Application of accelerating energies to the maceration of sherry vinegar with citrus fruits.

BACKGROUND: In the present work we propose the use of accelerating energies (microwaves and ultrasounds) to the maceration process of sherry vinegar with citrus fruit peels (orange and lemon). For the application of microwaves, an experimental design has been developed in order to optimize the maceration conditions. To evaluate the effect of these energies on the maceration, the volatile and polyphenolic content of the samples has been analyzed, as well as their sensory characteristics. RESULTS: Orange peel provided a higher number of volatile and polyphenolic compounds to the vinegar, while lemon's yielded a greater amount of some of them. The multivariate analysis showed that the samples macerated using microwaves were the most similar to the samples macerated in the traditional way. This aspect was corroborated by the sensory analysis, which was more noticeable when orange peel was used in the macerations. CONCLUSION: Therefore, it seems that the use of microwaves to accelerate maceration is a good alternative to the traditional method of making sherry vinegars macerated with citrus peel, since it cuts down the maceration time from 3 days to just a few minutes. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Suitability of alternative wood types other than American oak wood for the ageing of Sherry vinegar.

The present study has consisted on the monitoring of Sherry vinegar during a whole year ageing in American oak, French oak, Spanish oak and chestnut barrels in order to determine the suitability of alternative wood types other than American oak for the ageing of this type of vinegar. Thirty-two volatile compounds were quantified, CIELab parameters were determined and sensory analyses were carried out during the whole process. The multivariate analysis of the data revealed that the samples that had been aged in Spanish oak barrels were getting more similar to those aged in French oak as the ageing process was progressing. Furthermore, the samples that had been aged in chestnut presented some volatile compounds significantly different from American oak. Finally, although French oak wood transferred the best organoleptic characteristics to Sherry vinegar, Spanish oak and chestnut seemed to be satisfactory alternatives for the ageing process.