Articles
Pomegranate fermentation with Hanseniaspora valbyensis: a new approach to valorize and enhance nutritional and sensory quality
Article number
1464_13
Pages
91 – 102
Language
English
Abstract
The microbiota of pomegranate is primarily composed of yeasts, likely originating from environmental sources and typically colonizing fruit’s surface.
This study identified Hanseniaspora valbyensis as the only yeast species present in both pomegranate juice (PJ) and seeds (PS), suggesting its introduction from the fruit’s outer layer.
Preliminary test showed that all H. valbyensis strains were able to ferment pomegranate matrices, altering their chemical composition, in terms of minerals or organic acids.
The most promising results were observed in PS fermented by H. valbyensis S-L1 and in PJ fermented by H. valbyensis J-L6 (respectively isolated from spontaneously fermented PS and PJ). The study aimed: i) to incorporate pomegranate seed flour (PSF), obtained by fermenting the by-product with H. valbyensis S-L1 into an enriched granola snack, and ii) to characterize a pomegranate cider-like beverage (PCB), obtained upon fermentation by either commercial Saccharomyces cerevisiae or H. valbyensis J-L6. The granola snack was designed and compared in three forms: fermented PSF (G-FS), unprocessed PSF (G-US), and conventional granola (G-C). The inclusion of PSF improved the antioxidant activity of the granola, with G-FS exhibiting 60% DPPH∙ scavenging activity, compared to 40% in G-C. Additionally, both G-FS and G-C showed higher mineral content compared to G-US, while the fortified snacks had lower energy values.
Sensory evaluation showed that G-FS was more accepted, scoring 6.3 on a 1-9 scale, compared to 4.9 for G-US and 7.5 for G-C. Moreover, during the production of PCB, H. valbyensis reached higher cell densities more quickly compared to the commercial starter, leading to faster monosaccharide consumption, higher acetic acid production, and a more complex volatile organic compounds profile.
These findings underline the potential of H. valbyensis to enhance the nutritional and sensory quality of fermented food products.
This study identified Hanseniaspora valbyensis as the only yeast species present in both pomegranate juice (PJ) and seeds (PS), suggesting its introduction from the fruit’s outer layer.
Preliminary test showed that all H. valbyensis strains were able to ferment pomegranate matrices, altering their chemical composition, in terms of minerals or organic acids.
The most promising results were observed in PS fermented by H. valbyensis S-L1 and in PJ fermented by H. valbyensis J-L6 (respectively isolated from spontaneously fermented PS and PJ). The study aimed: i) to incorporate pomegranate seed flour (PSF), obtained by fermenting the by-product with H. valbyensis S-L1 into an enriched granola snack, and ii) to characterize a pomegranate cider-like beverage (PCB), obtained upon fermentation by either commercial Saccharomyces cerevisiae or H. valbyensis J-L6. The granola snack was designed and compared in three forms: fermented PSF (G-FS), unprocessed PSF (G-US), and conventional granola (G-C). The inclusion of PSF improved the antioxidant activity of the granola, with G-FS exhibiting 60% DPPH∙ scavenging activity, compared to 40% in G-C. Additionally, both G-FS and G-C showed higher mineral content compared to G-US, while the fortified snacks had lower energy values.
Sensory evaluation showed that G-FS was more accepted, scoring 6.3 on a 1-9 scale, compared to 4.9 for G-US and 7.5 for G-C. Moreover, during the production of PCB, H. valbyensis reached higher cell densities more quickly compared to the commercial starter, leading to faster monosaccharide consumption, higher acetic acid production, and a more complex volatile organic compounds profile.
These findings underline the potential of H. valbyensis to enhance the nutritional and sensory quality of fermented food products.
Authors
R. Limongelli, C. Porfido, C.A. Apa, G. Celano, C.E. Gattullo, R. Terzano, M. De Angelis, F. Minervini
Keywords
pomegranate, yeast, by-products, granola, cider-like beverage, minerals, volatile organic compounds
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