Abstract
In order to explore factors related to the browning of cherry wine, the causes of browning in cherry wine fermentation and aging were investigated, and the main components of cherry wine browning in the aging process were analyzed using a model solution. The results showed that the browning degree of the heat-inactivated cherry wine and the control group increased from 0.500 to 0.891, 0.510 to 1.538 during fermentation, respectively (P < 0.05). Both enzymatic browning and nonenzymatic browning were present during fermentation, and enzymatic browning dominated. During the aging process, the contents of amino acids, total phenols, and reducing sugars decreased by 31.4%, 75.6%, and 39.8%, respectively, while the browning degree increased by 22.6% (P < 0.05). Model solution experiments revealed that chlorogenic acid and glucose are the primary factors influencing the browning of cherry wine under acidic conditions. These findings were useful for improving the quality of cherry wine and effectively alleviating the browning of cherry wine.