Hemicelluloses of oak wood extracted with aqueous-alcoholic media

Hemicellulose fractions were isolated from ethanol extracts (40-90%) of oak wood. To determine the composition of these fractions, they were hydrolyzed, and the hydrolysis products in the form of trimethylsilyl derivatives were analyzed by GLC-MS. Depending on the content of ethanol, hemicelluloses of different composition were extracted from wood. In alcohols stored in a contact with oak wood and intended for manufacturing brandy and whisky, the content of hemicelluloses increased depending on storage duration. It is assumed that this makes drinks more full-bodied and imparts softness to them.