A comparative study on quality and flavor of plum wine under different aging techniques

This study compared the effects of four aging techniques, pulsed electric field, ultra-high pressure, cold-hot, and natural aging, on the quality and flavor profile of plum wine. Ethanol and titratable acid contents declined during aging. Cold-hot and pulsed electric field treatments improved color, while ultra-high pressure showed better clarity. Amino acid levels decreased as aging progressed, accompanied by a reduction in bitter amino acids. All treatments exhibited an overall downward trend in antioxidant capacity, and no significant differences were observed among treatments by the end of aging. Furthermore, the cold-hot treatment exhibited higher ester and alcohol contents, associated with floral, fruity and sweet sensory attributes. Compared with natural aging, the flavor and taste attributes of the wines were largely preserved in the other treatments. These findings offer insights into how different aging techniques affect plum wine quality and support targeted flavor modulation strategies.