Sensory evaluation of mono-varietal juices from columnar apple fruits

Tis study presents the sensory and biochemical traits of mono-varietal juices from columnar apple fruits grown in the Orel Region. Fruit juices from the cultivars Valuta, Zvezda Era, Orlovskaya Eseniya and Priokskoye have been assessed against the Antonovka Obyknovennaya juice as control. We used the emerging sensory scales and dictionaries to develop a sensory panel for the apple juice evaluation and analysed its main biochemical criteria. Te top descriptors in a ve-point rating were used to develop the colour, avour and aroma scales for a quick juice quality evaluation, with suitable descriptors for each sensory level. Analyses of sensory data showed more expert discrimination of avour than aroma. Te cultivars were divided into three groups in terms of juice quality: transparent without opalescence (Zvezda Era, Valuta), almost opaque with marked opalescence (Orlovskaya Eseniya, Antonovka Obyknovennaya) and medium-transparent juice with slight opalescence (Priokskoye). Zvezda Era and Antonovka Obyknovennaya were more sour and tart, while the Valuta and Priokskoye varieties were the sweetest. Orlovskaya Eseniya had a balanced sweet-sour and least tart juice. A correlation has been determined between the point and descriptor scorings of apple juices, as well as between the avour and biochemical indices. Te sensory panel developed identied the best sensory qualities of apple juice as high transparency, absent opalescence, intense straw-yellow colour, sour-sweet rich avour and distinct apple aroma. Te most avour-aecting biochemical indices were the sugar content (°Brix), sugar-acid ratio and P-active catechin amount. Te point and descriptive scorings produce fully accordant results. A descriptive analysis is industry-preferred for allowing a rapid assessment of various product characteristics and their adjustment upon need.