all investigated wines) and above the limit of quantitation (2 ng/L) only in 5 wines (4%) sensorially classified as corky; corky and moldy plus other defects; or faultless in concentrations up to 14.3 ng/L. These results show that geosmin is more prevalent than 2,4,6-TCA and that chemical analysis is required especially when other wine characteristic flavors cover beginning off-flavors.