Changes in Volatile Compounds and Some Physicochemical Properties of European Cranberrybush (Viburnum opulus L.) During Ripening Through Traditional Fermentation

The changes in volatile compounds and some physicochemical properties of European Cranberrybush (Viburnum opulus L.) were investigated during traditional fermentation. Using the principal component analysis (PCA), relations between volatile compounds and fermentation were associated with dynamics of these compounds. In total, 58 volatile compounds were identified, 3-methylbutanoic acid (25.4% to 66.4% of identified volatile compounds) being the major constituent in raw, 2-, 3-, and 4-mo fermented European Cranberrybush fruits, while 2-octanone was dominant in 1-mo fermented sample with a 30% of the total identified volatiles. The amount of total volatile compounds was increased in the 1st month of fermentation and then decreased gradually in the following months. Acids were the dominant volatile compounds in raw and 3- to 4-mo fermented European Cranberrybush. Ketones and alcohols had the highest percentage in total volatile compounds in the 2nd and 3rd months of fermentation, respectively. Practical Application The fermented fruit juice of European cranberrybush is a traditional drink consumed by people living in middle Anatolian region. It has an astringent taste and the length of the traditional fermentation is important to mask the astringency and obtain a more pleasant taste. This study has reported the changes in volatile compounds of fruits during the fermentation. The results demonstrated that the length of fermentation affects the volatile composition of fruits significantly. The identification of the principal compounds produced during the fermentation can be of help in searching for indicators of off-flavor and in deciding when to stop the fermentation process to avoid production of off-flavor compounds.