This volatile acid (also known as butanoic acid or methylbutyric acid) is a carboxylic acid. It is produced in nature by butyric acid fermentation, in which butyric acid, hydrogen and carbon dioxide as well as by-products such as acetone, butanol and ethanol(alcohol) are formed from sugar and starch. Butyric acid is found particularly in spoilt butter, in many types of cheese, in wood vinegar and in human sweat. It has an extremely unpleasant smell of vomit and can also be responsible for bad breath. In wine, it only occurs in very small quantities (around 3 mg/litre), but usually without sensory relevance.
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Markus J. Eser
Weinakademiker und Herausgeber „Der Weinkalender“