THE USE OF MACERATING ENZYMES IN GRAPE JUICE PROCESSING

Laboratory and commercial plant trials were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of five commercial enzyme preparations in grape juice processing. The laboratory juice yield and color extraction trials using Rubired grapes demonstrated that a macerating enzyme could increase total juice yield. Trials at two commercial plants compared a macerating enzyme to pectinases routinely used in the plants. The results also demonstrated increased total juice yield with the hard-to-press grape varieties, Ruby Seedless and Flame Seedless. At plant A, where the most intensive study took place, there was an average yield increase of 8.5%. At plant B a 4.9% yield increase was obtained.