Effects of UV-C Light Processing on Some Quality Characteristics of Grape Juices

Abstract

White and red grape juices (GJs) were subjected to ultraviolet C (UV-C) light as a non-thermal preservation technology using a coiled tube UV-C reactor with nine lamps. The effects of UV-C light on microbial (total aerobic count and yeast and mould count) and some chemical quality characteristics (total phenolics, antioxidant capacity, anthocyanin and polymeric colour, etc.) of white and red GJs were investigated. The results were compared with control (untreated) and heat-treated juice samples. Single-pass UV-C treatment (12.6 J/mL) of white and red GJs resulted in 3.51 and 3.59 log reductions in total aerobic count and, 2.71 and 2.89 log reductions in yeast and mould counts, respectively. The microbial loads of both GJs were completely eliminated after two passes through the reactor (25.2 J/mL). After UV-C and heat treatments, there were no significant changes in antioxidant capacity, total phenolics, titratable acidity, soluble solids and pH of white and red GJs (P > 0.05). The losses in monomeric anthocyanins were 6.1% and 8.7% after UV-C treatment of 12.6 and 25.2 J/mL doses, respectively. However, anthocyanin level of red GJ was significantly affected by the heat treatment with an 11.8% loss (P < 0.05). The percent polymeric colour of the red GJ with heat treatment was significantly higher compared to the colour with the UV-C treatment.