Effect of alcohol concentration on the sensory characteristics of fruit macerates.
Mešic´ M., Gaši F., Spaho N.
Author Affiliation: Faculty of Agriculture and Food Sciences, Sarajevo, Bosnia-Hercegovina.
Radovi Poljoprivrednog Fakulteta Univerziteta u Sarajevu (Works of the Faculty of Agriculture University of Sarajevo) 55 : 153-160
Abstract : Maceration of plants and fruits represents a process of extraction of aromatic compounds and coloring agents from the plant tissue, for the purpose of obtaining a macerate. These macerates provide a basis for aromatization of some types of liqueur. Various interactions between the fruit species and alcohol concentration used, result in macerates with different sensory characteristics. This is why it is very important to establish which fruit species and which alcohol concentration give the best sensory characteristics of macerate. In this study, maceration of four fruit species was performed (mango, kiwifruit, clementine and pineapple) using three different alcohol concentrations (5; 10; 30% vol.). The obtained macerates were subjected to sensory analysis by assessors who have had experience in sensory tasting (trained laymen). Four sensory attributes of odor were graded: intensity, typicality, durability and harmony, and an overall sensory odor characteristic were graded subsequently. All samples were scored on a scale of 0-5. In order to minimize any biases as a result of order of presentation, an extended Latin square-type design was used. The data obtained from the sensory analysis was statistically analyzed using a two-factorial ANOVA in order to determine the significance of the influence of experimental factors on the average sensory grade. The cases where such significance was determined, differences in average grades were analyzed with Tukey test. It was determined that the concentration of the alcohol had a significant impact on the sensory grades for all the aromatic traits, while the fruit species did not exhibit any influences on the intensity and harmony of the odor. It should be noted that the high concentration of alcohol (30%) disguised the odor typical for the fruit species. Clementine, according to the overall grade, displayed the worst sensory characteristics, and therefore was not recommended for industrial production of fruit macerates. Pineapple, mango and kiwifruit showed satisfactory sensory characteristics for all analyzed parameters.