Terjak is a home remedy, which is traditionally prepared from elderberry juice. Based on folk medicine, it supposably has a lot of health benefits, that is why it was a vital part of every home pharmacy in the regions of Slovenia, where it is produced. The purpose of our work was sensory analysis of the samples of terjak, and to determine the values of some parameters, affecting the antioxidant activity. Sensory analysis was done on raw samples as well as on the drink prepared with them. With the qualitative descriptive method we determined the characteristics of the aroma of terjak, with the hedonic scale we determined the liking levels of samples, and we ranked the prepared drink samples according to their intensity of the sweet and sour taste, respectively. We analyzed six samples. Alongside of the sensory analysis, we determined the antioxidant capacity and total phenolic content, using a spectrophotometric method. We measured the pH values, determined the water content and the colour parameters in the CIE L*a*b* system. The aroma of terjak is characterized by caramel, burnt sugar and dried prunes. In a drink from terjak sour taste and astringency were the most intensively perceived. The product contains on average 28 % water, has acidic pH value (3.81), and colour parameteres 20.04 (L*), 1.01 (a*), 0.85 (b*). Terjak has high antioxidant capacity, on average 726 mgtrolox/100 g, and content of total phenolic, 1588 mgGAE/100 g. The set hypothesis turned out to be wrong, as there was no negative correlation between the pH values and the antioxidant capacity, as well as no connection between the total phenolic content and a lower score on the hedonic scale, as the sample with the highest content of these compounds, did not receive the lowest score.
|
