A research on vinegar production from fresh and dried hacihaliloğlu apricot variety

The value of fermented products, which have various health benefits, is becoming increasingly understood. One of these fermented products is vinegar, which is widely used today. Various raw materials are used in vinegar production. This study aimed to produce vinegar from apricots, an agricultural product of great nutritional importance (due to its high vitamin and mineral content). Vinegar was obtained from both fresh and sun-dried Hacıhaliloğlu apricot varieties grown in the Malatya region using a slow process, and the physical, chemical, and sensory properties of these vinegars were investigated. First, apricot pulp was obtained, followed by apricot juice. Sugar was added to the resulting juices to adjust their composition, and yeast was added to initiate ethyl alcohol fermentation. After wine was produced, acetic acid fermentation was carried out to produce vinegar, and then the physical, chemical, and sensory properties of the resulting vinegars were examined. The analysis results of the vinegar samples were determined as follows for vinegar made from fresh apricots and vinegar made from dried apricots, respectively: pH 3.31±0.005 and 3.11±0.03, % acidity (as acetic acid) 6.24±0.05 and 5.43±0.13, brix 11.62±0.09 and 6.74±0.26, density (g/cm3) 1.048±0.00 and 1.027±0.001, dry matter (g/L) 82.33±0.6 and 40.02±2.32, ash (g/L) 7.62±0.365 and 3.77±0.035, volatile acid (g/L) 12±0.00 and 8±0.0. Antioxidant capacity in vinegar made from fresh apricots and vinegar made from dried apricots was determined as 38.07±0.12 and 68.62±0.44 respectively according to the ABTS (mg Trolox/L) method, and according to the DPPH (mg Trolox/L) method. The total phenolic content (mg GAE/L) was determined to be 114.81±0.43 and 70.72±2.57 in vinegar made from fresh apricots and vinegar made from dried apricots, respectively. In the color analysis, the values for vinegar made from fresh apricots and vinegar made from dried apricots were determined as follows: L* values were 36.8±5.22 and 39.26±3.46, a* values were -4.85±0.65 and -4.96±0.04, and b* values were 8.49±0.07 and 6.93±0.35, respectively. When the analysis results of the obtained vinegars were evaluated, the findings (pH, total acidity, brix, total phenolic content) of vinegar obtained from fresh apricots were found to be more consistent with the literature, and these values were determined to be higher than those obtained from dried apricot vinegar. In conclusion, both fresh and dried apricots were found to be suitable for vinegar production. According to sensory analysis results, fresh apricot vinegar was the most preferred in terms of appearance and smell, while dried apricot vinegar was the most preferred in terms of other criteria, including overall taste.