Scientific and practical aspects of assessing the biochemical composition of raw materials for the production of fruit distillates

Quality characteristics of spirit drinks based on fruit distillates are formed mainly due to the concentration and the ratio of aroma-forming volatile components, part of which is transferred to a product from the initial raw materials. Analysis of data on the biochemical composition of the individual types of stone raw materials makes it possible to substantiate scientifically the regime parameters of the individual production stages and allows revealing adulteration. The present review considers questions concerning the search of chemical markers for fruit vodkas made on the basis of distillates from plum, cherry plum, cherry, sweet cherry, apricot and peach. The data are presented on the content of reducing sugars, titratable acidity, free amino acids, pH and sugar-acid index of the fruit raw materials under consideration. Significant variations of these indices depending on a raw material type and region of cultivation are shown. The questions of evaluation of the pectin complex in the individual types of stone raw materials are considered. The scheme of hydrolysis of pectin substances of fruit raw materials occurring at the stage of its preparation for distillation is presented. An important role of this process in formation of quality characteristics of fruit distillates and spirit drinks on their basis (fruit vodkas) is shown. The data on the composition and concentration of aroma-forming volatile components of individual types of stone raw materials are given. The data on the main physico-chemical characteristics of aroma-forming volatile components found in the fresh fruit types under consideration and methods for their analysis are presented. The generalized estimation of technological peculiarities of preparation of individual types of fruit raw materials for fermentation and distillation depending on their biochemical composition is given. In general, analysis of the data presented in this review allowed making a conclusion about prospects of investigations aimed to the development of identification indices of fruit distillates and fruit vodkas using the primary aroma-forming volatile components of raw materials.