Classical methodology application for copper determination in artisanal cachaça

Abstract

The food industry is increasingly looking for food safety and improving the quality of products of interest, such as the production of artisanal cachaça. By definition, cachaça is the typical and exclusive name for sugarcane brandy produced in Brazil, with alcoholic strength from 38% to 48% per volume at 20 °C. Given the importance of this product for the domestic market, a study on the standardization and quality of the beverage was conducted. Six random samples of artisanal cachaças were collected in the southern region of Minas Gerais to determine the copper concentration by titrimetry, in which the results varied in the range of 1.0 to 1.8 mg L^-1 and one sample with 404.8 mg L^-1, corresponding to a number 80 times higher than allowed by Brazilian legislation. As quality assurance, the method performed met the criteria of recovery, coefficient of variation, standard of known concentration and was characterized by a simple and low cost technique that can be performed on alembics. Additionally to laboratory tests, it briefly presents the correct process techniques for producers and the growing need for supervisory institutions to create measures for consumer protection.

Keywords:
Alembic; Cachaça; Copper; Legislation; Quality; Titration