Effects of cultivar and processing method on the contents of catechins and procyanidins in grape juice.

The aim of the presented work was to study the effect of pressing method, pasteurization, cultivar, and vintage on the content of (+)-catechin, (-)-epicatechin, and nine procyanidins in grape juice. The results showed that the concentration of these flavan-3-ols in the juice was influenced, in decreasing order of importance, by pressing method, cultivar, pasteurization, and vintage. Cold pressing without maceration was the least and hot pressing after maceration at 60 degrees C for 60 min the most effective method for extracting the flavan-3-ols. Pasteurization increased the concentration of catechins in cold-pressed juices, but it decreased concentrations in hot-pressed juices. The concentration of most procyanidins was increased by pasteurization. Among the white cultivars, Seyval and Niagara were highest in procyanidins and Elvira and Chardonnay were highest in catechins. Vincent, Foch, and Baco were the red cultivars highest in catechins, and Vincent also had the highest content of procyanidins.