Process Optimization for Production of Persimmon Wine with Lower Methanol

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Enology
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Persimmon wine offers nutritional benefits and commercial value.
• High methanol levels, originating from pectin, limit persimmon wine production.
• Optimizing production requires addressing methanol reduction and yield enhancement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate factors affecting methanol reduction in persimmon wine.
• To optimize pretreatment and fermentation conditions for improved wine quality and yield.
• To characterize the volatile aroma profile of the final persimmon wine.

Main Methods:

• Single-factor and orthogonal experiments were used to test cultivar, starter, pectinase, and pretreatment effects.
• The 'MaoKui' cultivar was selected for its low pectin content.
• Optimized conditions involved specific pectinase concentrations, temperatures, times, and starter cultures.

Main Results:

• The optimal pretreatment involved pectinase (0.04 g/kg) at 30°C for 4h, followed by boiling at 115°C for 15 min.
• Optimized fermentation used pectinase (0.03 g/kg) and a specific starter at 28°C for 6 days.
• The final wine achieved 77.7 mg/L methanol, a 68.4% raw juice yield, and a high sensory score (90.6).

Conclusions:

• Specific pretreatment and fermentation strategies effectively reduce methanol in persimmon wine.
• Optimized production enhances raw juice yield and sensory quality.
• The resulting persimmon wine possesses a desirable sensory profile with 49 identified volatile aromas.