Evaluation of low-chill requiring apple cultivars for juice production: juicing potential, sensory profile and phenolic composition

Date
2020-12
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Low-chill requiring (LCR) apple cultivars can be cultivated in areas with a warmer climate which is not suitable for production of existing commercial apple cultivars. The short shelf -life of these LCR apple cultivars necessitates processing into products with an increased shelf -life to prevent losses and improve potential income to the producer. Therefore, the potential of LCR apples for juice production was evaluated. The cloudy and clear juice yields of six LCR apple cultivars (LCR1-6) were compared to that of two pink-fleshed (PF) apple cultivars (PF1 & PF2) and three commercial apple cultivars (Fuji, Cripps’ Pink and Granny Smith) for fruit collected during two consecutive seasons (not all cultivars evaluated in both seasons). Juice quality was assessed in terms of total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), pH, individual sugar content, as well as CieLab colour parameters. Descriptive sensory analysis was conducted using a trained panel to fully characterise the appearance, aroma, flavour, taste and mouthfeel of the juices. The phenolic composition (high- performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)), total phenol content (Folin-Ciocalteau) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of the different juices was determined as this relates to their potential health benefits. TAC was measured, using the DPPH radical scavenging and oxygen radical antioxidant capacity (ORAC) assays. Commercial cultivars gave the highest juice yield. Principal component analysis showed that their juice strongly associated with sweet taste and ‘fresh apple’ flavour, as well as low acidity and high lightness values, which are, according to literature, attributes preferred by the consumer. Both LCR and PF apple juice were less susceptible to oxidation and browning, when compared to the juice of the commercial apples. LCR3 showed the best juicing potential among the LCR cultivars. The juice of this LCR cultivar also had high TSS and fructose concentrations, a low TA and a distinctive ‘litchi/pear’ aroma and flavour note. The sensory panel detected a ‘strawberry’ aroma and flavour note in the PF apple juice. These flavours are not typical of commercial apple juices, but could potentially be appreciated by consumers. A HPLC-diode-array-fluorescence detection (DAD-FLD) method was used for identification and quantification of phenolic compounds from five phenolic groups (dihydrochalcones, phenolic acids, flavan-3-ols, flavonols and anthocyanins). Pasteurisation of the juice mainly increased or had no effect on the concentration of individual compounds and TAC, except for LCR2 which showed the opposite trend. Among the LCR juices, LCR1 had concentrations of high chlorogenic acid and flavan-3-ol during the first harvest season, while LCR2 had high concentrations of dihydrochalcones and some flavan-3-ols during the second harvest season. Overall, the juice from LCR cultivars had higher concentrations of the phenolic compounds than the commercial cultivars, but PF juice had even higher levels of most phenolic compounds, especially the anthocyanin idaein, together with very high TAC values. This study is the first to provide comprehensive information on the juicing potential, quality, sensory profiles, phenolic composition and TAC of LCR apple juice. The LCR and PF apple cultivars showed potential for juice and possibly also cider production.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Lae koue behoefte (LCR) appel kultivars kan in areas met ‘n warmer klimaat, wat nie vir die produksie van bestaande kommersiële appel kultivars geskik is nie, gekweek word. Die kort rakleeftyd van hierdie LCR appel kultivars vereis die prosessering na produkte met ‘n verlengde rakleeftyd om verliese te voorkom en potensiële inkomste van die produsente te verbeter. Om hierdie rede is die potensiaal van die LCR appels vir sap-produksie geëvalueer. Die troebel en helder sap-opbrengste van ses LCR (LCR1-LCR6) appel kultivars was met die van twee pienkvleis (PF) (PF1 & PF2) en drie kommersiële appel kultivars (Fuji, Cripps’ Pink en Granny Smith) vergelyk, wat oor twee opeenvolgende seisoene versamel is (nie alle kultivars is in beide seisoene geëvalueer nie). Die kwaliteit van die sap was ontleed in terme van totale oplosbare vastestowwe (TSS), titreerbare sure (TA), pH, individuele suiker-inhoud sowel as CieLab kleurmetings. Beskrywende sensoriese analise (DSA) is deur ‘n opgeleide paneel uitgevoer om die voorkoms, aroma, geur, smaak en mondgevoel van die sap-monsters te karakteriseer. Die fenoliese samestelling (hoë-druk vloeistof chromatografie (HPLC)), totale fenoliese inhoud (Folin-Ciocalteau) en totale antioksidant kapasiteit (TAC) is bepaal, aangesien dit met die sap se potensiële gesondheid-voordele verband hou. TAC was gemeet deur van DPPH radikale blussingsaktiwiteit en suurstof radikale antioksidantkapasiteit (ORAC) toetse gebruik te maak. Kommersiële kultivars het die hoogste sap-opbrengs gelewer. Hoofkomponentanalise (PCA) het getoon dat hierdie sap sterk met soet smaak, “vars appel” geur, asook lae suurheid en hoë ligtheid (L*) waardes geassosieer word, wat volgens literatuur eienskappe is wat verbruikers verkies. Beide LCR en PF kultivars was minder vatbaar vir oksidasie en verbruining, veral in vergelyking met die sap van kommersiële appels. LCR3 het die beste versappingspotensiaal getoon. Die sap van hierdie LCR appel het ook hoë TSS en fruktose konsentrasies, lae TA en ‘n kenmerkende lietsjie/peer aroma en geur gehad. Die sensoriese paneel het ‘n “aarbei” aroma en geur in die PF appelsap bespeur. Hierdie geure is nie eie aan kommersiële appelsap nie, maar kan potensieel deur verbruikers geniet word. ‘n HPLC-ultraviolet-fotodiode-fluoresensie deteksie (DAD-FLD) metode is vir die identifisering en kwantifisering van fenoliese komponente van vyf groepe (dihidrochalkone, fenoliese sure, flavan-3-ole, flavonole en antosianiene) gebruik. Pasteurisasie van die sap het die konsentrasie van individuele komponente en TAC hoofsaaklik óf laat verhoog óf geen effek gehad nie, behalwe vir LCR2 wat die teenoorgestelde tendens getoon het. Onder die LCR sappe het LCR1 hoë konsentrasies van chlorogeen suur en flavan-3-ole gedurende die eerste oes-seisoen gehad, terwyl LCR2 hoë konsentrasies van dihidrochalkone en sommige flavan-3-ole gedurende die tweede oes-seisoen gehad het. Algeheel het sap van die LCR kultivars hoër konsentrasies fenoliese komponente as die kommersiële kultivars gehad, maar PF sap het selfs hoër vlakke van die meeste fenoliese komponente gehad, veral die antosianien idaein, saam met baie hoë TAC waardes. Hierdie studie is die eerste om omvattende inligting oor die versappingspotensiaal, kwaliteit, sensoriese profiele, fenoliese samestelling en totale antioksidant kapasiteit van LCR appelsap te bied. Die LCR en PF appel kultivars het potensiaal vir versapping getoon asook vir moontlike sider produksie.
Description
Thesis (MScFoodSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2020.
Keywords
Apple cultivars, Apples -- Varieties, Apple juice -- Composition, Sensory profile, Phenolic composition, Apples --Effect of cold on, Low-chill requiring (LCR), Apple juice -- Flavor and odor, UCTD
Citation