Physicochemical, bioactive, microbial, and sensory characteristics of homemade vinegar produced with a local apple variety using a traditional method

Apple is one of the most widely grown fruits in the world and can be found fresh in the market throughout the whole year due to its excellent storage ability. In addition to fresh consumption, apples are processed into a variety of products including fruit juice, vinegar, jams, and pies. In this study, the bioactive contents and microbial, physicochemical, and sensory properties of seven vinegars traditionally produced using a local apple variety, Kara Sakı, with different yeast materials (Saccharomyces cerevisiae, chickpea, buckwheat, barley, whey, natural home apple vinegar, and commercial apple cider vinegar) were assessed. The results indicated significant differences among vinegar samples for dry matter, ash, pH, total acidity, degrees Brix, alcohol, viscosity, total sugar, and color values. The total antioxidant capacity (DPPH assay as %), total polyphenolic contents, and total flavonoid contents of the seven apple vinegars were in range of 29.17%–82.64%, 44.45–470.30 mg gallic acid equivalent/100 mL, and 34.82–81.02 mg quercetin equivalent/100 mL, respectively. Total mesophilic aerobic bacteria, mold and yeast, lactic acid bacteria, and acetic acid bacteria counts ranged from 2.62 to 5.53 log CFU/mL, 1.0 to 3.4 log CFU/mL, 1.01 to 3.85 log CFU/mL, and 1.35 to 4.48 log CFU/mL, respectively. The sensory evaluation results showed that the panelists preferred the commercial, natural, and chickpea vinegars the most. The findings suggest that the use of traditional processes for the production of fruit vinegars is promising in terms of producing differentiated vinegars and obtaining high levels of human health-promoting contents. © TÜBİTAK.