COMPARISON BETWEEN ULTRAFILTRATION AND MICROFILTRATION IN THE CLARIFICATION OF POMEGRANATE JUICE

Abstract

ABSTRACTIn this study, both microfiltration (MF) and ultrafiltration (UF) were applied to clarify pomegranate juice (PJ). Although MF resulted in greater permeate efficiency, the turbidities of the juices were similar when using these approaches. Also, changes in the pH, acidity, total soluble solids, phenolic components, anthocyanins and antioxidant activities were similar when using both membrane processes. According to the results of this study, there was a greater membrane fouling in the UF process when compared to the MF process. Pretreatment of the juices with an MF process reduced the membrane fouling in the UF process. However, further processing of the microfiltered PJ by a UF process did not have any influence on the turbidity but decreased the levels of valuable components (such as total anthocyanin and antioxidant activity levels) of the juice.PRACTICAL APPLICATIONSAccording to this research, microfiltration (MF) can be used as a more convenient approach than ultrafiltration (UF) to clarify pomegranate juice (PJ). This is due to the fact that the yield of the clarified juice in the MF process was higher, but the chemical and nutritional properties of the permeated juices were similar in both applications. It was also found that complementary UF of a previously microfiltered PJ was ineffective in the clarification process of PJ.