Effect of ascorbic acid on the odours of cloudy apple juice

Ascorbic acid is used in apple juice as an antibrowning agent. This study investigated the effect of ascorbic acid (0.0–0.2% w/v) on the odours of cloudy apple juice using sensory evaluation and gas chromatography (GC). The increase in ascorbic acid concentration in the apple juice resulted in increases in green and unnatural odours and decreases in fresh, fruity and apple-like odours. In the GC determination, 23 volatile compounds were detected in apple juice. Aroma value, which showed the relative importance of volatile compounds, was used to elucidate the changes in odours of apple juice due to the addition of ascorbic acid. The aroma values of hexanal and trans-2-hexenal in the apple juice with 0.2% w/v ascorbic acid increased about 4 and 5-fold from those in the ascorbic acid-free apple juice, respectively. On the other hand, the aroma values of esters insignificantly changed in the apple juice with ascorbic acid. The increases in aroma values of aldehydes corresponded well with the increase in green odour in the apple juice with ascorbic acid.