The micro-oxygenation of musts may affect the quality of a finished alcoholic beverage. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of micro-oxygenation at various stages of fermentation on oenological parameters, antioxidant activity, total polyphenol content, and profile of volatile cider compounds fermented with various yeast strains. Rubin cultivar must was inoculated with wine yeast, cider yeast, distillery yeast, and wild yeast strains. Some of the inoculated samples were oxygenated immediately after yeast inoculation, and some on the second and third fermentation days. The control sample was non-oxygenated must fermented in bottles. Higher extract concentration and acidity as well as lower potency were observed in cider treated with micro-oxygenation. Must oxygenation in most cases contributed to the reduction of polyphenol content and to the antioxidant activity of ciders, especially when fermented using wild yeast. The oxygenation of musts before fermentation caused an increase in the content of esters and alcohols in ciders. However, the oxygenation of musts during fermentation reduced the concentration of these volatile components. The oxygenation of musts during fermentation produced a differentiated effect on terpenoid concentration in ciders.
Keywords: antioxidant activity; cider; micro-oxygenation; volatile compounds.