Determination of 3-hydroxy-2-butanone (acetoin) in beer
The method is suitable for beers of brewed to any original gravity or of any alcohol content.
The compound 3-hydroxy-2-butanone (acetoin) is derived from diacetyl and is created through the reductive activity of yeast. One further reaction mechanism for the formation of 3-hydroxy-2-butanone is condensation of both free and activated (bound to thiamine pyrophosphate [TPP]) acetaldehyde.
3-Hydroxybutanone is oxidized to 2,3-butanedione (diacetyl) by iron chloride in the presence of iron sulfate and determined using gas chromatography and the headspace analysis method.