Color protection, aroma enhancement and sensory improvement of red wines: Comparison of pre-fermentation additions of cyclodextrins and polysaccharides

The effect of pre-fermentation single additions of four cyclodextrins (CDs) as stabilizing factors on the color, aroma, and sensory characteristics of red wines was systematically investigated for the first time and compared with control and single polysaccharide treatments. The results showed that α-cyclodextrin (α-CD) and hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) increased red-green color channel (a^⁎) by 41.85 % and 28.84 %, respectively, compared to the control group, exhibiting a stronger copigmentation effect than the three polysaccharides. Mantel test and heatmap analyses revealed that α-CD enhanced color stability by promoting copigmentation between phenolics and monomeric anthocyanins, whereas HP-β-CD enhanced color through direct copigmentation with anthocyanins. Furthermore, volatile compound content and principal component analysis demonstrated that α-CD and HP-β-CD effectively protected esters and selectively protected alcohols, compared to the control and polysaccharide treatments. Sensory evaluation confirmed that HP-β-CD and α-CD improved the sensory profile by enhancing color appeal, rich floral and fruity aromas, and harmonious taste.