styrene

Technical specification

Assessment

Te best way to detect plastic-like notes in beer is as follows. Cover the beer with your hand and swirl the glass to release the aroma. Remove your hand and take a single long sniff. Repeat as necessary.

Amount of flavour per capsule

65 µg per capsule

Threshold

The flavour threshold of styrene in beer is 20 µg / l.

Origins

Styrene is produced by contaminant wild yeasts during fermentation. It can also be introduced into beer as a taint through use of contaminated packaging materials or defective carbon dioxide gas.

Confusions

Professional tasters can confuse plastic-like flavours in beer resulting from styrene with the following:

• Acetaldehyde
• 4-Vinyl guaiacol
• Eugenol

Importance

Styrene can be both an off-flavour and a taint in beer. It is associated with a moderate degree of consumer rejection in beer. It can be described by consumers as ‘chemical’, ‘plasticy’ or ‘contaminated’.

CAS registry number

The CAS registry number of styrene is 100-42-5.

Other names

• ethenylbenzene
• phenyl ethene
• phenyl ethylene
• styrol
• styrolene
• vinyl benzene
• vinyl benzol

Remarks

Other compounds can impart a plastic-like note to beer. Samples containing this standard are best tasted in glass, rather than in plastic, to avoid loss of odour.

Threshold distribution

Capsules per pot

10

Legal notices

This product is protected by the following trade marks and patents:

• US Patent no. D679900
• European Community Trade Mark
  Registration no. 009937574
• European Community Trade Mark
  Registration no. 009856527
• US Trade Mark Registration no. 4345057
• US Trade Mark Registration no. 4345056