Characterization of titratable acids, phenolic compounds, and antioxidant activities of wines made from eight mississippi-grown muscadine varieties during fermentation

•Muscadine cultivar had great effect on wine quality.•Major individual phenolics showed major differences in eight cultivars.•Fermentation induced degradation/transformation of phenolics.•Individual phenolic exhibited different change patterns during fermentation.•Antioxidant potential was greatly affected by fermentation time.

Muscadine grape (Vitis rotundifolia Michx.) and its wine products are becoming more acceptable due to potential health benefits associated with high concentrations of phenolic compounds. In this research, wines made from eight high-yield muscadine grape varieties grown in Mississippi were compared for their phenolic composition, antioxidant activity, and other quality parameters during different secondary fermentation periods. During the fermentation, the total content of hydroxybenzoic acid derivatives decreased, while that of hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives increased. Changes in total flavonoids varied depending on muscadine cultivar. Total phenolic content (TPC), total benzoic acid (TBA) derivatives and total phenolic acids significantly (p < 0.05) correlated with DPPH values (r = 0.89, 0.83 and 0.86, respectively), and the r values between TPC and condensed tannin content and the ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) values were 0.84 and 0.71, respectively.