Efeito das impurezas vegetais da cana-de-açúcar sobre a qualidade da cachaça

Abstract

The cachaça, a typically Brazilian beverage, is produced exclusively from sugarcane, with an alcohol content between 38% and 48% (v/v) at 20°C. The Parameters of Identity and Quality (PIQs) established by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAPA) ensure the quality of the beverage by limiting maximum values for secondary compounds and contaminants. Possible sources of contamination from some secondary compounds include improper sugarcane topping and the presence of plant impurities in cachaça production, as they contain compounds that participate in pathways for forming secondary compounds. This study aimed to analyze the physicochemical profile of cachaças obtained from different parts of six sugarcane varieties and to correlate the concentrations of secondary compounds with the sugarcane cutting conditions, producing beverages from whole sugarcane without topping and defoliation (PPC), stripped stalk with top (PC), and only the clean stalk (C) of the sugarcane. The varieties used for this study (CTC 02, CTC 11, CTC 9003, RB 867515, IAC 5000, and SP 1842) were in the following cuts 3rd, 1st, 1st, 4th, 3rd, and 4th at the time of their collection in the municipality of Candeias, Minas Gerais. The physicochemical analyses followed the methodology established by MAPA. None of the samples exceeded the maximum limits set for cachaça parameters. Four samples were classified as sugarcane spirits due to an alcohol content above the limit for cachaça, attributed to distillation errors rather than the cuts of the raw material. It was observed that the presence of the apical meristem influenced the levels of higher alcohols, with higher values in samples containing this part of the plant. This suggests that the amino acids present in the meristem influence the formation of these compounds. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA) indicated that the sugarcane variety had a greater impact on the final product's quality than the cutting conditions of the raw material. It is concluded that, when comparing sugarcane cuts and variety, the latter has a greater influence on the beverage quality than the sugarcane cuts.