Flavor characteristics of irradiated apple cider during storage: effect of packaging materials and sorbate addition

• Published in: Journal of food science Vol. 69; no. 7; pp. 557 - 563
• Main Authors: Crook, L.R, Boylston, T.D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.09.2004; Institute of Food Technologists; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: apple cider; Apples; Beverages; Biological and medical sciences; fermentation; flavor; flavor compounds; Flavors; Food industries; food irradiation; food microbiology; Food packaging; food preservatives; Food science; food storage; Fruit and vegetable industries; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Handling, storage, packaging, transport; irradiation; molds (fungi); oxygen; packaging; packaging materials; permeability; principal component analysis; soluble solids; sorbate; sorbic acid; titratable acidity; volatile compounds; yeasts; Addition; Fruit; Packaging material; apple cider; Cider; Flavor; sorbate; Apple; Warehousing; Food preservation; Packaging; Irradiation; Conditioning
• ISSN: 0022-1147; 1750-3841
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2621.2004.tb13650.x

Apple cider, with (0.1%) and without potassium sorbate, was packaged in 3 different materials to evaluate the effects of irradiation (2 kGy) and storage on flavor. Irradiated apple cider samples were compared with unirradiated samples stored in glass jars. Volatile flavor compounds, soluble solids, and titratable acidity were determined weekly throughout 3 wk of refrigerated storage. Oxygen permeability of the packaging materials was important in the retention of flavor during storage. Cider irradiated and stored in polystyrene containers or nylon-6 packaging materials (low oxygen permeability) had lower rates of loss of characteristic flavor compounds compared with unirradiated apple cider and cider irradiated and stored in low-density polyethylene (high oxygen permeability). The presence of sorbate, functioning as a yeast and mold inhibitor, reduced the rates of loss of the characteristic flavor compounds and the fermentation of sugars to acids. Principal component analysis resulted in several esters characteristic of apple flavor, soluble solids, and titratable acidity loading onto the 1st principal component (PC-1). Packaging material and sorbate treatment had the greatest effect on the compounds that loaded onto PC-1.