Statistical Differentiation of Tequila Spirits Using SPME-GCxGC-TOFMS and ChromaTOF Tile Software

This application note presents the analytical workflow for evaluating ten different commercial tequila samples using headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) combined with a comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GCxGC) system coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOFMS). The LECO Pegasus BT 4D GCxGC-TOFMS system delivers excellent separation capacity, wide dynamic range, and high sensitivity, enabling the detection of aroma-relevant compounds. Data processing was carried out with ChromaTOF Tile Software, which supports mass spectral (MS) and retention index (RI) library searches and generates a composite feature table for the entire sample set, facilitating the identification of trends, patterns, and significant differences among the tequilas.