Improvement of Wine Vinegar Elaboration and Quality Analysis: Instrumental and Human Sensory Evaluation

Abstract Technical improvement of vinegar production encompasses essential modifications to obtain quality products in a relatively short period of time. There are mainly two types of acetic fermentation processes to elaborate vinegar: surface and submerged culture system. High quality products are elaborated by the surface culture system. Quality, as a degree of excellence, is a subjective concept where human sensory organs play an important role to determine the acceptability of a product by the consumer. The quality of vinegars can be evaluated by using a trained sensory panel, but more rapid and objective characterization is achieved by instrumental measurements. Physicochemical analyses are generally aimed at meeting of legislative requirements for the quality, safety and characterization of foods or condiments like vinegar. Sensory analysis is a good tool to determine the category and degree of acceptance of given vinegars. Unfortunately, sensory analysis of vinegar is very difficult to perform since the pungent sensation restricts the number of samples that can be analysed at a time. Therefore, the appropriate sensory analysis method must be clearly defined and the attributes used in discriminant analysis or descriptive tests should be precise and well recognized by the panel. Keywords: wine vinegarpolyphenol compoundsvolatile compoundssensory analysisquality analysis Notes 54. ISO-3972 (International Standardization Office). Sensory analysis. Methodology. Method of investigating sensitivity of taste. 1991. 56. ISO-4120 (International Standardization Office. Sensory analysis. Methodology. Triangular test. 2004. 57. ISO 5495 (International Standardization Office). Sensory analysis. Methodology. Paired comparison test. 1983. 58. ISO-10399 (International Standardization Office). Sensory analysis. Methodology. Duo-Trio test. 1991. 59. ISO-8588 (International Standardization Office). Sensory analysis. Methodology. A-Not A test. 1987. 61. ISO-6564 (International Standardization Office). Sensory analysis. Methodology. Flavour profile methods. 1985.