Processing methods with heat increases bioactive phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity in grape juices

In this work, the influence of the method of processing on phenolic composition and the in vitro antioxidant activity (AOX) of grape juices was studied. The classic methods of producing "Hot Press" (HP), "Hot Break" (HB), and "Cold Press" (CP), and an artisanal method using steam were compared. Among the methods of elaboration of evaluated grape juices, those that heated the grape showed higher content of bioactive phenolics and AOX. The artisanal method using steam presented acceptable bioactive content and could be simple alternative for grape juice production. The main bioactive compounds quantified in the studied juices were procyanidin B1, quercetin-3-pyranoside, chlorogenic acid, malvidin-3-glucoside, cyanidin-3-glucoside, and petunidin-3-glucoside. These were correlated by principal component analysis (PCA) with the antioxidant activity. The characteristics obtained from the different juice elaboration methods demonstrate that the HB method was responsible for the greatest extraction of bioactive compounds from the grapes.