Potentiall of Ferulic Acid as a Precursor to Off‐Flavors in Stored Orange Juice

The hypothesis that free ferulic acid in stored orange juice contributes to the objectional aroma of p‐vinyl guaiacol (PVG) was tested. Single‐strength orange juice (SSOJ) contained 185 μg/L free ferulic acid which increased to 316 μg/L after pasteurization. Commercial samples of SSOJ contained 3.7mg/L free ferulic when incubated at 35°C for 28 days; incubation at 50°C, resulted in 9.5 mg/L, while samples kept at 4°C contained 2.9 mg/L. Simultaneously, PVG content in SSOJ increased by 2‐(35°C) to 3‐(50°C) fold, while addition of ferulic acid accelerated formation of PVG. Inclusion of orange juice with added ferulic acid, produced a less acceptable aroma (laboratory taste panel) than juice incubated without added ferulic acid.