Review Paper Production Technology and Quality Characteristics of Mead
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Natural Product Radiance, Vol. 8(4), 2009, pp.345-355 Review Paper Production technology and quality characteristics of mead and fruit-honey wines : A review J K Gupta* and Rajesh Sharma Department of Entomology and Apiculture Dr. Y S Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry Nauni, Solan – 173 230, Himachal Pradesh, India *Correspondent author, E-mail: jkg393@gmail.com Received 14 April 2009; Accepted 18 June 2009 found in northern China. First known Abstract description of mead is found in the Mead is perhaps the oldest fermented drink in the world, yet it is difficult to find it 3 commercially. A brief review of the history of mead, its value as a health tonic and technology of Rigveda dating back to 1700-1100 BC . mead production has been given in the present paper. Fermentation of honey can be used to In Celtic mythology, mead was considered produce different varieties of mead, sherry, sparkling wine and fruit-honey wines and it may have a drink of nobles and gods providing different flavours depending upon floral source of honey, additives and type of yeast used in the immortality, knowledge and gift of fermentation. Honey which is the raw material to produce mead shows lot of variations in colour poetry4. and composition which are likely to affect the end product (mead) produced. Composition of honey from different floral sources has also been described. One of the unique characters of honey Though mead is the oldest is that it contains many minor constituents which are responsible for antioxidant activity of mead. fermented product being used by man yet Information on physical, chemical, microbiological and sensory evaluation of mead and honey it is difficult to find it commercially. wines prepared by using fruit juices has also been summarised. Considerable information is available on Keywords: Mead, Honey fermentation, Fruit-honey wine, Sensory evaluation, Yeasts, Additives methods of producing mead1, 3, 5-12 and IPC code; Int. cl.8—C12G 1/00 attempt has been made to give an overview of the same. Introduction composition of honey even from the same Mead is an alcoholic beverage floral source varies from year to year and Technology of mead made from honey. It is the oldest and region to region due to climatic and preparation geographical factors2. easily made fermented drink in the world. Preparation of an alcoholic Available archaeological evidence It is nutritious, containing many elements beverage is dependent on several factors for production of mead dates back to 7000 required by an organism and has an such as raw materials, microorganisms, BC. Pottery vessels containing mixture of excellent effect on digestion and additives, vinification practices, 1 mead, rice and other fruits with organic metabolism . It has also been found good maturation procedure, etc. The alcoholic compounds of fermentation have been for those suffering from anaemia and content of mead can vary chronic diseases of gastro-intestinal tract. between 7-22 per cent. By Honey the raw material for preparation varying proportion of honey of mead is converted enzymatically to and water and point where reducing sugars and removing excess fermentation is stopped, moisture. Honey contains about 80 different types of meads can different substances but 95 to 99% of the be prepared. The mead total solids are sugars. The colour, flavour can be dry and light similar and aroma are important quality a b c d to traditional wine from characteristics of honey from consumer’s Plate 1: Different types of honey (a. Completely granulated grape or sweet and heavy- point of view. Moreover, the quality of honey; b-c. Liquid honey of different colours; bodied desert wine and honey varies with the source of nectar. The d. Partly granulated and liquid honey) if fermentation is left to Vol 8(4) July-August 2009 345 Review Paper continue while bottled, sparkling mead or partial (Plate 1d). Granulated honey buckwheat in two different years from two resembling sparkling white wine can also needs to be liquefied by heating at 60oC, different places produced mead with be produced7. before making must for mead. different characteristics due to climatic Differences have also been and geographical factors on source Raw materials used in preparation observed when honeys from different material2, 25. of mead sources were used in preparation of Addition of honey to fresh apple Honey: Depending on the floral source, mead. Mixed floral honey produced mead juice helped in juice clarification and this honey can be mono-floral i.e. honey of higher final alcohol content than from property is related to protein-phenolic produced from nectar of one predominant Eucalyptus ochrophloia F. Muell. compound interactions and the plant species or multi- floral (made from particularly when fermented by mead compounds which are responsible for nectar of different plant species). The yeast23. Light honey from clover was, clarifying of apple juice have honey quality is judged from its colour, however, more difficult to ferment and characteristics similar to gelatine. Gelatine aroma and flavour. Colour is one of the required more additives in the form of when added to hazy juice entraps the most important characteristics that vitamins, minerals and nitrogen as particles and coagulates them26-29. Keeping contribute to appearance of honey. It has compared to dark honey from buckwheat in view the property of clarifying juice and been classified under seven colours which or goldenrod. It was interesting to note sugars as major constituent, honey has can be determined by colorimetric that even all batches of clover honey did been used in apple wine making30. The method13. These colours are, water white, not react in a similar way. Some batches lightly flavoured fruity honeys produce extra white, white, extra light amber, light permitted very slow fermentation whereas apple wines as clear as those made by amber, amber and dark amber (optical in others there was almost no using sugar. But the overall sensory quality density at 560nm varying between 0.0945 fermentation without addition of of honey-treated apple wine is higher than to over 3.008). supplementary growth factors. that of conventionally prepared apple On the basis of colour, light Nevertheless, it was possible to ferment wines with sugar. The protein in honey is honey of creamy fawn colour is generally all types of honey tested by adding growth responsible for clarifying apple juice has preferred to make mead as dark honey factors24. Honey produced even from been reported to originate from honey having strong flavour yields unpleasant 6 mead . Colour and some other 22 characteristics of honey are also affected Table 1 : Composition of major uni-floral honeys in India by the heat treatments given to it and its Moisture Total dissolved Total reducing Non-reducing Acidity 14-18 storage conditions . Honey consists (%) solids (%) sugars (%) sugars (%) (% mainly of sugars and second major component is moisture (17.2 %). Third Litchi 19.25 80.75 76.37 0.02 0 main component of honey which Jamun 18.25 81.75 74.69 3.14 0.162 influences its properties is protein but its Mustard 21.5 78.5 74.70 1.44 0.070 Eucalyptus 21.75 78.25 72.06 2.04 0.102 concentration is very low19, 20. Composition Rubber 24.75 75.25 70.84 1.84 0.085 21, 22 of honey from different floral sources Neem 27 73 68.68 3.02 0.106 is summarized in Table 1. Honey is a Coriander 20.75 79.25 73.80 2.09 0.094 supersaturated solution with respect to Tamarind 21.5 78.5 75.44 2.02 0.08 dextrose and returns to stable condition Soapnut 19.25 80.75 75.20 2.42 0.14 by crystallizing excessive glucose at low Cardamom 21.5 78.50 76 0.14 0.12 temperature resulting in honey Sunflower 18 81.40 80 0.60 0.09 granulation or crystallization (Plate1). Clover 17 83 78.14 2.34 0.07 Granulation can be complete (Plate 1a) Khesari 17.5 82.5 78.80 1.42 0.18 346 Natural Product Radiance Review Paper bees and not from plant nectaries from all these special properties of honey it has and 0.025% calcium chloride resulted in where the bees collect nectar31. been hypothesized that mead will also fermentation producing 12-13% alcohol Honey also contains many minor have this antioxidant quality. Studies in about 25 days39. Honey although constituents which are responsible for conducted on heat treatment in mead contains fermentable sugars, but it is antioxidant property. It also has alpha- production have revealed that drastic heat deficient in nitrogen, minerals and growth tocopherol, ascorbic acid, beta-carotene, treatment have potential to alter the factors that stimulate yeast growth and catalase and peroxidase which act as antioxidant capacity of mead by changing fermentation. These problems can be antioxidant under some conditions1, 32-34. phenolic profiles25. Antioxidant levels in overcome by adding 250 mg diammonium Polyphenolic compounds, peptides, honey is quite low as compared to phosphate and potassium bitartarate organic acids, enzymes, vitamins and traditional dietary sources like fruits, 250mg/l. For adjusting acidity, 1.875g of Maillard’s reaction products responsible vegetables and tea and may not serve as a tartaric acid or 1.750g/l of citric acid are for antioxidant property of honey have also major source of dietary antioxidants yet added40. Citric acid has been reported to been listed. Phenolic profile of honey also it has the potential for honey to play an provide better flavour but tartaric acid has varies with floral source25. Antioxidant important role in providing antioxidant been recommended as it is less easily capacity of honey from 14 different floral in highly palatable form35.