Preliminary Study for Raicilla Authentication by PCA and Cluster on Some Physicochemical Properties

Raicilla is a distinctive Mexican beverage produced in two central regions of Jalisco. This study aimed to analyze the physicochemical parameters of 25 raicilla alcoholic drinks originating from the Coast and Sierra regions. Each of the 25 raicilla brands underwent measurements of pH, conductivity, alcohol content, total solids, viscosity, sound velocity, density, and refractive index. Notably, these measurements are cost-effective and their analysis is straightforward. The results were analyzed using principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis. According to the PCA, two main components were identified, explaining 81.77% of the total variability of the physicochemical measurements of the distinct Coast and Sierra regions. Furthermore, applying Fisher’s LSD to the Sierra raicilla cluster allowed for the identification of variations. Specifically, samples from the Sierra zone groups were identified through cluster analysis, demonstrating similarities in physicochemical parameters; both statistical methods indicated no significant differences in the physicochemical parameters between a more acidic pH, higher conductivity, and greater density than those from the Coast zone. After the analysis was carried out, it was possible to find similarities and differences between the raicilla produced in the two regions, so it is possible to assume that using these results could facilitate the authentication of raicilla.