Sour Apple Concentrate: processing essentials and organoleptic properties

The aim of this study is to have a new apple-based product with relatively long shelf life. Sans Pareille, Malus domestica, ‘mouwachah' was harvested prematurely and sour-apple-concentrate was produced following a traditional Lebanese recipe used to produce pome-granate sauce (PS). Part of the prepared SAC had Salt added (SACSa), another citric acid (SACCA) and both Salt and Citric Acid (SACSaCA). The higher the Brix the significantly higher the density and total caloric content and significantly lower water-acitivity. There was no significant difference in caloric value on Dry-Matter basis. Furthermore, SAC and SACSa had significantly lower pH only at 75oBrix. Within SACCA and SACSaCA pH at the 75oBrix is significantly the lowest compared to pH values at 55 and 65oBrix. The higher the Brix-level the significantly higher the Titratable Acidity (TA) in all products except in SACSaCA where it was significantly higher only at 75oBrix. Within the same Brix level, TA of SAC and SACSa did not differ significantly, while TA was significantly lower than TA of SACCA and SACSaCA. These products were compared to traditional products PS and grape-verjuice. In terms of aroma, appearance, texture, taste, sourness, sweetness, overall-acceptability and average score of the Sour Apple concentrate products, except for SACSaCA, scored significantly higher than PS and grape verjuice. Within the Sour-Apple-Products the 75oBrix score significantly the lowest. These results showed that Sour apple concentrate with 65oBrix with addition of salt or citric acid but not both.