36E-44 |
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S. VALOIS and O. I. Padilla-Zakour. Food Science and Technology, Cornell Univ., New York State Agricultural Experiment Station, 630 W. North St., Geneva, NY 14456-1371 Processed apple products constitute an important part of New York's food industry. Hard (fermented) cider is made by yeast fermentation of juice and represents a small but growing portion of the market for alcoholic beverages, providing an alternative utilization of apples for specialty value-added products. Our objective was to evaluate the effect of various pasteurization treatments on the microbial stability and quality of bottled hard cider prepared without chemical preservatives. Hard cider (6.5%alcohol) was pasteurized and packaged in ten ounce glass bottles with screw caps using two methods: hot-fill-hold and water bath process. Ciders were hot-filled at 60°C, 63° C, and 65.5° C with a hold time of 3 minutes before cooled in 24°C water. Bottled cider samples were pasteurized in a water bath at 74° C for 10, 20, and 30 minutes and submersed in 74° C water for 5 minutes. Bacteria, yeast, and mold counts were measured before and after treatments. Ciders were analyzed for pH, titratable acidity, residual sugars, alcohol, Hunter color and evaluated by a sensory panel to determine if panelists could find a difference between the methods. All trials were conducted in duplicate. All hot-fill-hold and bottle pasteurization methods eliminated spoilage organisms that might decrease the shelf life, indicating that a short process at low temperature is sufficient to stabilize the cider. There were no significant differences between the treatments for alcohol, sugars, color, pH or titratable acidity. Taste panels showed a noticeable difference between treatments and control as well as between pasteurization treatments. Lower temperatures and shorter times resulted in best quality. Small wineries or cider producers could use a short time in bottle pasteurization, which would only require a source of hot water, or a low temperature hot packing line in order to have a stable hard cider while maintaining flavor profile and eliminating use of preservatives.
Session 36E, Fruit & Vegetable Products: General
2005 IFT Annual Meeting, July 15-20 - New Orleans, Louisiana |