Effect of quince pomace addition on the quality of quince wine
Quince wine (QW) is produced using quince juice (QJ); however, the production process can be improved, for example, by macerating the juice with quince pomace (QP). Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the use of QP from the Leskovac cultivar as a fermentation substrate for QW production. Control samples were prepared using 100% QJ, with and without added sugar, while the treated samples were prepared by adding different amounts of QP to QJ. The addition of QP resulted in QW with physicochemical characteristics similar to those of the control samples, except for significantly higher methanol content in almost all macerated QW samples. The control samples exhibited considerably better antioxidant and antimicrobial properties than the macerated QW samples. The best antioxidant properties were observed in control samples B1 and C1, while control sample M1 showed the strongest inhibitory activity against the tested microorganisms. In some cases, the sensory properties of the macerated samples were better than those of the non-macerated samples. Samples C1, M4, and A3 achieved the highest overall sensory scores (18.6, 17.9, and 17.3, respectively). Overall, QP demonstrated potential for use in QW production; however, further investigation of the maceration parameters is necessary.