Diketones, such as diacetyl (2,3-pentanedione) or 2,3-butanedione, are naturally occurring products in some alcoholic beverages and foods. They are important ingredients in beer aroma and are characterized by their buttery flavor. In lager beer they are considered off- flavors, hence the importance of carefully monitoring their content in these beverages.
In 1999, the European Brewery Convention issued a method1 for the determination of 2,3-butanedione and 2,3-pentanedione in beers via headspace gas chromatography.
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