Chemical and physico-chemical parameters and composition of the aromatic fraction of limoncello

Recently limoncello, an Italian liqueur made with lemons, has gained great popularity with rapid and unexpected diffusion. Characterisation of the product is therefore necessary so that quality and authenticity parameters can be established. The literature does not report any data on the analysis of this liqueur. Hence, in this work, in 13 samples of limoncello, chemical, physico-chemical parameters and composition of the aromatic fraction were determined. The chemical and physicochemical parameters differed considerably from sample to sample. This is probably due to the different cultivars of lemons, pedoclimatic conditions and cultivation techniques, as well as to the different procedures for preparing the liqueur. Results showed that the aromatic components present in the lemon peel undergo many changes during preparation of the liqueur and during storage, mainly catalysed by aqueous acidic medium, high temperatures and UV irradiation.