Sensory Characteristics, Composition, and Nutraceutical Content of Juice from Vitis rotundifolia (Muscadine) Cultivars

Abstract

Eight Vitis rotundifolia (muscadine) cultivars, including five black cultivars (Black Beauty, Ison, Nesbitt, Southern Home, and Supreme) and three bronze cultivars (Carlos, Granny Val, and Summit), yielded 58 to 74 kg/vine. Juice yields were 473 to 551 L/t with soluble solids (12.6 to 14.6%), pH (3.09 to 3.42), total phenolics (179 to 373 mg/L), and total anthocyanins (2.0 to 104 mg/L). Consumers and a trained descriptive panel evaluated the juices plus two commercial juices. Consumers rated Black Beauty, Granny Val, Ison, Southern Home, and Summit juices highest for overall liking. The descriptive panel created a sensory lexicon with major attributes identified as sweet, sour, cooked muscadine, cooked grape, and astringent. Correlation between consumer and descriptive data indicated overall liking correlated positively to sweetness and caramelized and correlated negatively to sour and green unripe. Consumers showed a preference for juice sweetness with soluble solids ≈ 14% and soluble solids/acid ratios of 26 to 31. The muscadine cultivars produced quality juices with potential nutraceutical impact to expand marketing of muscadine products.