A. OHUCHI (1), M. Asakawa (2), M. Kanauchi (3), K. Kusaka (4), H.
Takakuwa (5), S. Tatsu (6), F. Tsuchiya (7), Y. Tsukada (8), T. Watanabe
(9); (1) Asahi Breweries, Ltd., Moriya-shi, Japan; (2) Shimadzu Co.,
Hadano-shi, Japan; (3) Miyagi University, Sendai-shi, Japan; (4)
National Research Institute of Brewing, Higashihiroshima-shi, Japan; (5)
Agilent Technologies Japan, Ltd., Hachioji-shi, Japan; (6) Suntory
Liquors, Ltd., Mishima-gun, Japan; (7) Thermo Fisher Scientific K.K.,
Yokohama-shi, Japan; (8) Kirin Company, Ltd., Yokohama-shi, Japan; (9)
Sapporo Breweries Ltd., Yaizu-shi, Japan
Poster
Recently, there has been increased consumer interest regarding
low-alcohol beer in Japan. Major Japanese brewing companies have
launched some low-alcohol beer brands labeled “0.00% alcohol (vol/vol).”
Alcohol 0.00% means that a concentration of alcohol is less than 0.005%
(vol/vol). Therefore an analytical method is need to it is needed
accurately determine 0.005% alcohol. The BCOJ subcommittee was charged
with evaluating the headspace GC-FID method for analysis of ethanol in
low-alcohol beer. Our method was based on the capillary column GC-FID
method from the analysis methods established by the National Tax Agency
of Japan. We succeeded in increasing sensitivity because we used a
headspace sampling technique. Our method could detect extremely low
concentrations (approx. 0.005%). The collaborative work was performed by
nine collaborators. Five sample pairs consisting of low-alcohol beer
(approx. 0.005–0.8%, vol/vol) were provided for this study. The
statistical summary of results is as follows: RSDr ranged from 0.6 to 2.3%; r95 ranged from 0.0003 to 0.0209% v/v, respectively; RSDR ranged from 1.5 to 4.3%; and R95
ranged from 0.0006 to 0.0809% (vol/vol), respectively. We judged these
results were acceptable. It was concluded that the method is capable of
determining ethanol in low-alcohol beer containing 0.005–1.0% (vol/vol)
of ethanol. The subcommittee recommended that the headspace GC-FID
method be adopted for inclusion in the Methods of Analysis of the BCOJ.
Atsushi Ohuchi received an M.S. degree in food and nutrition from
Osaka City University, Japan. He joined Asahi Breweries, Ltd. in 2001 as
a researcher in the Food and Healthcare Development Department. In
2005, he moved to the Quality Control Center. He joined the BCOJ
Analysis committee in 2010.
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