Efeito do reciclo de "chips" das madeiras carvalho (Quercus sp.), castanheira (Bertholletia excelsa) e amburana (Amburana cearensis) para maturação acelerada de aguardente

Abstract

Spirits are one of the most widely consumed distillates in the world and, in order to satisfy increasingly demanding markets, maturation has become a fundamental stage in improving chemical and sensory characteristics. Traditionally carried out in wooden barrels, this process is costly and time-consuming, which has prompted the development of quick and alternative methods, such as the use of wood chips. This study investigated the use and reuse of oak (Quercus sp.), chestnut (Bertholletia excelsa) and amburana (Amburana cearensis) wood chips for the accelerated maturation of brandy, assessing the effects of the process on the chemical profile and bioactivity of the beverage. The experimental design was divided into two main stages. In the first, the alcoholic matrix was collected and chemically characterized, obtained from a local mill in Paraíba, mono-distilled and undiluted. After confirming the identity and quality parameters, the distillate was used in the second stage, which consisted of accelerated maturation in two cycles with oak, amburana, and chestnut chips. In the first cycle, the beverage was stored for 28 days with six chips per liter, generating the treatments Q-1, A-1, and B-1. After this phase, the chips were reused for a second cycle, giving rise to treatments Q-2, A-2, and B-2. Periodic monitoring was carried out at seven-day intervals (alcohol content, relative density, color intensity, volatile acidity, total phenolics, and total tannins). The final drinks were evaluated for instrumental color, antioxidant activity (DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP), phenolic profile, volatile congeners, and volatile profile, providing their chemical and bioactive characterization. The results indicated that the first use of the chips led to greater extraction of phenolic compounds, directly associated with an increase in color intensity (saturated yellow) and antioxidant activity. These samples also showed greater diversity and intensity of volatile compounds, especially esters, and terpenes, resulting in characteristic profiles depending on the type of wood used. Among the woods, oak stood out for its higher phenolic content and antioxidant activity. Chestnut had a similar phenolic profile to oak, while amburana had different characteristics in terms of the types of phenolics present. On the other hand, the reuse of the chips proved to be limited, with a reduction in the intensity of the chemical characteristics, bringing the samples closer to the alcoholic matrix, due to the extraction of the compounds from the wood occurring more efficiently in the first use. The findings suggest that the use of wood chips is a promising alternative for the production of high-quality sugarcane spirits, especially in markets that demand more economical and faster processes. However, the practice of reusing the chips requires additional optimizations to ensure that the chemical quality is maintained throughout the maturation cycles.