Scaling-up of fruit-based winemaking from melon by-products

This study describes the process of making a melon-based wine using fresh melons that do not meet the aesthetic standards (color, shape, and size) required by supermarkets. Fruits were hand peeled and seeds removed. Pulp was pressed and the melon juice (must) was bioprocessed into an alcoholic fermentation by Saccharomyces cerevisiae, previously enriched in sucrose and organic acids (tartaric and malic acid). After 14 days at 14°C, the fermented must provided a melon-based wine. It was decanted, filtered, and bottled. After 3-months of bottling, the individual sugars and amino acids were quantified in must and melon wine to evaluate the changes during alcoholic fermentation. The volatile profile was analyzed using GC-MS, the aroma was characterized using the odor activity value (OAV) and relative odor contribution (ROC). Melon wine reached 12% v/v ethanol, with a green color being categorized as a dry wine. The volatile compounds increased after the alcoholic fermentation, mainly in acetate and ethyl esters, and higher alcohols. Initially, typical melon aromas as (6Z)-nonen-1-ol, (E,Z)-nonadien-1-ol and ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, with a high ROC in must, changed after fermentation to typical wines aromas as isoamyl acetate, ethyl decanoate, 3,6-nonadienyl acetate and (E,Z)-nonadien-1-ol, with the higher OAV and ROC values. These compounds contributed to the sweet, fruity, banana, and melon aroma. The final wine was rated as good quality, with high scores in the visual, olfactory and taste aspects. This study demonstrates the potential for revalorizing by-products to obtain new products with unique and desirable characteristics.