Effect of processing technologies and storage conditions on stability of black currant juices with special focus on phenolic compounds and sensory properties.

Juice was pressed from black currants without enzyme treatment (NEB=Non-Enzymatic Berry) followed by re-pressing of the residue with enzymes (EPR=Enzymatic Press Residue) and the results were compared to the conventional enzyme-aided berry pressing (EB=Enzymatic Berry). EPR-juice had 9- and 5-fold higher contents of phenolic compounds compared with the NEB- and EB-juices, respectively. Effect of the low content and stability of phenolics was noticed as loss of the visual color in the NEB-juice during storage. The decrease in monomeric anthocyanins and the increase in phenolic acids were most severe in the NEB-juice, whereas the most significant decline in hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives occurred in the enzyme-treated juices. Storage in light induced less change in the phenolic composition in EPR-juice than in the two other juices. The study gave new knowledge on changes in individual metabolites, in sensory properties and in the shelf life of berry juices.

Stability of Hydroxycinnamic Acid Derivatives, Flavonol Glycosides, and Anthocyanins in Black Currant Juice.

The stability of phenolic compounds was followed in black currant juice at ambient temperatures (in light and in dark conditions) and at +4 °C for a year. Analyses were based on high-performance liquid chromatography-diode-array detection-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (or tandem mass spectrometry) and high-performance liquid chromatography-diode-array detection-electrospray ionization-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry methods supported by nuclear magnetic resonance after selective high-performance liquid chromatography isolation. Altogether, 43 metabolites were identified, of which 2-(Z)-p-coumaroyloxymethylene-4-ß-d-glucopyranosyloxy-2-(Z)-butenenitrile, 2-(E)-caffeoyloxymethylene-4-ß-d-glucopyranosyloxy-2-(Z)-butenenitrile, 1-O-(Z)-p-coumaroyl-ß-d-glucopyranose, (Z)-p-coumaric acid 4-O-ß-d-glucopyranoside, and (Z)-p-coumaric acid were novel findings in black currant juice. Hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives degraded 20-40% at room temperature during one year of storage, releasing free hydroxycinnamic acids. O-Glucosides of hydroxycinnamic acid compounds were the most stable, followed by O-acylquinic acids, acyloxymethyleneglucosyloxybutenenitriles, and O-acylglucoses. Light induced the isomerization of (E)-coumaric acid compounds into corresponding Z-isomers. Flavonol glycosides stayed fairly stable. Flavonol aglycones were derived mainly from malonylglucosides. Over 90% of anthocyanins were lost at room temperature in a year, practically independent of light. Storage at low temperatures, preferably excluding light, is necessary to retain the original composition of phenolic compounds.

Proanthocyanidins and Their Contribution to Sensory Attributes of Black Currant Juices.

Black currant juices from five different cultivars were analyzed for composition, content, and mean degree of polymerization (mDP) of proanthocyanidins (PA) by UPLC-MS/MS. Juices contained both procyanidins (PC) and prodelphinidins (PD), but the PC-% varied significantly, from 28 to 82% of the total PA. In addition, high PD-% was related to high mDP and total PA content. Enzyme-assisted processing increased significantly total PA (5-14-fold), PD-% (12-65%), and mDP (1.8-6.2-fold) in the juices of all cultivars. Enzymatic treatment increased the contents of large PAs more than those of small PAs. The contents of PA and mDP were positively associated with the mouth-drying and puckering astringent characteristics. However, the PA content did not contribute to the bitter taste. Juices from the most bitter cultivars had the lowest contents of proanthocyanidins regardless of the processing method. This finding indicates the existence of other bitter compounds in black currants in addition to PA.

Sensory quality and compositional characteristics of blackcurrant juices produced by different processes.

Effects of enzymatic and non-enzymatic juice pressing on key orosensory and chemical quality factors of blackcurrant juices were studied in laboratory scale using berries of five different cultivars (Mortti, Mikael, Marski, Ola and Breed15). Enzymatic processing increased the juice yield by 10-22% and the content of various phenolic compounds in juice by 4-10-fold as compared to the non-enzymatic process. Higher intensity of the mouth-drying astringency of the enzyme-aided juice was the most significant orosensory difference between the processes. Juices of different blackcurrant cultivars varied in sweetness, sourness and bitterness. The most intensive sensory attributes of the juices were sourness and puckering astringency regardless of processing method. They correlated positively with each other and were contributed by acid content and pH. In enzyme-aided juices, the contents of flavonol glycosides and hydroxycinnamic acids were associated with mouth-drying astringency, and sugar/acid ratio correlated with sweetness. These correlations were less clear in non-enzyme juices possibly due to lower content of phenolic compounds and the high content of pectin.