From spontaneous apple fermentations to Calvados: Insights into its aromatic complexity
B Misery1, P Legendre2, J-P Simon3
1Université de Caen Normandie, ABTE UR 4651, F-14000, Caen, France.
International Journal of Food Microbiology
|November 8, 2025
Summary
This study links cider microbial communities to flavor compounds during fermentation. Specific bacteria like Lactobacilliaceae and Oenococcus oeni are associated with desirable flavor profiles in Calvados production.
Area of Science:
- Enology
- Microbiology
- Food Chemistry
Background:
- Calvados quality management requires understanding cider fermentation.
- Microbial dynamics and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) significantly influence cider characteristics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To correlate microbial kinetics and diversity with chemical and VOC profiles during cider fermentation for distillation.
- To identify key microbial players and their impact on the final flavor of Calvados.
Main Methods:
- Investigated bacterial and fungal diversity using Illumina MiSeq sequencing.
- Analyzed volatile organic compounds (VOCs) via chromatographic techniques.
- Utilized multidimensional scaling/principal coordinate analysis (MDS/PCoA) and principal component analysis (PCA) for microbial and chemical profiling.
Main Results:
- Three distinct microbial groups were identified based on bacterial composition post-fermentation and maturation.
- These microbial groups correlated with distinct VOC profiles, differentiating cider microdistillates.
- Lactobacilliaceae and Oenococcus oeni were linked to ethyl lactate production, while Dekkera sp. correlated with high phenol volatiles and volatile acidity.
Conclusions:
- Microbial interactions and VOC composition are crucial in spontaneous cider fermentation.
- Understanding these links can improve quality control and flavor development in Calvados production.
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