Apple Juice Industry Research Articles

Emerging innovative pre‐ and post‐harvest management practices to mitigate patulin‐linked food safety risks in apple and its products

AbstractPatulin, a toxic secondary metabolite produced by certain molds (Penicillium, Aspergillus, and Byssochlamys), poses a significant health risk when present in apple juice products above permissible levels. Its presence is a major concern for both consumers and regulatory bodies due to its potential carcinogenic and mutagenic effects. Minimizing patulin concentration in apple juice products requires a multifaceted approach involving various stages of apple fruit production, from orchard management to processing and storage. This review explores the pre‐ and postharvest strategies associated with minimizing patulin concentration in apple juice products. It examines the role of good agricultural practices in reducing mold contamination in orchards and discusses the importance of proper postharvest handling, including fruit sorting and washing to remove contaminated apples before processing. During processing, factors such as temperature, pH, and processing time play crucial roles in minimizing patulin levels. Innovative processing technologies, such as pulsed electric fields (PEF), ultraviolet (UV) radiation, high‐pressure processing, enzymatic, and chemical degradation have shown promise in reducing patulin concentration while preserving the sensory and nutritional quality of the juice. Furthermore, effective storage practices, such as maintaining proper temperature and humidity levels, are essential for preventing patulin formation during storage. Continuous monitoring and analytical testing for patulin content throughout the production chain are necessary to ensure compliance with regulatory standards and to guarantee the safety of apple juice products. Despite advancements in technology and production practices, challenges remain in effectively minimizing patulin concentration. These include the need for further research to develop more efficient detection methods, the adoption of sustainable and eco‐friendly practices in orchard management, and the dissemination of knowledge and best practices to stakeholders across the apple juice supply chain. In conclusion, minimizing patulin concentration in apple juice products requires a holistic approach that integrates preventive measures, innovative processing technologies, and stringent quality control measures. By addressing these challenges, the apple juice industry can ensure the production of safe and high‐quality products that meet regulatory standards and consumer expectations.

Role of apple pomace in the formulation of a novel healthy mayonnaise

Currently, there is a growing interest in valorizing agro-food byproducts having interesting bioactives with functional and health properties. This paper deals with the use of apple pomace (AP), the most abundant by-product of apple juice industry, to formulate a novel value-added mayonnaise (AP mayo). The effect of AP on the chemical and rheological characteristics, microbiological quality, and sensory attributes of the new product was studied during a 30-day storage at refrigerated temperature. A comparison with two commercial mayo samples was also carried out. The results highlighted that the AP mayo showed a total phenol content of 2.12 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g, and improved antioxidant properties (DPPH radical-scavenging activities 2.47 mg TE/g; 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) diammonium salt, ABTS 3.18 mg TE/g; ferric reducing antioxidant power, FRAP 2.78 mg TE/g). After 30 days, it was more stable than the other two mayo. Moreover, AP mayo showed even higher overall acceptability scores by the assessors than the commercial samples. The results confirm that the addition of AP represents a valid approach to increase the health properties of spreads and sauces, satisfying the demand of health-conscious consumers, even those who prefer plant-based foods. The proposed healthy mayonnaise confirm the AP is a multifunctional ingredient with interesting potential applications in the formulation of new spreads/sauces with antioxidant properties.

Comparison of different technologies using organic acid and mineral acid solvents on pectin extraction from apple pomace

Pectin is one of the most widely used functional polysaccharide, which is extensively used in food, biotechnological, chemical, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries. Pectin can be suitably extracted from apple pomace which is the main by-product of apple juice industry. In this study, pectin obtained from microwave assisted extraction (MAE) and conventional extraction (CE) were compared in terms of extraction yield, extraction time and extraction temperature. The type of acids namely organic acids and mineral acids were also compared, in which pectin from apple pomace was extracted using different concentration of organic acid (citric acid, 0.1 M and 0.05 M) and mineral acid (hydrochloric acid, 0.1 M and 0.05 M). The best extraction condition of the extraction process was found to be higher in yield by using citric acid at microwave power of 180 W, solid-to-liquid ratio of (1:25), concentration of citric acid of 0.1 M for 90 s. Under these conditions, the extraction yield of pectin reached 19.1 ± 0.2%, methoxyl content (5.27%), anhydroglacturonic acid (43.38%) and degree of esterification (68.97%). The current work showed that critic acid is a ‘green’ and safe acidic solvent that could be used to extract pectin from apple pomace that was highly competitive and environmentally friendly process. The microwave Assisted extraction method is considered to be a potential alternative conventional (traditional) extraction method. The obtained data undertakes that apple pomace obtained by the green extraction has a great potential to be a valuable source of pectin, while preserving similar quality to conventional sources of pectin.

Fumaric Acid Production by R. arrhizus NRRL 1526 Using Apple Pomace Enzymatic Hydrolysates: Kinetic Modelling

Fumaric acid is one of the most promising biorefinery platform chemicals, fruit residues being a very suitable raw material for its production in second generation biorefineries. In particular, apple pomace is a plentiful residue from the apple juice industry, with apple being the second largest fruit crop in the world, with a production that increased from 46 to 86 Mtons in the 1994–2021 period. With a global apple juice production of more than 4.5 Mtons, a similar amount of apple pomace is produced yearly. In this work, apple pomace hydrolysate has been obtained by enzymatic hydrolysis and further characterized for its content in sugars, phenolics and nitrogen using different analytic methods, based on HPLC and colorimetric techniques. Previous to the use of this hydrolysate (APH), we studied if the addition of fructose to the usual glucose-rich broth could lead to high fumaric acid yields, titers and productivities. Afterwards, APH fermentation was performed and improved using different nitrogen initial amounts, obtaining production yields (0.32 gFumaric acid/gconsumed sugar) similar to those obtained with synthetic media (0.38 gFumaric acid/gconsumed sugar). Kinetic modelling was employed to evaluate, explain, and understand the experimental values and trends of relevant components in the fermentation broth as functions of the bioprocess time, proposing a suitable reaction scheme and a non-structured, non-segregated kinetic model based on it.

Pullulan production by Aureobasidium pullulans MTCC 1991 from apple pomace and its characterization

Apple pomace, a by-product of the apple juice processing industry, is significant agro-based waste in the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir, India. A considerable amount of apple is processed for juice production, resulting in a surplus of apple pomace, which is generally underutilized. This study utilized apple pomace as a substrate matrix for producing pullulan by applying Aureobasidium pullulans MTCC 1991. Solid-state fermentation was done at a lab scale in Erlenmeyer flasks to produce this exopolysaccharide. The suitable conditions for solid-state fermentation of apple pomace were: a solid-liquid ratio of 1:4, inoculum volume of 3 mL, pH 6 and incubation time of 14 days. A yield of 42 mg/g dw was obtained in the control sample without adding any other nutrients or chemicals. The addition of yeast extract at a concentration of 1% (w/w) and sucrose (5% w/w) significantly (p < 0.05) increased the yield to 62 mg/g dw and 75 mg/g dw, respectively. The purified pullulan had similar characteristics to that of standard pullulan, as confirmed by ATR-FTIR, H NMR and TLC techniques. Pullulan production from apple pomace can be a better way to utilize this by-product from the apple juice industry. It will be a cost-effective technique for pullulan production as an inexpensive substrate and an environmentally friendly approach are also used.

Effects of Fruit Storage Temperature and Time on Cloud Stability of Not from Concentrated Apple Juice.

Apple juice that is designated ‘Not from concentrated’ (NFC) is now increasingly popular with consumers due to its unique taste and rich nutritional value. However, layered precipitation and instability have emerged as serious technical problems that restrict the viability of the NFC apple juice industry. This study researched the influence of water-cored ‘Fuji’ apple fruit storage under different temperatures (0, 20 °C) and times (0, 9, 18, 30, 60 days) on the turbidity stability of NFC apple juice. Changes in the physicochemical properties (juice yield, pH, total soluble solids and titratable acid), turbidity stability (turbidity and particle size) and precipitation sensitive substances (insoluble starch, total phenolics, soluble protein and pectin) of NFC apple juice were determined, combined with the respiratory rates and ethylene release of apples, in order to study post-harvest regulation and control of processed fruit. Results indicated that fruit storage temperature and time significantly guided the turbidity stability of NFC apple juice. As a typical respiratory climacteric fruit, apple fruit stored 45 days at 0 °C and 15 days at 20 °C gained the best juice stability, respectively. This is basically consistent with the respiratory peak of fruit when processing raw materials. During the post-ripening process, the insoluble starch in apple gradually hydrolyzed into fructose and glucose, while total phenolics diminished and water-soluble pectin content increased. On the other hand, the amounts of pectin, soluble protein and phenolics in fruit juice declined as the fruit aged in the late storage period (stored 75 days at 0 °C and 40 days at 20 °C). Meanwhile particle size became larger and the turbidity stability of cloudy juices also decreased. This study’s results will provide a sound theoretical basis for improving the turbidity stability of NFC apple juice by regulating the physiological state of processed raw materials.

EVALUATION OF POLYPHENOL EXTRACTION FROM APPLE POMACE

Food industry is searching for natural additives because consumers demand natural, safe and environmentally sound food additives. The use of different plant extracts such as grape pomace and cranberry extracts which have antimicrobial effect in food preservation has gained an increasing interest. In the latest years many researches deal with investigation of the antimicrobial effect of apple pomace extracts. Apple pomace, a residue from apple juice production, contains high amount of polyphenols which are known to have antioxidant effect. Apple pomace is a by-product of the apple juice and cider processing industry and represents about 20–35% of the original fruits. It can be used for value-added products, because it is rich in pectin, fibre, macro and micro elements and antioxidants mainly, polyphenols. Previous studies indicate that the apple pomace has high phenolic content and antioxidant activity and thus can be regarded as a valuable source of antioxidants and bioactive compounds. The contents of phenolic compounds vary greatly among different varieties of apples. Moreover, apple peels contain higher concentration of phenolic compounds compared to flesh. Conventional production of apple juice results in a juice with poor phenolic content and with only 3–10% of the antioxidant activity of the fruits that they are produced from. Thus, leaving huge amount of the phenolic compounds in the pomace. Because of this, studying extraction method for extracting high amount of polyphenol from the pomace is important. In this paper apple pomace was dried with different drying method (atmospheric and vacuum ovens, 80° C and 60°C). Extraction was performed using distilled water as solvent, and the extracts were evaluated by the colour, water soluble sugars, total polyphenol content (TPC) and antioxidant capacity.

Concentrate Apple Juice Industry: Aroma and Pomace Valuation as Food Ingredients

Apple concentrate juice industry generates a flavored coproduct (apple aroma) recovered in the evaporation process, which is poorly valuated due to the lack of chemical characterization and standardization. In this study, industry apple aroma was characterized, allowing for the identification of 37 compounds, the majority esters (20), alcohols (7), and aldehydes (4). The storage temperature did not affect its volatile composition. Five key compounds were selected and monitored for 10 months of storage, and also compared with other three productions of another season allowing for observation of the same Aroma Index. Apple pomace was also used to produce a hydrodistillate. Contrary to the apple aroma, apple pomace hydrodistillate was unpleasant, reflected in a different volatile composition. Although no additional aroma fraction could be obtained from this wet byproduct, when dried, apple pomace presented 15 volatile compounds with toasted, caramel, sweet, and green notes. The infusions prepared with the dried apple pomace exhibited 25 volatile compounds with a very pleasant (fruity, apple-like, citrus, and spicy notes) and intense aroma. The addition of sugar changed the volatile profile, providing a less intense flavor, with almond, caramel, and sweet notes. These results show that apple aroma and pomace are high-quality flavoring agents with high potential of valuation as food ingredients.

Contract Model in Sustainable Supply Chain Risk Management: An Empirical Evidence on Apple Based Products in Indonesian Small Scale Industry

This research aimed to develop a performance based contract model for supply chain risk management based on revenue sharing and with a goal programming approach. The research was conducted on the famous apple juice industry in Batu City, Indonesia in July-August 2020. Data were collected from several informants namely farmers, collectors and apple juice processor. This research shows that collectors play an important role in the sustainability of the supply chain for the apple juice industry. Collector also gets the largest revenue sharing which of course has been agreed upon by the actors in the supply chain and generates fairly fair revenue sharing. Keywords: revenue sharing; sustainable supply chain; risk management; apple juice DOI: 10.7176/EJBM/12-36-08 Publication date: December 31 st 2020

Removal of methylene blue from aqueous solutions using a solid residue of the apple juice industry: Full factorial design, equilibrium, thermodynamics and kinetics aspects

The use of adsorbent materials derived from agro-industrial residues represents a simple, easy and low-cost process for the removal of dyes from aqueous solutions. In this context, this study aimed to evaluate the use of a solid residue from the apple juice industry in the removal of methylene blue (MB) dye. Several different analytical techniques, including elemental analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, solid-state 13C nuclear magnetic resonance, nitrogen adsorption/desorption and determination of pH at zero-point charge, were used to investigate the physico-chemical properties of the apple pomace. Conventional bath experiments were carried out by simultaneously optimizing five variables (initial MB concentration, amount of adsorbent, pH, stirring frequency and temperature) using a full 2k factorial design with central point. In general, the characterization analyses evidenced the presence of several types of oxygenated functional groups in the adsorbent chemical structure and a favorable morphology for dye removal. Furthermore, the initial MB concentration, the amount of adsorbent and the pH of the medium had the strongest effect on the response variables, including their interactions and quadratic terms. In terms of equilibrium, it was found that the Langmuir model gave a good fit to the data, while the thermodynamic parameters indicated that the process was spontaneous and exothermic in nature. Moreover, kinetic studies revealed that the MB removal rate followed a pseudo-second-order model, suggesting an adsorption controlled by either diffusion on the stagnant film covering the adsorbent particles or intraparticle diffusion. Finally, the data acquired in this study also emphasized the interest to use materials derived from agro-industrial residues as potential adsorbents in the light of its properties for the removal of basic dyes, including MB.

Aerogel doped by sulfur-functionalized graphene oxide with convenient separability for efficient patulin removal from apple juice

Patulin (PAT) contaminant causes severe food safety issue throughout apple industry. Although adsorption is the feasible approach to remove PAT, the limited adsorption capacity and separation difficulty of most adsorbent is the major drawback that remains to be overcome. Here GO-SH doped aerogel was prepared and used for removal PAT from apple juice. The intrinsic porous of the aerogel and abundant active sites including –COOH, –NH2 and -SH offered the PAT adsorption capacity of 24.75 μg/mg that superior to most reported adsorbents. Furthermore, it could reduce 89 ± 1.23% PAT in real apple juice without juice quality deterioration and cytotoxicity. Importantly, the aerogel with good mechanical strength and structure stability could endure the complex juice solution so that there was no any residue after convenient separation of the aerogel, which proved that the proposed aerogel was a promising adsorbent to be applied to apple juice industry for PAT removal.

High pressure processing of apple juice: the most effective parameters to inactivate pathogens of reference

PurposeHigh-acid liquid foods are a substrate in which foodborne pathogens can maintain their viability. In this research an experimental design was conducted to optimize the parameters for high pressure processing (HPP) of apple juice (pH 3.76).Design/methodology/approachJuice was inoculated with cocktails of Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella enterica and Listeria monocytogenes. Pressures ranging from 139 to 561 MPa and dwell times between 39 and 181 s were challenged.FindingsPressures above 400 MPa achieved a greater than 5-log reduction in all pathogen cocktails regardless of the dwell time. L. monocytogenes was more sensitive to HPP at a pressure of 350 MPa and dwell times equal to or beyond 110 s. E. coli O157:H7 and S. enterica exhibited similar resistance; the number of log reductions in the central point (350 MPa/110 s) ranged from 2.2 to 3.7. The first-order mathematical model better fitted experimental data for E. coli O157:H7 and S. enterica. In regard to L. monocytogenes, the second-order model better fitted this pathogen's reduction.Practical implicationsFruit juices are usually high pressure processed at approximately 600 MPa. For pathogenic reduction, the use of milder parameters may save energy and maintenance costs. The results herein exhibited could assist the apple juice industry with more effective applications of HPP.Originality/valueThe findings of this study demonstrate that relatively moderate pressures can be successfully used to assure the safety of apple juice.

Synergistic effect of 222-nm krypton-chlorine excilamp and mild heating combined treatment on inactivation of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella Typhimurium in apple juice

Simultaneous treatment with 222-nm KrCl excilamp and mild heating (EX-MH) at 45, 50 and 55 °C showed synergistic bactericidal effects on non-acid and acid adapted cells of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella Typhimurium in apple juice. In particular, acid-adapted pathogens exhibited increased resistance to EX-MH compared to pathogenic bacteria that were not acid-adapted. Also, elucidation of the synergistic bactericidal mechanism of EX-MH was performed through several assays and this mechanism was described as follows: (i) when KrCl excilamp (EX) and mild heating (MH) are applied simultaneously, MH reversibly inactivates the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase (SOD), thereby increasing accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by EX and thus inducing synergistic ROS generation, (ii) ROS production induces lipid peroxidation occurrence in the cell membrane, (iii) this lipid peroxidation occurrence in the cell membrane induces synergistic destruction of cell membrane, resulting in synergistic cell death. While EX-MH of 45, 50, or 55 °C reduced E. coli O157:H7 (the pathogen most resistant to EX-MH) in apple juice by 5-log, the qualities such as color (L*, a*, and b*), total phenolic compounds (TPC), and DPPH free radical scavenging activity of apple juice did not change significantly (P > 0.05). This study not only suggests the applicability of EX-MH to the apple juice industry, but also can be used as baseline data for future relevant research.

Optimization of physical properties of new gluten-free cake based on apple pomace powder using starch and xanthan gum.

Apple pomace is a valuable waste from the apple juice industry with high level of poly phenols and also phytate-free dietary fiber. This research was done to optimize and compare the physical properties of new gluten-free cake based on whole replacement of wheat flour with apple pomace powder using starch and xanthan gum by Mixture Design. The results of chemical analysis of apple pomace flour showed 10% moisture, 1.28% ash, 1.68% fat, 1.25% protein, 56% fiber and 9.62 mg gallic acid/g phenolic compounds. There was a significant difference in the texture of optimized apple pomace cakes in comparison to rice and wheat cakes as control and black samples. The hardness of the wheat flour sample was less than the gluten-free samples. Based on the results of the sensory evaluation, the cake containing apple pomace powder had the highest score in terms of overall acceptance.

Highly efficient and cost-effective removal of patulin from apple juice by surface engineering of diatomite with sulfur-functionalized graphene oxide

Patulin (PAT) contamination of apple juice leads to a serious food safety issue. Developing an excellent adsorbent to efficiently remove PAT is more desirable. Herein, a cost-effective and efficient adsorbent (GO-SH/diatomite) with abundant active sites was successfully fabricated via surface engineering of diatomite with sulfur-functionalized graphene oxide (GO-SH) nanosheets, which exhibited excellent selective adsorption capacity toward PAT. The adsorption behavior, adsorption mechanism, stability and cytotoxicity were investigated by systematic studies. The adsorption results showed that its maximum adsorption capacity was 10.68 μg/mg. Moreover, attributed to the specific interaction between PAT and thiol group, more than 90% of PAT was removed from apple juice without any juice quality deterioration. Importantly, the risk of food safety issue of apple juice caused by residual GO-SH/diatomite was negligible due to the properties of easy removal and excellent biocompatibility, which guaranteed its potential application in apple juice industry for PAT removal.

Increased Resistance of Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium and Escherichia coli O157:H7 to 222-Nanometer Krypton-Chlorine Excilamp Treatment by Acid Adaptation.

In this study, we examined the change in resistance of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium and Escherichia coli O157:H7 to 222-nm krypton-chlorine (KrCl) excilamp treatment as influenced by acid adaptation and identified a mechanism of resistance change. In addition, we measured changes in apple juice quality indicators, such as color, total phenols, and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity, during treatment. Non-acid-adapted and acid-adapted pathogens were induced by growing the cells in tryptic soy broth without dextrose (TSB w/o D) at pH 7.3 and in TSB w/o D at pH 5.0 (adjusted with HCl), respectively. For the KrCl excilamp treatment, acid-adapted pathogens exhibited significantly (P < 0.05) higher D5d values, which indicate dosages required to achieve a 5-log reduction, than those for non-acid-adapted pathogens in both commercially clarified apple juice and phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), and the pathogens in the juice showed significantly (P < 0.05) higher D5d values than those for pathogens in PBS because of the UV-absorbing characteristics of apple juice. Through mechanism identification, it was found that the generation of lipid peroxidation in the cell membrane, inducing cell membrane destruction, was significantly (P < 0.05) lower in acid-adapted cells than in non-acid-adapted cells for the same amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated at the same dose because the ratio of unsaturated to saturated fatty acids (USFA/SFA) in the cell membrane was significantly (P < 0.05) decreased as a result of acid adaptation. Treated apple juice showed no significant (P > 0.05) difference in quality indicators compared to those of untreated controls during treatment at 1,773 mJ/cm2IMPORTANCE There is a need for novel, mercury-free UV lamp technology to replace germicidal lamps containing harmful mercury, which are routinely utilized for UV pasteurization of apple juice. In addition, consideration of the changes in response to antimicrobial treatments that may occur when pathogens are adapted to the acid in an apple juice matrix is critical to the practical application of this technology. Based on this, an investigation using 222-nm KrCl excilamp technology, an attractive alternative to mercury lamps, was conducted. Our study demonstrated increased resistance to 222-nm KrCl excilamp treatment as pathogens adapted to acids, and this was due to changes in reactivity to ROS with changes in the fatty acid composition of the cell membrane. Despite increased resistance, the 222-nm KrCl excilamp achieved pathogen reductions of 5 log or more at laboratory scale without affecting apple juice quality. These results provide valuable baseline data for application of 222-nm KrCl excilamps in the apple juice industry.

Application of iron oxide nanoparticles @ polydopamine-nisin composites to the inactivation of Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris in apple juice

Iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) modified with polydopamine were covalently immobilized with nisin to inhibit the growth of Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris in apple juice. The minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of IONPs @ pDA-nisin composites against Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris cells and spores in three kinds of apple juice were 1.25 mg/mL and 2.5 mg/mL, respectively. The concentration of cells and spores decreased from 106 to 10 CFU/mL in apple juice after pretreatment with the composites at the concentration of 20 mg/mL for 10 min. Meanwhile, the investigation of the content of polyphenols, organic acids, volatile compounds and sugars indicated that there was no significant influence of the composites on the apple juices. The results of cytotoxicity (HepG2, Caco 2, SH-SY5Y, and BV2 cells) and acute toxicity test demonstrated the biosecurity and nontoxicity of the composites, which suggested that it was promising to apply the proposed composites to apple juice industry for the control of Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris pollution.

Upgrading Pectin Production from Apple Pomace by Acetic Acid Extraction.

Pectin, as one of the most widely used functional polysaccharide, can be abundantly extracted from apple pomace which is the main by-product of apple juice industry. In the case of 110min, 10% (w/w) acetic acid (AA), and 100°C, extraction yield of pectin reached 19.6%. Compared with mineral acid-extracted pectin, the yield, molecular weight, galacturonic acid content, and DE of the AA-extracted pectin were higher while neutral sugars were lower. Furthermore, the AA-extracted pectin solution demonstrated a higher viscosity during the shear rate increased, and a higher G″ modulus than pectin extracted with mineral acid and commercial pectin possibly because of stronger polymer chain interaction, which was reflected in gel textural properties. The green approach for the pectin production, in terms of pectin components was developed from apple pomace using AA that was highly competitive and environmentally friendly process.

Waste mitigation: From an effluent of apple juice concentrate industry to a valuable ingredient for food and feed applications

Retentate is a by-product of the concentrate apple juice industry, resultant from clarification through an ultrafiltration process. It has a liquid to sludgy appearance, with 8% of total solids content, usually discarded as industrial waste, conveyed as wastewater directly to the sewage plant. However, its origin and expected composition may allow to define its use as a source of valuable compounds as well as its application in food and feed. The present work shows that retentate is very rich in carbohydrates, namely 40% fructose (dry weight), glucose (8%), oligosaccharides (5%), and polysaccharides (3%). It is also rich in protein (8%) and an available and inexpensive source of β-sitosterol (0.6%). This was the major sterol identified, accounting for 21% of total lipophilic compounds recovered by n-hexane. The retentate suspension was successfully used as nutritive medium for production of cider by a microbrewery and the protein-rich water insoluble material (28% of protein) was successfully used in feed formulations for racing pigeons.

The effect of replacing maize with dried apple pomace in the concentrate on performance of Jersey cows grazing kikuyu pasture

Dried apple pulp (DAP) is a by-product of the apple juice industry. It has a comparable ME and CP content to maize but has a higher NDF content. It has been used as a substitute to maize with success in various TMR systems, offering an affordable alternative to maize. The aim of the study was to determine whether the replacement of maize with DAP would be beneficial to milk production and rumen health of Jersey cows grazing kikuyu pasture. Seventy two lactating Jersey cows were blocked according to milk yield, days in milk and lactation number. Cows within blocks were randomly allocated to one of four treatments. Treatments were: 0% DAP inclusion (AP 0), 25% DAP inclusion (AP 25), 50% DAP inclusion (AP 50) and 75% DAP inclusion (AP 75). Cows received 6 kg as is/day of the allocated concentrate in the milking parlour. Cows of all four treatments strip grazed kikuyu-ryegrass pasture, as one group, over an area of 8.6 ha. A rising plate meter was used to estimate pasture DM yield pre- and post-grazing and manage the allocation of pasture. Pasture samples and feed samples were collected on a weekly basis, dried at 60° C for 72 h and pooled every two weeks. An additional eight ruminally cannulated cows were used and were subjected to a four period crossover design with a 14 day adaptation period between treatments. Rumen pH, pasture DM and NDF degradability and VFA profile were determined. Treatment did not have an effect on milk yield; however, there was a linear decrease in 4% FCM and fat yield as the level of DAP inclusion in the diet increased. Cows receiving the AP 0 concentrate supplement yielded 0.9 and 1.2 kg more 4% FCM than cows on the AP 50 and AP 75 concentrate supplements (P < 0.001), respectively. Treatment had no effect on milk composition, except for the lactose content which was lower for cows receiving the AP 0 concentrate supplement (P < 0.001). Average rumen pH was lower for cows receiving the AP 75 concentrate supplement (P < 0.001); however, treatment did not affect the VFA profile or pasture DM and NDF degradability. It was concluded that the replacement of maize with DAP for cows grazing kikuyu pasture is a viable option; however, the possible decrease in 4% FCM yield should be taken into consideration.