Evaluation of three SBSE Twister Phases (PDMS/HLB, PDMS/DVB/CWR, PDMS) for Chemical Profiling of different Lemon–Lime Carbonated Beverages by GC–MS

Stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) using GERSTEL Twisters is widely used for GC–MS profiling of volatile and semi-volatile compounds. While PDMS has traditionally been the established Twister phase, new coatings such as PDMS/HLB and PDMS/DVB/CWR expand the extraction range toward more polar and oxygenated compounds. In this study, PDMS/HLB, PDMS/DVB/CWR, and PDMS Twisters were evaluated for the profiling of four lemon–lime soda samples differing in brand, country-specific formulation, sugar content, and artificial sweetener use.

Overall, the results demonstrate that the new PDMS/HLB and PDMS/DVB/CWR Twister phases provide broader chemical information than PDMS alone, while PDMS remains valuable for reproducible aroma-focused profiling. Differences among the four soda samples were found to be driven by changes in citrus aroma compounds, oxygenated terpenes, esters, aldehydes, ketones, preservative/organic acid markers, and solvent/carrier-related compounds. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) showed replicate measurements clustered closely and clear sample separation indicating that SBSE–GC–MS could provide good repeatability while differentiating products. The use of different Twister phases offers a practical workflow for comprehensive beverage profiling and formulation comparison by GC–MS.