Influence of prefermentary clarification on the composition of apple musts

The polyphenol contents and colors of cider apple juices were compared before (NCM, not clarified must) and after five clarification treatments: enzymatic depectinization by pectinases followed by (i) sedimentation (depectinized and decanted juice), (ii) tangential microfiltration (microfiltered juice) or (iii) fining using gelatin (gelatin-treated juice); (iv) enzymatic gelification of pectin by pectin methylesterase followed by natural keeving by a cider manufacturer (producer keeved juice), or (v) flotation (floated with nitrogen gas juice). The pressing of the apples led to the highly selective extraction of the flavan-3-ols with the lowest molecular weights: In the apples, the number average degree of polymerization of the flavanols was 14.7, and it dropped to 2.2 in the NCM. Keeving had the highest impact on the reduction of both flavanol content and number average degree of polymerization. The flavanol concentrations were decreased in the permeate by fining (30%) much more than by depectinization. The clarification step led to a further decrease of the number average degree of polymerization. Hydroxycinnamic acids were less affected by the extraction process (with extraction yields > 50%) and not affected by clarification. The color evolved with all treatments: L*, a*, b*, and chromaticity distance index measures indicated a reduction of orange-yellow saturation except after sedimentation.