Abstract
The effects of pulsed electric field (PEF) treatments on microbial reduction, volatile composition, and sensory characteristics of orange juice were investigated. Mild (Thermal-1) and intensive (Thermal-2) thermal treatments were applied for comparison. A pilot-scale PEF system, with a flow rate of 30 L/h and maximum field strength of 20 kV/cm, was used. PEF treatment at a specific energy of 150 kJ/L resulted in 9.0 and 8.0 decimal reductions of Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, respectively. The PEF treatments preserved the characteristic compounds associated with a fresh flavor (e.g., dl-limonene, β-myrcene, α-pinene, and valencene) more effectively than an intensive thermal treatment. This was verified by descriptive analysis of sensory evaluations. Based on the principal component analyses (PCAs) and partial least-squares (PLS) regression analyses, PEF-treated orange juice showed higher similarity to untreated orange juice. Our results indicate that PEF may be an alternative processing technique that can preserve the fresh flavor and taste of freshly squeezed orange juice.
Highlights
Oranges contain vitamin C, folic acid, potassium, and pectin, as well as high levels of phytochemicals that facilitate antioxidant activities [1]
6.0 decimal reduction in low-fat milk treated with a total pulse energy of 200 kJ/L. These results indicate that the higher the electric field strength, the greater the potential difference between the inside and outside of the cell membrane of the microorganism, and the cell membrane reaches the critical destruction point more quickly [28,29]
The E. coli was reduced by a 5.6 decimal reduction
Summary
Oranges contain vitamin C, folic acid, potassium, and pectin, as well as high levels of phytochemicals that facilitate antioxidant activities [1]. The market for premium-quality orange juice has significantly grown. Such juice is freshly squeezed and minimally processed and is popular among consumers because of its excellent flavor and high nutritional value [2]. Thermal treatment is used primarily in the food industry to increase shelf life and maintain food safety at low cost [3]. The treatment inactivates microorganisms and enzymes and changes the quality and freshness. Alternative technologies to traditional thermal treatment have been investigated to inactivate microorganisms at temperatures lower than those commonly used in heat treatments [4]
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