Determination of the steam-volatile acids by means of titration
This method serves as a means for determining the titratable steam-volatile acids in beverages and concentrates
Volatile acids are distilled using steam, and the distillate is analyzed through titration. Sulfurous acid present in the distillate is determined iodometrically and subtracted from the total.
Determination of formic acid by enzymatic means.
This analysis is suitable for wort, beer, malt-based drinks, nutritional beer, beer-based mixed drinks, non-alcoholic soft drinks, NAB, fruit juice, soft drinks, juices, drinks.
Formic acid can be found in beer in small quantities, and it is also formed by contaminating bacteria, for example, by lactic acid bacteria (rods).
In the presence of the enzyme formate dehydrogenase (FDH), the formic acid created in this reaction is quantitatively oxidized to bicarbonate by nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD):
\(\text{Formic acide (HCOO}^- \text{) + NAD}^+ \space\text{+ H}{_2}\text{O }\space ^{\underrightarrow{\text{FDH}}} \space \text{CO}{_2}\text{ + NADH + H}^+\)
The amount of NADH+H+ formed during the reaction is equivalent to the amount of formic acid and can be determined photometrically based on its absorbance at 340 nm.