EFFECT OF HONEY PROPORTION AND pH ON THE SENSORY QUALITY OF MEAD

Abstract

Honey brought from Chitwan was used for the preparation of mead. Honey was analyzed for TSS, Acidity, reducing sugar, and pH. Meads were prepared from twelve musts using different proportions of honey (100%, 75%, 50% and 25% contribution for a must of 25ºBx) and pH (3, 3.5 and 4), the final TSS and pH being maintaining using sugar and citric acid, respectively. Fermentation was carried out at 28º±2ºC using wine yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Lalvin EC 1118) for 21 days. The effects of honey content and pH on sensory attributes (appearance, odor, in-mouth sensation, finish and overall acceptance) of the meads were evaluated using 9- point hedonic scale rating test ranging from faulty (1) to exceptional (9) to identify the best product. The raw data were analyzed by one-way and two-way ANOVA using Genstat Discovery Edition 12, 2014 at 5% level of significance. The minimum concentration of honey and pH in must evaluated by sensory evaluation of prepared mead and was found to be 25% honey and 3.5, respectively. This sample was also comparable with sample having honey content 50% and pH 3.5 in terms of in-mouth sensation and overall acceptability, and also sample having 100% honey content and pH 4.0 in terms of appearance, odor and overall acceptance. Sensory analysis showed significant difference among all the products with respect to appearance, odor, in-mouth sensation, finish and overall acceptance of product. Variation in honey content and pH of must significantly (p<0.05) affected mead quality. From sensory evaluation, mead prepared from 25% honey and pH 3.5 was found to be superior and contained 15.34 % (v/v) alcohol content, 9.2ºBx TSS, 3.40 pH, 0.43% (as % citric acid) acidity, 0.012% (as acetic acid) volatile acidity, 367 ppm ester, 317 ppm aldehyde, 68 ppm methanol content. Alcohol content, volatile acidity and other parameters of mead were within the range of a good quality wine.