Effect of precursors on volatile compounds in papaya wine fermented by mixed yeasts

Abstract

The impact of the addition of fusel oil or amino acids on the volatile compounds in papaya wine fermented with a mixed culture of Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. bayanus R2 and Williopsis saturnus var. mrakii NCYC 2251 at a ratio of 1:1000 was studied. Fusel oil addition increased the fraction of alcohols and promoted the production of isoamyl octanoate, isoamyl decanoate and isobutyl decanoate, while decreased the fraction of ethyl acetate and 2-phenylethyl acetate. The addition of amino acids enhanced the formation of total volatile fatty acids, 2-phenylethanol and some ethyl esters. The papaya wine with added amino acids possessed more acidic and buttery notes than the control, while that with added fusel oil had an overall aroma profile comparable to that of the control. This study suggests that papaya juice fermentation with mixed yeasts in conjunction with the added fusel oil or selected amino acids may be another method of modulating the flavour of papaya wine.