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Virginia Tech

Effects of Hydroxycinnamates and Exogenous Yeast Assimilable Nitrogen on Cider Aroma and Fermentation Performance

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

Heritage apple cultivars for cider-making are often distinguished by a high concentration of tannins (phenolic compounds), and/or acid. The phenolic content of some cider apples far exceeds that of white wine, however most cider fermentation practices are directly taken from white winemaking, not accounting for effects of high concentrations of phenolic compounds on yeast fermentation. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of ferulic acid, p-coumaric acid, and chlorogenic acid—at concentrations reported in apples—and their interactions with yeast assimilable nitrogen (YAN) on fermentation kinetics and cider aroma. Our hypothesis was that the phenolic compounds present in high-tannin cider apples would negatively impact fermentation kinetics, but not alter the aroma, and that added YAN would reduce these effects. Ferulic acid negatively affected fermentation performance (p < 0.05), but p-coumaric acid and chlorogenic acid did not. p-Coumaric acid led to the greatest changes in cider aroma. Differences were also detected for different concentrations of ferulic acid. Chlorogenic acid did not affect aroma. Yeast strain influenced fermentation performance and cider aroma. Finally, addition of exogenous YAN improved fermentation performance for the low concentration ferulic acid condition, but not for the high concentration. Adding YAN also changed cider aroma in the presence of p-coumaric acid.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Master of Science in Life Sciences
Level thesis:degree_level
masters
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Food Science and Technology
Department dc:contributor.department
Food Science and Technology
Grantor dc:publisher
Virginia Tech
Year dc:date.issued
2019

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Cairns, Paulette Anne
Chair dc:contributor.committeechair
  • Stewart, Amanda C.
Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember
  • Lahne, Jacob
  • Huang, Haibo

Subjects

dc:subject × 5

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • In Copyright

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Dc Identifier Other
vt_gsexam:19667
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/101679

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Virginia Tech
Base URL
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Cairns, Paulette Anne. Effects of Hydroxycinnamates and Exogenous Yeast Assimilable Nitrogen on Cider Aroma and Fermentation Performance. masters thesis, Virginia Tech, 2019. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/101679