Abstract
This study aimed to identify possibilities of controlling basic quality attributes (total soluble solids, organic acids, density, pH) and assessing the adulteration of natural dissociating solids with sucrose in apple juice produced from Malus domestica Borkh, var. Cortland, Idared, and Lobo (family Rosaceae Juss), using electrical parameters (conductivity Z, Y; capacity Cp, Cs) and the RCC equivalent electrical model. The feasibility of employing electrical parameters was established based on correlations between selected quality attributes of apple juices varying in sucrose contents in the extract TSSConc (0%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%) and their electrical parameters measured in a frequency range of 100 Hz to 100 kHz. The significant (p ≤ 0.01) correlations obtained between the selected physicochemical parameters of juice (TSSConc, OA) and electrical properties point to the feasibility of using them as an alternative quality assessment method to the reference methods (refractometric or potentiometric titration) used by the external supervising bodies. The electrical parameters (including Z100Hz and Y100Hz) measured in the RCC model can, in the future, aid the design of a simple tool for the quantitative determination of apple juice adulteration with sucrose. They also encourage further research of this electrical method as an alternative to traditional analytical methods for evaluating the authenticity or adulteration of commercial fruit juices with sucrose or other sweetening agents.
Highlights
IntroductionThe growing demand for apple juice, observed on the market, is a strong economic driver for fraudulent food producers and processors who seek fast profits by concealing the inadequate quality, production method, and chemical composition of the product
The growing demand for apple juice, observed on the market, is a strong economic driver for fraudulent food producers and processors who seek fast profits by concealing the inadequate quality, production method, and chemical composition of the product.One such adulteration method involves diluting natural apple juice with water or other cheaper juices and adding sweetening agents or acidifying agents [1,2,3,4,5,6]
The physicochemical characteristics of apple juice demonstrated that the sucrose content increase in total soluble solids (TSS) from 0% to 30% significantly (p ≤ 0.01) reduced the content of organic acids (OA) dissociating in juice and capable of transferring electrical charges and increased the content of soluble but not dissociating sucrose, thereby deteriorating the electrical conductivity of this juice
Summary
The growing demand for apple juice, observed on the market, is a strong economic driver for fraudulent food producers and processors who seek fast profits by concealing the inadequate quality, production method, and chemical composition of the product. One such adulteration method involves diluting natural apple juice with water or other cheaper juices and adding sweetening agents (sucrose, saccharin, aspartame) or acidifying agents (ascorbic acid or malic acid) [1,2,3,4,5,6]. The currently used measuring equipment can detect even trace amounts of ingredients, but the methods of food adulteration are being improved by producers
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