Monosaccharide anhydrides, new markers of toasted oak wood used for ageing wines and distillates

In order to shed light on the thermal carbohydrate transformation chemistry, the non-volatile composition of natural and toasted oak wood samples of different origins were studied. GC–MS analysis revealed the presence of monosaccharide anhydrides (MAs) only in toasted oak wood samples. They were formed by the cellulose and hemicelluloses thermal degradation produced during the toasting process, and the content was dependent on the degree of toasting. The principal MAs formed in the oak wood toasting process were 1,6-anhydro-β-d-glucopyranose (levoglucosan), 1,6-anhydro-β-d-galactosane (galactosan) and 1,6-anhydro-β-d-mannopyranose (mannosan), with levoglucosan being the dominant MAs detected. Monosaccharide anhydrides can be considered specific products formed during the thermal treatment of wood; therefore they are proposed as markers of toasted wood and could be used to monitor and determine the intensity of toasting process.