Malolactic fermentation in four varieties of sea buckthorn (Hippophaë rhamnoides L.)

Malolactic fermentation (MLF) used in winemaking was applied to four varieties of sea buckthorn (Hippophaë rhamnoides L.). Sensory properties and chemical components of fermented and unfermented juices were studied in order to see whether the MLF can have an effect on sensory quality of sea buckthorn and if there are differences between varieties. The juices were inoculated with unadapted Oenococcus oeni at a cell density of 10⁹ CFU/mL and the fermentation was performed over 18 h at 28 °C. The fermentation decreased sourness and astringency in the samples, and fruity flavor as well as fermented flavor were increased. However, the ML reaction was different between the varieties. The size of the reaction was not proportional to the initial pH or malic acid content of the juice. Larger the ML reaction, more changes were observed in the sensory properties.