OBSERVATIONS ON THE INFLUENCE OF TEMPERATURE, DISSOLVED-OXYGEN AND JUICE SOURCE ON STORED ALCOHOLIC CIDER FLAVOR DEVELOPMENT

Flavour development during storage of fermented alcoholic cider relies primarily on the activity of an indigenous mixed microflora of yeasts and bacteria. Physical factors such as storage temperature and initia l dissolved oxygen level are also shown to significantly influence the organoleptic quality. Over the range of 5 to 25 degrees C, 15 degrees C was found to provide the best temperature for storage, with 25 degr ees C resulting in an unacceptable, oxidized and sulphury tasting prod uct. Similar undesirable characteristics occurred due to a rise in ini tial dissolved oxygen (DO) to 5% saturation prior to storage at 15 deg rees C, a DO level that can result from fermenter to storage vat pumpi ng. The juice source, fresh or re-constituted concentrate was also sho wn to influence flavour development. The latter does not contain the m ixed microflora necessary to promote desirable organoleptic changes, i ncluding malolactic fermentation.