Sensory-directed approach to explore cider typicity: the case of ciders from the Canary Islands (Spain)
Abstract
Purpose
The main aim of this study is to characterise and identify specific chemo-sensory profiles of ciders from the Canary Islands (Spain).
Design/methodology/approach
Commercial samples of Canary ciders were compared to ciders from the Basque Country and Asturias. In total, 18 samples were studied, six for each region. The analysis comprised their sensory profiling and chemical characterisation of their polyphenolic profile, volatile composition, conventional chemical parameters and CIELAB colour coordinates. In parallel, the sensory profile of the samples from the Canary Islands was first compared with their Basque and Asturian counterparts by labelled sorting task. Then, their specific aroma profile was characterised by flash profile. Further quantification of sensory-active compounds was performed by GC–MS and GC-FID to identify the volatile compounds involved in their aroma profile.
Findings
Results show that Canary ciders present a specific chemical profile characterised by higher levels of ethanol, and hydroxycinnamic acids, mainly t-ferulic, t-coumaric and neochologenic acids, and lower levels of volatile and total acidity than their Asturian and Basque counterparts. They also present a specific aroma profile characterised by fruity aroma, mainly fruit in syrup and confectionary, and sweet flavours related to their highest levels of vinylphenols formed by transformation of hydroxycinnamic acids.
Originality/value
An integrated strategy to explore the typicity of the currently existing Canary ciders in the market was developed. The results are important in that they will help other regions to identify specific typical chemo-sensory profiles and to promote the creation of certifications supporting regional typicity.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This work was supported by the Spanish State Subprogram for Knowledge Generation, and FEDER, EU: Ref. PID2021-126031OB-C22 and SIDRACAN Project (ProID202101007). E. Parga Dans thanks the Agencia Estatal de Investigación, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación and the European Fund for her postdoctoral contract: Ramón y Cajal Program (RYC2018-024025-I). R.S. Di-Fede thanks Erasmus + traineeship. The authors thank the producers of the following Canary ciders; Chacerquen, Posma, Niebla, El lagar de Vallesco, El Valle Secreto, O′ Daly, and the Instrumental Analysis service of the ICVV for the assistance in the polyphenol analysis by UPLC-MS.
Citation
Di Fede, R.S., Gonzalez-Hernandez, M., Parga-Dans, E., Alonso Gonzalez, P., Fernández-Zurbano, P., Peña del Olmo, M.C. and Sáenz-Navajas, M.-P. (2024), "Sensory-directed approach to explore cider typicity: the case of ciders from the Canary Islands (Spain)", British Food Journal, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-06-2023-0531
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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