Antioxidant and physicochemical characteristics of unfermented and fermented pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) beverages

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the physicochemical, antioxidant (antioxidant activity, total phenolic compounds, flavonoids, anthocyanins), and sensory characteristics of fresh (FRJ) and fermented (FEB) pomegranate beverages. Three fermentation conditions were tested based on the total soluble solids (TSS: °Bx) content in pomegranate juice: (a) natural TSS (13.9 °Bx) in fresh juice (FEB1), (b) adjusted to 17.5 °Bx (FEB2) and (c) adjusted to 25 °Bx (FEB3). The antioxidant activity, total phenolic compounds, flavonoids and anthocyanins after fermentation in FEB3 were 262.61 ± 0.12 mg Trolox, 188.60 ± 0.20 mg Gallic acid, 64.35 ± 0.09 mg quercetin and 1.92 ± 0.15 cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (C3OG)/100 mL, respectively. The final amounts of ethanol in FEB1, FEB2, and FEB3 were 6.82 ± 0.01, 9.73 ± 0.01, and 12.88 ± 0.01% (v/v), similar to that in wines. In general, the sensory characteristics of both FRJ and FEB beverages were well sensory accepted by consumers.