IMPACT OF FRUIT HARVEST DATES ON THE SENSORY QUALITIES OF APPLE JUICE
The results of sensory evaluation of apple juice from fruits of a number of cultivars, depending on the period of fruit harvest, are presented. The objects of research were immune apple varieties All-Russian Research Institute of Fruit Crop Breeding selection. The control was the Antonovka Obyknovennaya variety. Sensory analysis of the juice was carried out in dynamics parallel to the harvest dates of the apples. The analysis was carried out by the testing commission at closed degustations. The appearance and taste of juice Were assessed. It was found that the attractiveness of the juice slightly depended on the period of fruit harvest - average rating for juice appearance from the fruits of all harvest dates is to 4.4 points in 2011, 4.5 points in 2012 and 4.4 points in 2013, which was also confirmed by low values of the variation coefficient of estimation for the juice appearance depending on the dates harvest (1,4....4,5 %). There were more clear differences between the taste ratings of juice obtained from fruits of different harvest periods. The average values of ratings for the taste of juice increased from the first date to the third date of harvest, when the fruit reached the optimal degree of maturity and accumulated the maximum amount of sugars. The taste of the juice was more dependent on the degree of fruits maturity, than the appearance of the juice. Obviously, the fruit indicators that affect the attractiveness of the apple juice are less dependent on the degree of maturity than the indicators that determine juice taste. The optimal combination of indicators that form the best taste of fruit and, consequently, juice, is achieved only at a certain point of maturity. Therefore, the period of fruit harvest significantly affects the formation of the taste of the apple juice.