Accelerated aging of grape pomace vinegar by using additives combined with physical methods

(a) High-quality vinegar is traditionally produced by aging in barrels, but this process is time-consuming and costly. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the effectiveness of three novel aging techniques, including additives combined with ultrasound, with microwave, or with heating. (b) The contents of esters, amino acid nitrogen, and non-volatile acids were evaluated. The effects of aging techniques on the color and aroma components of grape pomace vinegar were also studied. (c) It was found the ester contents significantly increased and more aroma components accumulated under three aging techniques, especially the additives combined with ultrasound. The total ester content of grape pomace vinegar treated by the additives combined with ultrasound increased by 42.2% compared with natural aging at 16 degrees C for 180 days. (d) Therefore, the additives combined with ultrasound can be applied as a reliable technique to accelerate the aging process of grape pomace vinegar. Practical Application Grape pomace is the main by-product of the wine and grape juice industry, and contains rich nutrient and bioactive components. Conventional aging methods are time-consuming and unable to maintain the original color and acidity of vinegar. The aging technique of additives (glucose, ethanol, and calcium chloride) combined with ultrasound can accelerate the aging of grape pomace vinegar and enhance the properties. This combined technique theoretically underlies the practical application of grape resources and supports the development of grape pomace vinegar with health care function.