Abstract
Phytochemical-rich fruits may have health-related properties, which make juices of these fruits prime candidates for the nutraceutical market. Understanding consumer acceptance and compositional, color, and descriptive sensory changes during storage is crucial to the success of nutraceutical-rich juices. Juices (blackberry, blueberry, and Concord grape) were blended according to the ABCD mixture design (three primary juices, three binary blends, and four tertiary blends). Prior to storage, a trained descriptive panel (n = 8) determined that Concord-containing blends were generally sweeter, less bitter, less astringent, and less sour than blackberry- or blueberry-containing blends. When relating compositional, color, and descriptive sensory characteristics, sweetness was inversely correlated to total phenolics (r = −0.88), total anthocyanins (r = −0.75), color density (r = −0.84), and astringency (r = −0.92) and positively correlated with soluble solids (r = 0.92) and polymeric color (r = 0.78). Consumers (n = 108) evaluated overall liking on a 9-point verbal hedonic scale. Average liking scores were high for 100% Concord juice (7.79), moderate for 100% blueberry juice (5.47), and low for 100% blackberry juice (2.95). Consumer acceptance was driven by soluble solids, total anthocyanins, purple color, red color, astringency, sweetness, and grape flavor. Compositional, color, and descriptive sensory changes were tracked during 200 days storage at 2°C and 21°C. Prior to storage, 100% blueberry juice had the highest total anthocyanins (67 mg/100 mL), 100% blackberry juice had the highest total phenolics (249 mg/100 mL), and 100% Concord juice had the highest polymeric color (23%). During storage, polymeric color increased as total anthocyanins decreased at 2°C and 21°C. Blending juices balanced nutraceutical enhancement and maintenance of consumer acceptance.
- ©2012 by the American Society for Enology and Viticulture
Sign in for ASEV members
ASEV Members, please sign in at ASEV to access the journal online.
Sign in for Institutional and Non-member Subscribers
Log in using your username and password
Pay Per Article - You may access this article (from the computer you are currently using) for 2 day for US$10.00
Regain Access - You can regain access to a recent Pay per Article purchase if your access period has not yet expired.