Friendly Bacteria Improve Fermentation, Antioxidants, and Aroma in Apple Cider

Jenn Hoskins
18th July, 2024

Friendly Bacteria Improve Fermentation, Antioxidants, and Aroma in Apple Cider

Image Source: Natural Science News, 2024

Key Findings

  • The study by Sichuan University of Science and Engineering explored how different strains of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum affect cider quality during fermentation
  • Different L. plantarum strains significantly influenced the antioxidant activity and aroma compounds in ciders
  • Mixed fermentations with L. plantarum and Saccharomyces cerevisiae resulted in higher antioxidant activity and improved aroma profiles compared to pure S. cerevisiae fermentations
The recent study conducted by Sichuan University of Science and Engineering[1] aimed to explore the impact of different strains of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum on malolactic fermentation (MLF), antioxidant activity, and aroma of ciders. The study's objective was to determine how these strains influence cider quality when co-inoculated with a commercial strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae for simultaneous alcoholic fermentation (AF) and MLF. Malolactic fermentation is a process where malic acid in wine or cider is converted into lactic acid by lactic acid bacteria, which can enhance the flavor and stability of the beverage. This study is significant because it investigates how different strains of L. plantarum can affect this process and, consequently, the overall quality of ciders. The researchers found that different L. plantarum strains significantly influenced the antioxidant activity and aroma compounds in the ciders (p < 0.05). The strains led to substantial consumption of malic acid and increased levels of lactic acid, with distinct strain-specific effects. Notably, the strain L. plantarum SCFF284 showed particularly favorable results. Mixed fermentations involving both L. plantarum and S. cerevisiae resulted in higher antioxidant activity and improved aroma profiles compared to pure S. cerevisiae fermentations (p < 0.05). The findings align with previous research on the influence of microbial strains on fermentation outcomes. For instance, earlier studies have shown that non-Saccharomyces yeasts, such as Torulaspora delbrueckii and Metschnikowia pulcherrima, can create conditions that favor MLF by reducing concentrations of SO2 and medium chain fatty acids, thus promoting the development of Oenococcus oeni[2]. Similarly, the current study demonstrates that the presence of L. plantarum can enhance MLF and improve cider quality. Moreover, the study's results are consistent with findings from research on the impact of different O. oeni strains on wine aroma profiles. For example, specific O. oeni strains have been shown to significantly increase the concentration of volatile phenol-precursor hydroxycinnamic acids and other key aromatic compounds, leading to wines with distinct characteristics[3]. The current study extends these insights to ciders, showing that different L. plantarum strains can similarly influence the aroma and antioxidant properties of the final product. The methodology involved co-inoculating apple juice with S. cerevisiae and six indigenous L. plantarum strains to induce simultaneous AF and MLF. The researchers measured the consumption of malic acid, levels of lactic acid, antioxidant activity, and aroma compounds in the resulting ciders. They found that mixed fermentations produced higher levels of desirable aroma compounds, such as ethyl acetate and isoamyl alcohol, and received higher sensory scores compared to pure S. cerevisiae fermentations. These findings are also in line with research on jujube wine, which showed that specific pretreatment and leaching methods could significantly affect the levels of volatile compounds and overall wine quality[4]. The current study's emphasis on the strain-specific effects of L. plantarum on cider aroma compounds further underscores the importance of microbial selection in fermentation processes. Additionally, the study supports previous observations that the phenolic content of fermented beverages can vary significantly depending on the microbial strains used. For instance, ciders fermented with different yeast species showed variations in phenolic compound content, with S. pombe ciders retaining higher levels of certain antioxidants compared to S. cerevisiae ciders[5]. The current study's findings that mixed fermentations involving L. plantarum and S. cerevisiae result in higher antioxidant activity align with these observations. In conclusion, the study by Sichuan University of Science and Engineering highlights the significant impact of different L. plantarum strains on MLF, antioxidant activity, and aroma profiles in ciders. The results demonstrate that selecting specific microbial strains can enhance the quality of fermented beverages, offering valuable insights for cider producers aiming to improve their products through microbial management.

FruitsBiotechBiochem

References

Main Study

1) Lactiplantibacillus plantarum exerts strain-specific effects on malolactic fermentation, antioxidant activity, and aroma profile of apple cider.

Published 30th October, 2024 (future Journal edition)

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fochx.2024.101575

Related Studies

2) Impact of changes in wine composition produced by non-Saccharomyces on malolactic fermentation.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2020.108954

3) Wine aroma profile modification by Oenococcus oeni strains from Rioja Alavesa region: selection of potential malolactic starters.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2021.109324

4) Effects of pretreatment methods and leaching methods on jujube wine quality detected by electronic senses and HS-SPME-GC-MS.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2020.127330

5) Phenolic compound profiles in Finnish apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.) juices and ciders fermented with Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe strains.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2021.131437


Related Articles

An unhandled error has occurred. Reload 🗙