Novel maqui liquor using traditional pacharán processing

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Beverage Technology
• Nutraceuticals

Background:

• Pacharán, a traditional aniseed liquor from Spain, is made with sloe berries (Prunus spinosa L.).
• Maqui berry (Aristotelia chilensis), a native Chilean fruit, is gaining attention for its potential health benefits.
• There is a need for novel beverages with enhanced bioactive properties and sensory appeal.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a new aniseed liquor-based beverage using maqui berry (MBL).
• To characterize the bioactive compounds, volatile profile, and antioxidant capacity of MBL.
• To compare MBL with traditional sloe berry pacharán (SBP) in terms of quality and sensory attributes.

Main Methods:

• Design and production of maqui berry liquor (MBL).
• Analysis of bioactive composition (e.g., anthocyanins) and volatile compounds.
• Assessment of antioxidant capacity and sensory evaluation by consumers.
• Comparative analysis between MBL and sloe berry pacharán (SBP).

Main Results:

• MBL exhibited an attractive color and superior anthocyanin content and retention during maceration compared to SBP.
• The maqui berry liquor demonstrated higher antioxidant capacity.
• MBL presented a similar aroma profile to SBP and achieved optimal sensory characteristics and high consumer acceptance.

Conclusions:

• Maqui berry liquor (MBL) is a viable and acceptable new beverage with enhanced quality attributes.
• MBL offers higher anthocyanin content and retention than traditional pacharán (SBP).
• The study suggests MBL as a promising product for the liquor manufacturing industry due to its sensory appeal and bioactive properties.