Abstract
Carob liqueur is an alcoholic drink (minimum 15% v/v of ethanol and 100 g/L of sugar) typical for the Mediterranean countries. In the current work, carob macerate produced by maceration of carob pods in hydroalcoholic base at different maceration conditions was characterized for the first time based on its aroma compounds/profile, physicochemical parameters, and chromatic characteristics. The results confirm the migration process of bioactive compounds, aroma compounds, and sugars flowing from the carob pod to the hydroalcoholic base. Changes in ethanol concentration modify the physical properties of the solvent and influence the phenolic and aroma compounds extraction, color, and acidity of the obtained samples. The higher content of phenolic compounds was determinate in the samples obtained in the darkness. The amounts of phenols were in the range of some red fruit liqueurs or walnut liqueurs, and sugars (mostly sucrose) ranging between 96 and 107 g/L. Twenty‐six (out of total 94) aroma compounds were detected in all samples, of which 17 esters, 3 alcohols, 4 ketones, and 2 acids. Low molecular weight ethyl esters, ethyl hexanoate, ethyl 2‐methyl propanoate, ethyl octanoate, ethyl benzoate, ethyl butanoate, and ethyl cinnamate, were the most abundant. Carob pod maceration in 50% v/v hydroalcoholic base (1:5 solid to liquid ratio) in darkness at room temperature during 8 weeks can be recommended as optimal maceration conditions for production of the aromatic carob macerate with functional properties.
Highlights
Due to the chemical and nutritive composition of its fruit, the carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) has multiple uses in the food and beverage production (Benković, Bosiljkov, Semić, Ježek, & Srečec, 2019)
The results showed that gallic acid is the most abundant bioactive compound in the carob liqueur, and the amount of both gallic acid and total phenolic compounds significantly dependent on the carob cultivar characteristics
Researchers have focused on the valorization of carob pods since they are an excellent source of sugar (Boublenza et al, 2017; Bulca, 2016; Mazaheri et al, 2012; Turhan, Bialka, Demirci, & Karhan, 2010) as well as bioactive compounds such as polyphenols which can be efficiently extracted by the maceration of chopped carob pods in hydroalcoholic base (Goulas, Stylos, Chatziathanasiadou, Mavromoustakos, & Tzakos, 1875; Nasar-Abbas et al, 2016; Rodríguez-Solana, Salgado, et al, 2019)
Summary
Due to the chemical and nutritive composition of its fruit, the carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) has multiple uses in the food and beverage production (Benković, Bosiljkov, Semić, Ježek, & Srečec, 2019). Carob liqueur is produced by maceration of partially crushed carob pods in the hydroalcoholic base, with the addition of sugar. Various compounds that give a characteristic flavor and color as well as the biologically active compounds are extracted from the plant material into the hydroalcoholic base (Petrović, Vukosavljević, Đurović, Ntić, & Gorjanović, 2019; Rodríguez-Solana, Salgado, Domínguez, & Cortés-Diéguez, 2016; Rodríguez-Solana, Vázquez-Araújo, Salgado, Domínguez, & CortésDiéguez, 2016; Veljović et al, 2019). The solution obtained by the maceration process, could be used as a base for liqueurs or further distilled to give a distillate of macerate This distillate contains volatile substances transferred from the plant material into the macerate (colored) and into the distillate (colorless). The distillate can be added to the macerate for further flavor enrichment (Buglass & Caven-Quantrill, 2012)
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