Suitability of alternative wood types other than American oak wood for the ageing of Sherry vinegar

Comparative study on the use of seasoned or unseasoned casks made of wood from different origins for the ageing of Sherry vinegar

BACKGROUND

In the present study, the ageing process of Sherry vinegar in used (seasoned) or new casks made of chestnut, American oak, Spanish oak or French oak wood has been investigated, considering that no research has investigated whether this seasoning has a definite influence on the final composition of the aged beverage. The polyphenolic and volatile contents of the aged vinegars were determined and their sensory properties were evaluated. Different statistical tools were applied to the data collected.

RESULTS

With respect to polyphenolic contents, ageing time was the most influential factor, followed by the seasoned-cask factor. The type of wood was only significant for gallic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, methylfurfural, ethyl gallate, ferulic acid, coniferyl aldehyde and sinapaldehyde. Principal component analysis according to polyphenols did not allow the samples to be differentiated, whereas cluster analysis revealed a slight grouping trend according to ageing time and seasoning of the wood. In relation to volatile compounds, variance analysis revealed that, again, ageing time and cask-seasoning were the most significant factors, with the samples clustering according to these two parameters. Following the sensory study, a clear difference between seasoned and new cask vinegars could be established as a result of the high scores in olfactory quality obtained for those vinegars aged in new casks. This was probably because of an excess of the descriptor 'ethyl acetate' exhibited by seasoned-cask Sherry vinegars.

CONCLUSION

The previous seasoning of the casks together with the ageing time conditioned the composition of the vinegars aged in casks of different botanical origin, which translated into differences at a sensory level. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Biotransformation of chemical components of rare cultures under the action of the enzyme preparation Trenolin Opti DF

The technological process of processing rare crops requires the use of enzyme preparations to soften the pulp and destroy the structure of polysaccharides, as well as increase the content of sugars, namely glucose and sucrose. Biochemical indicators of the quality of the fruits of krebs and chenomelys in the varietal section have been determined. The effect of the enzyme preparation - Trenolin Opti DF on the extraction of vitamins and polyphenolic substances has been investigated. The effectiveness of the enzyme preparation was judged by the biotransformation of the chemical components of the crushed mass from the fruits of rare crops. The effect of the enzyme preparation on the output and quality of fruit juice has been established.

The Influence of Time and Storage Conditions on the Antioxidant Potential and Total Phenolic Content in Homemade Grape Vinegars

Fermented foods have been an integral part of the cuisines of almost all cultures in the world. In recent years, they have gained ground again, mainly due to their potential health benefits. One such product is grape vinegar, which apart from characteristic taste, is also a source of compounds with antioxidant activity. The aim of the study was to determine the changes in the antioxidant potential and the content of polyphenols that occur during the storage of grape vinegar obtained by spontaneous fermentation. The research material consisted of vinegar made from different white grape varieties grown in Poland. For each variety, two variants were prepared: with and without the addition of sugar in the fermentation process. The antioxidant potential, polyphenol content, soluble solids content and pH were monitored both during the two-month fermentation process and the subsequent 6-months storage under various conditions. Storage conditions and time of the storage affected the antioxidant activity and polyphenol content. The content of these compounds was also influenced by the variety of grapes used as well as the method of vinegar preparation.

Aroma of Sherry Products: A Review

Jerez (Sherry) is a well-known wine-producing region located in southern Spain, where world-renowned oenological products such as wines, vinegars, and brandies are produced. There are several factors that provide characteristic physical, chemical, and sensory properties to the oenological products obtained in this Sherry region: the climate in the area with hot summers, mild winters, and with limited rainfall; the raw material used consisting on Palomino Fino, Moscatel, and Pedro Ximénez white grape varieties; the special vinification with fortified wines; and aging techniques such as a dynamic system of biological or oxidative aging. These special organoleptic characteristics are responsible for, among others, the aromatic profile of the wines, vinegars and brandies from the area, which explains why this is a subject that has been extensively researched over the years. This bibliographic review aims to compile the different scientific contributions that have been found to date, in relation with the aroma of the oenological products from the Sherry area (dry wines, sweet wines, vinegars, and brandies). We have mainly focused on the different analytical methodologies used and on the main analytes of interest.

An efficient method using ultrasound to accelerate aging in crabapple (Malus asiatica) vinegar produced from fresh fruit and its influencing mechanism investigation

In this study, a kind of crabapple vinegar was developed by the method of mixed bacteria fermentation. It showed that the total acids and total esters in the vinegar increased by 30.51% and 22.67%, respectively. Simultaneously, ultrasound was used to treat the vinegar to shorten the time of aging. In addition, the HS-SPME-GC-MS results show that some volatile components had increased significantly, such as total esters, aldehydes and heterocycles. Combining OAV with radar chart of aroma active ingredients, the order of contribution to the characteristic aroma of crabapple vinegar was esters > alcohols > others > acids. Finally, ultrasonic cavitation and hydroxyl radicals were measured to further prove it could accelerate chemical reaction of crabapple vinegar. The results of FTIR showed that the hydrogen-bonded molecules had increased, while free molecules with irritating taste (such as ethanol and acetic acid) had decreased, which made the taste of crabapple vinegar softer. Results have showed that ultrasound is a promising technique for shortening aging time and it also provides the possibility to improve the taste of fruit vinegar.

Use of ultrasound at a pilot scale to accelerate the ageing of sherry vinegar

In the present work, the accelerated ageing process of sherry vinegar has been studied at pilot scale by means of the joint application of ultrasound, micro-oxygenation and wood chips (American oak, French oak and Spanish oak). The CIELab parameters have been studied as well as the polyphenolic and volatile content of the aged vinegar samples. Vinegars aged with American oak presented different chromatic characteristics to those aged with French and Spanish oak and a lower polyphenolic and volatile content than the latter ones. On the other hand, Spanish oak generated vinegars with a higher content of volatile compounds and an intermediate polyphenolic profile between those obtained using French and American oak. In addition, the use of ultrasound for a period between 4 and 21 days, generated vinegars with similar characteristics to others that were aged in the traditional way for between 2 and 6 months. It has been demonstrated that the use of ultrasound, combined with micro-oxygenation and chip addition, is a technique which can accelerate the ageing process of vinegars at a pilot scale, so it could be a viable alternative to obtain sherry vinegars aged in a shorter time.