STORAGE STABILITY OF WINE COOLERS AS INFLUENCED BY JUICE CONTENT AND CITRIC ACID ADDITION1

Abstract

AbstractA study was conducted to examine the effects of citric acid, juice levels, and storage methods on the stability of wine coolers. Four flavors of wine coolers (apple, grape, pineapple, and citrus) were formulated with 10 and 50% fruit juice with each juice level having 0.2 and 0.4% citric acid added. Three storage temperatures were used: cold (3C), room (21C), and elevated (37C). The cold and room temperature storages were for 10 months, and the elevated temperature storage was for 4 months. Chemical analyses were conducted during storage and sensory analyses were conducted after storage. The pineapple coolers with 0.4% citric acid added were the only coolers to be rated with a significantly higher flavor rating over the coolers with 0.2% added. The wine coolers showed changes in color and decreases in pH and carbonation levels. Coolers containing 50% juice levels were less stable during storage and had lower sensory scores than the coolers containing 10% fruit juice. Elevated storage temperature (37C) for 4 months was an acceptable method of evaluating wine cooler stability problems.