Physiologically active substances in herbal Baijiu based on multi-technology combination

In this experiment, using herbal Baijiu as the research object, the physiologically active substances in herbal Baijiu were qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed by a combination of full two-dimensional gas chromatography-high-throughput time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC-TOFMS), ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-TOF-MS), inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), ion chromatography (IC), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and amino acid analyzer (AAA). The results showed that 1179 volatiles substances, 427 non-volatiles substances, and 10 mineral elements were identified, respectively, and p-menthane-1,3,8-triene, carotene, (+)-longifolium, and other terpenoids were detected for the first time in herbal Baijiu. With the literature search, a total of 109 physiologically active substances were identified in 10 categories including 16 flavonoids, 1 polysaccharide, 1 alkaloid, 11 amino acids, 10 mineral elements, 8 organic acids and esters, 8 polyols, 14 pyrazines, 35 terpenes and their derivatives, and 5 phenols. The total contents of physiologically active substances in herbal Baijiu was 3.7-7.0 g/L, with the highest content of organic acid esters (3.4-6.8 g/L), and followed by amino acids (95.6-129.8 mg/L), flavonoids (104.2-138.7 mg/L), and polyols (11.6-26.0 mg/L), which had the effect of reducing liver damage, assisting in lowering blood lipids, and immunomodulation.