Assessment of Staling Aldehydes in Lager Beer under Maritime Transport and Storage Conditions

Abstract

Beer flavor stability is greatly influenced by external temperature, vibrations, and longer delivery times. The present study assessed the impact of transport and storage conditions on staling aldehyde evolution in lager beers across five sample groups (fresh, transport, and storage simulation, and their controls), which differed in their bottle opening system (either crown cap or ring pull cap). Maritime transport conditions (45 days of travel, vibrations of 1.7 Hz, and warm temperatures (21–30 °C)) were simulated, together with storage time in a distributor’s warehouse (up to 75 days). The results revealed that the concentration of Strecker aldehydes increased more quickly after transport and storage simulation in beer bottles with the ring pull cap opening system, and the contents of 2-methylpropanal and 3-methylbutanal, in particular, were up to three times higher. Benzaldehyde content also increased significantly, by 33% on average, in these samples. Hexanal was only found in beers with a ring pull cap that underwent transport simulation. Further storage after transport simulation significantly reduced the content of 2-methylpropanal, 3-methylbutanal, and hexanal, by 73%, 57%, and 43%, respectively, suggesting the formation of a bound state. 5-hydroxymethylfurfural was continuously increased by 78.5% and 40.5% after the Transport and Transport & Storage simulations, respectively. Transport conditions lead to a slight increase, of 0.6 EBC units, in beer color.

Assessment of the Prediction Power of Forced Ageing Methodology on Lager Beer Aldehyde Evolution during Maritime Transportation

“…The evolution of nine staling aldehydes after maritime transport with storage simulation (45 days of travel at 21–30 °C and 1.7 Hz and 75 days at 19–29 °C after transport simulation) in bottled lager beer evaluated in our previous study [ 9 ] were compared with the results of three forced ageing periods (7, 21, and 28 days at 37 °C), to assess the prediction power of this methodology for this particular family of compounds during beer maritime exportation. A total of five beer batches were analysed (B1–B5).…”

“…According to our previous study, the four Strecker aldehydes identified in bottled lager beers tend to increase, up to three times higher, when beers are exposed to maritime transport conditions [ 9 ].…”

“…We observed a decrease with time in beer samples with the crown cap-opening system, while there was a continuous increase in beers with the ring pull cap-opening system. This effect was possibly due to the diffusion of oxygen through the ring pull cap that, in combination with temperature, catalyses the formation or liberation from a bound state [ 9 ]. However, in the latter system, the concentrations were between 14% and 22%, on average, lower than in transport and storage simulation samples.…”

“…Additionally, transport conditions are more harmful, since recent findings showed that vibrations reinforce the overall loss of beer flavour stability, acting synergistically with the temperature effect [ 8 ]. Few studies reported that bottled beers that underwent transportation showed a significant reduction in their bitterness, fruity flavours, and oxygen content and a significant increase, up to three times higher, in the concentration of staling aldehydes [ 5 , 6 , 8 , 9 ].…”

“…Therefore, this research focused on the prediction power of a forced ageing methodology to assess the aldehyde evolution on bottled lager beers that underwent maritime transport and storage simulation in our previous study [ 9 ].…”