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DMDC (Velcorin®) is used for the cold sterilization of non-alcoholic beverages. It essentially kills yeasts, bacteria and molds, with little effect on mold spores or yeast ascospores. Certain species of Lactobacillus possess an elevated resistance to Velcorin®. 

There should be fewer than 500 microbes/cm³ at the time the dosage is added. 

According to the EU guideline EG 1129/2011 [1], up to 250 mg/l DMDC may be added to flavored non-alcoholic beverages, non-alcoholic wine and liquid tea concentrates.

Dimethyl dicarbonate (Velcorin®) quickly dissociates in aqueous solutions almost completely to carbon dioxide and methanol. In addition, small amounts of ethyl methyl carbonate are formed through the reaction of DMDC with ethanol, which can be detected through GC-MS analysis techniques [2]. The  amount of DMDC added to a beverage can be determined by measuring the content of EMC and ethanol. The Velcorin® dosage can be checked by measuring the amount of methanol quantitatively using GC analysis; however, the initial amount of methanol present in the product prior to adding Velcorin® must be determined.

H₂O + C₄H₆O₅ (DMDC) → 2CH₃OH + CO₂

250 mg Velcorin  → 119.5 mg methanol + 164.1 mg carbon dioxide

C₂H₅OH + C₄H₆O₅ (DMDC) → C₄H₈O₃ + CH₃OH+ CO₂

After distillation of the sample, the original gravity, alcohol and real extract content of the beer in beer-based beverages or other beverages can be determined from the densities of the distillate and residue.

Rather than utilizing the classic method for analyzing beer by means of density measurement and/or alcohol determination, this device employs thermoanalytical analysis techniques. With two thermoanalytical measuring cells, the beer sample is heated to 40 °C and 65 °C, and the specific heat capacity is determined. Algorithms are used to assign the results to the concentration of the various ingredients. In this way, alcohol content, apparent and real extract, and original gravity are calculated.

The refraction of a light beam as it passes from an optically less dense (sample liquid) to an optically denser medium (prism) is a function of concentration (alcohol/extract), temperature and wavelength. The density of the test liquid is a function of the concentrations of alcohol and extract content. Therefore, from the refractive index (or alternatively the refractive index n_D20 and the density or the SG_A20/20, the real extract), the alcohol and original gravity can be determined from nomograms or using regression equations.