Sensory attributes and changes of physicochemical properties during storage of smoothies prepared from selected fruit

• Sour cherry is a good source for the production of high-quality smoothies.
• Sour cherry–flowering quince smoothie possess the highest content of polyphenols also after storage.
• Smoothies with addition of apple or quince juices were the most attractive according to consumers.
• Storage significantly decreased the content of bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity in analysed smoothies.

This study investigated the changes during storage of smoothies obtained by mixing sour cherry puree with apple, pear, quince and flowering quince juices. Phenolic compounds, antioxidant activity (ORAC, ABTS, FRAP) and physical parameters (viscosity and colour) of 17 different products (12 smoothies and 5 semi-products) before and after storage during 6 months at 4 °C and 30 °C were studied. In addition, sensory attributes (colour, consistency, aroma and taste) were analysed. The content of polyphenols determined by UPLC-PDA-FL ranged from 517.75 mg of sour cherry/flowering quince smoothie to 333.36 mg/100 g of sour cherry/pear smoothie. After 6 months of storage, protective effects of flowering quince juice and quince juice addition on the polyphenol content, especially on polymeric procyanidins, were observed, and these were positively correlated with antioxidant activity. Apart from the high content of polyphenols and antioxidant activity, the obtained smoothies were attractive to consumers, especially those with addition of apple and quince juices.