A Holistic View of the Fate of Berry-Derived Adjuncts throughout Fermentation

Berries and their products can enhance the antioxidant profile, color, and sensory characteristics of beverages, resulting in competitive, value-added products. However, a complete overview of how fermentation affects these compounds is lacking. The American black elderberry, Sambucus canadensis, is an excellent candidate for studying how berry juices are affected during fermentation due to high concentrations of color compounds, anthocyanins, and volatile compounds. Gravity, pH, titratable acidity, total anthocyanins, color, and GC-MS analyses were performed on two varieties of elderberries to examine the physical and chemical qualities of elderberry juice before and after wine fermentation. A commercial product with elderberry adjuncts added post fermentation was also analyzed. The concentration of anthocyanins degraded by ~40% as the color of the elderberry wine shifted from blue to red after fermentation. Products that added elderberries post fermentation did not see the same degradation, however, also did not incorporate the same changes to volatile compounds as observed in the fermented wine. The fermentation industry can use this study’s findings to decide how best to use fruits to improve commercial products.