Trends in food science & technology an overview of mead production and the physicochemical, toxicological, and sensory characteristics of mead with a special emphasis on flavor

Abstract

BackgroundMead is a traditional alcoholic beverage obtained by fermentation of mead wort and is popularly produced at home and/or in small meaderies. Different types of mead can be distinguished based on honey-to-water ratio, addition of spices and/or fruits, and the method of wort preparation. The consumption of mead has gained popularity in Europe owing to the presence of its natural and high-quality compounds. As a result, mead production has remarkably increased during the past years, and increasing attention has been paid to improve its production parameters. Scope and approachIn the first part of this comprehensive review, general aspects of mead production and the characteristic parameters of alcoholic beverages, including organic acid content, pH value, ethanol content, titratable acidity, volatile acidity, and residual sugar content are discussed. In the second part, the aroma profile and sensory acceptability of mead, including parameters that might influence the characteristic aroma of mead, is presented. Key findings and conclusionsThe flavor of mead mainly depends on the type of honey used for fermentation, and the analysis of odorants is one of the most important criteria in the quality evaluation of mead. In addition, the presence of hydroxymethylfurfural, one of the major Maillard reaction products, and of phenolic compounds is related to the type of honey used. Furthermore, the antioxidant activity of mead significantly correlates with the type and amount of honey used for mead preparation.