Accelerating Aging of White and Red Wines by the Application of Hydrostatic High Pressure and Maceration with Holm Oak (Quercus ilex) Chips. Influence on Physicochemical and Sensory Characteristics

Effects of High-Hydrostatic-Pressure Treatment on Polyphenols and Volatile Aromatic Compounds in Marselan Wine

This study investigated the effects of high-hydrostatic-pressure (HHP) treatment of varying intensity (100-600 MPa) and duration (10-30 min) on polyphenols and volatile aromatic compounds in Marselan red wine. The types and concentrations of polyphenols and volatile aromatic compounds were compared before and after HHP treatment; the results indicated that HHP treatment at 300 MPa for 20 min significantly increased the total polyphenol content to 369.70 mg/L, a rise of 35.82%. The contents of key polyphenols, such as resveratrol and protocatechuic acid, were significantly enhanced. Furthermore, while the total content of volatile aromatic compounds did not change significantly under this condition compared to the untreated samples, the concentration of ester compounds significantly increased to 1.81 times that of the untreated group, thereby enriching the floral and fruity aromas of the wine and effectively improving its aromatic profile and sensory quality. Principal component analysis (PCA) further validated the positive impact of HHP treatment on the flavor characteristics of Marselan red wine. These findings provide technical support for the use of HHP in improving wine quality.

The Impact of Compounds Extracted from Wood on the Quality of Alcoholic Beverages

The production of some alcoholic beverages very often requires the use of wood from various tree species to improve the quality parameters (smell, taste, and color) of the drink. The review discusses the types of wood used in the production of wines, beers, and flavored vodkas. Changes occurring in wood during the process of toasting barrels or wood chips are described. The compounds derived from wood that shape the aroma, taste, and color of alcoholic beverages are presented. Depending on their origin, they were classified into compounds naturally occurring in wood and those formed as a result of the thermal treatment of wood. Next, the influence of the presence of wood on the quality of alcoholic beverages was described, with particular emphasis on wine, beer, whisky, and brandy. The final part of the article presents innovative techniques using wood to impart qualitative features to alcoholic beverages.

Current Technologies to Accelerate the Aging Process of Alcoholic Beverages: A Review

The aging process contributes to the sensory evolution of alcoholic beverages, producing changes in the color and flavor of the final product. Traditionally, aging has occurred by storing beverages in wooden barrels for several months or years. To meet the demand for aged beverages, there is a need for large storage areas, a large number of wooden barrels, and, consequently, large volumes of stored product. Evaporation losses can also occur. In addition to the reactions of the beverage itself, there is also a transfer of wood compounds to the drink, which is later modified by successive oxidation reactions. This study addresses the alternative methods for accelerating the aging stage of beverages. These include the use of wood fragments, ultrasound, micro-oxygenation, pulsed electric field, high hydrostatic pressure, and microwave and gamma irradiation. These methods can be applied to optimize the process of extracting wood compounds, promote free radical formation, reduce oxidation reaction time, and accelerate yeast autolysis time. This study provides examples of some of the aforementioned methods. These technologies add value to the aging process, since they contribute to the reduction of production costs and, consequently, can increase commercial competitiveness.

Improving Soy Sauce Aroma Using High Hydrostatic Pressure and the Preliminary Mechanism

Using high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) to treat liquid foods can improve their aroma; however, no information about the effects of HHP on soy sauce aroma has yet been reported. The effects of HHP on the aroma of soy sauce fermented for 30 d were investigated using quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA), SPME-GC-olfactometry/MS, hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and principal component analysis (PCA). Results showed that the pressure used during HHP treatment had a greater influence on soy sauce aroma than the duration of HHP. Compared to the control, soy sauce that was treated with HHP at 400 MPa for 30 min (HHP400-30) obtained the highest sensory score (33% higher) by increasing its sour (7%), malty (9%), floral (27%) and caramel-like (47%) aromas, while decreasing its alcoholic (6%), fruity (6%) and smoky (12%) aromas; moreover, the aroma of HHP400-30 soy sauce was comparable with that of soy sauce fermented for 180 d. Further investigation demonstrated that HHP (400 MPa/30 min) enhanced the OAVs of compounds with sour (19%), malty (37%), floral (37%), caramel-like (49%) and other aromas (118%), and lowered the OAVs of compounds with alcoholic (5%), fruity (12%) and smoky (17%) aromas. These results were consistent with the results of the QDA. HHP treatment positively regulated the Maillard, oxidation and hydrolysis reactions in raw soy sauce, which resulted in the improvement and accelerated formation of raw soy sauce aroma. HHP was capable of simultaneously improving raw soy sauce aroma while accelerating its aroma formation, and this could treatment become a new alternative process involved in the production of high-quality soy sauce.

The Application of Wood Species in Enology: Chemical Wood Composition and Effect on Wine Quality

Aging wine is a usual practice in winemaking, as the wine quality improves due to the compounds extracted from wood barrels or chips, cubes, blocks, or staves used. The wood species used are traditionally oak, namely from Quercus petraea, Q. alba, or Q. robur species. In the last years, the increasing request for oak wood has caused a significant increase in environmental and production costs. Therefore, heartwood from several alternative species has been considered a potential wood source for winemaking and aging. Thus, the main purpose of this review is the application of these alternative wood species on wine production and to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of its use compared with the traditional wood species, namely oak wood. In addition, a brief chemical characterization of several wood species with possible application in enology is also discussed in this review.