Brands Of Juice Research Articles

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF VITAMIN C CONTENT IN FRUIT JUICES AVAILABLE IN LOCAL SUPERMARKETS USING THE DCPIP METHOD

L-ascorbic acid, another name for vitamin C, is an important antioxidant ingredient that is vital to human health. Its presence in various fruit juices serves as a significant indicator of their nutritional value. The study focuses on using titration method with 2,6-Dichlorophenolindophenol solution (DCPIP) to determine the level of vitamin C in various fruit juices. The experiment involved the preparation of standardized 1% of DCPIP solution and titration of the fruit juice samples with the DCPIP solution. Several types of fruit juices bought from local supermarkets, including orange, apple, mango and grape, were tested in this study. Each juice sample was prepared and analysed twice to ensure accuracy and reliability of the results. The titration method used facilitated the quantitative assessment of vitamin C levels in the juices. These results indicated varying concentrations and percentage of vitamin C among the different types of fruit juices tested. Orange juice exhibited the highest concentration of vitamin C, followed by mango, apple, and grape juices, respectively. It was found that vitamin C is present in all juice brands analysed, and in some cases the concentration varies from the value informed on the package label by the manufacturer. This research shows the viability of using the titration method for the determination of vitamin C in a food product, which is relevant to determine vitamin C. This study not only demonstrates the utility of the DCPIP method for assessing Vitamin C levels but also provides insights into the nutritional value of various fruit juices.

Exposure of endocrine disruptive phthalates from fruit juices packed in plastic bottles and their risk assessment in Pakistan

ABSTRACT Phthalate esters (PAEs) are used to increase the plasticity in plastic packaging materials like plastic containers and beverage bottles. These are recognised as endocrine disruptors and pose potential health risks to consumers. So this study investigated the extent of phthalate exposure levels originating from plastic bottles across different brands of juice samples (n = 225), collected from local markets in Jamshoro, Sindh, Pakistan, encompassing (citrus, berry mixed, stone fruit, and fleshy fruit juices). For that purpose, plastic bottles were initially investigated by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), followed by analysis of leached PAEs in juices by Gas Chromatography with Flame Ionization Detection (GC-FID) and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). FTIR findings confirmed the presence of PAEs in plastic bottles through the assessment of two different peaks at 1713 cm−1 (aromatic esters) and 722 cm−1 (C-H wagging). DSC results revealed different glass transition (Tg) and melting temperature (Tm) for amorphous bottles. The study found that PAE concentration varied significantly (p < 0.05) across different juices, with mixed fruit juices exhibiting the highest concentration (71.93 µg/L), followed by strawberry (31.35 µg/L), citrus fruit (20.64 µg/L), and fleshy fruit juices (18.61 µg/L). GC-MS analysis confirmed the occurrence of several PAEs including DPrP, DiBP, DPeP, DCHP, BBP, DEHP, and DOP. The estimated daily intake (EDI) of PAEs was found in the range of 0.087–0.543 µg/kg-bw in all analysed samples. Although hazard index calculation indicated that all juices were within safe limits (HI < 1). However, it is noteworthy that DEHP exhibited higher values of carcinogenic in one specific juice brand of mixed fruit juice (BM-1), with a risk factor of 4.5 × 10−3.

The role of brand anthropomorphism in building brand attachment: The experiment research on beverage brands

The concept of anthropomorphism has been described as a psychological process in which people perceive inanimate agents as humanlike. In the branding context, this approach has been considered as an effective positioning strategy to enhance consumer-brand interactions and create robust brand attachment, which refers to the strength of the bond connecting the brand with the self. Nevertheless, up to date, there are only a few empirical publications studying how and when anthropomorphism affects brand attachment. Filling the mentioned gap, on the basis of a three-factor theory of anthropomorphism (Epley, Waytz, &amp; Cacioppo, 2007), and attachment theory (Bowlby, 1969), the paper provided an underlying mechanism that clarified the intimate relationship between brand anthropomorphism and consumers’ emotional attachment to such brands. The experiment applied in the context of healthy drink brands was carried out to test the hypothesis of the research model. The nonprobability design was adopted, and the sample size was determined in terms of similar previous studies which showed reliable and valid findings. Data was collected from 201 participants, and the Partial Least Squares technique was applied for statistical analysis. The study found that users tend to show greater brand attachment when they are exposed to an anthropomorphic juice brand (vs. a non-anthropomorphic one). The exploratory findings further highlighted the essential role of self-efficacy, self-esteem, sense of belonging, and psychological comfort, that mediated the effects of brand anthropomorphism on brand attachment. The results from this research contribute to understanding the anthropomorphism literature and provide valuable insights for marketing practices in the beverage industry.

Nutritional Composition of Some Selected Commercial Juice Made in Nigeria

Introduction: Nutrient-fortified food play a crucial role in addressing nutritional deficiencies among infants and children, making them more appealing for consumption. Research focuses on baby foods, particularly reconstituted juice drink, which serve as significant sources of essential minerals and vitamins. However, the nutrient composition of these products varies, leading to differences in quality. The objective of this study is to assess the disparities in the nutritional content of various children's juice drink available in the Nigerian market. Methods: Proximate analysis was carried out according to the standard procedure of Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) to evaluate the nutritional composition of the selected juice drink. Minerals content were determined using Atomic Absorption and Flame Spectroscopy Techniques. The determination of the Vitamin A content in the samples was conducted following a modified Spectrophotometric Method. For Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), the Vitamin C content in the samples was assessed utilizing a Spectrometric Method coupled with 2,4 Dinitrophenyl hydrazine (DNPH) procedures. Results: Examination of the proximate and mineral analyses of ten chosen fruit juice brands revealed notable variations. Capri sonne exhibited the highest moisture content at 94.2%, while Hollandia Yogurt has the lowest at 81.3%. Chapman, Nutri Milk, and Viju Apple Flavor Milk shared the highest ash content at 0.5%, whereas Hollandia Malt, Piko Orange, and Piko Strawberry displayed the lowest at 0.01%. Nestle Malt boasted the highest crude protein concentration at 4.38%, with Capri sonne recorded the lowest at 0.18%. Hollandia Yogurt and Hollandia Malt demonstrated the highest crude fiber content, while Vitavite Multivi, Piko Orange, and Piko Strawberry showed the lowest. Regarding total carbohydrates, Hollandia Yogurt topped the list at 14.6%, while Vitavite Multivi ranked lowest at 6.57%. Nestle Millo contained the highest vitamin C content at 25.7%, whereas Piko Strawberry has the lowest at 3.82%. Caprosonne registered the highest vitamin A content at 0.6%. In terms of mineral analysis, Hollandia Yogurt exhibited the highest sodium percentage at 22.6mg/g, while Nestle led in calcium, iron, and magnesium content at 120.4mg/g, 1.7mg/g, and 25.5mg/g, respectively. It can therefore be inferred from the outcome of this study that, Milo Nestle is the best drink for children due to its higher protein, carbohydrate, vitamins (A and C) and minerals (Ca, Mg, Fe, Na) contents, followed by Hollandia Malt as compared to other juice studied.

Quantitative determination of artificial sweeteners and sucrose in energy drinks and mango juice available in Dhaka city.

Energy drinks and mango juice are popular beverages. Apart from the natural ingredients and some additives present in these drinks, sugar is an important component of both. It has been established that, other than providing sweetness, sugars are potent to bring about health consequences for their consumers. Sweeteners, both artificial (aspartame, sodium cyclamate, and saccharin) and natural (sucrose), were our centers of interest. This study aimed to determine the presence and levels of these sweeteners in energy drinks and mango juice. Spectrophotometric methods were used to determine the concentration of the mentioned sugars. For this purpose, a total of 42 samples of 7 different brands were collected from different locations in Dhaka city, Bangladesh. The methods were found to be linear over the concentration range of 10-26 μg/mL (r2=0.9989), 137-320 μg/mL (r2=0.9891), 2.5-24 μg/mL (r2=0.9915) and 2354-2784 μg/mL (r2=0.9985) for aspartame, sodium cyclamate, saccharin, and sucrose, respectively. Mango juice contained a relatively lower amount of saccharin compared to energy drinks. In the case of aspartame, one brand of energy drinks had the least amount. Moreover, both energy drinks and mango juice had a similar content of sodium cyclamate, but one brand of mango juice had a relatively low content of sodium cyclamate.

An Analysis of Commercial Noni Juice: LC-MS/MS Phenolic Profiles and Cytotoxic Activity

Fermented juice from the noni tree (Morinda citrifolia) is a traditional medicinal product used by South Pacific Islanders to treat a wide range of ailments, including cancer, inflammation and obesity, as well as improving overall wellbeing. Many of its bioactive properties have been suggested to arise from the high antioxidant capacity and phenolic content found in the juice. However, there have been limited investigations into the phenolic profiles of noni juice produced locally in the Pacific. This study aimed to investigate the chemical composition and bioactive properties of noni juice. The first phase of this study used liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to characterise the phenolic composition of five brands of commercial noni juice produced in the South Pacific region. A total of 21 phenolic compounds were putatively identified, with the most abundant generally being rutin, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid and gentisic acid. Vastly differing phenolic profiles were found between the noni juice brands. Significant differences were also found in their antioxidant capacities and total phenolic contents. Of the three major phenolic compounds identified, gentisic acid showed the highest antioxidant activity (640% higher than Trolox). Additionally, the noni juice showed no significant anti-acetylcholinesterase activity and no to moderate cytotoxicity against two cancer cell lines (HeLa and HT29). These results indicate that the phytochemical profiles—and hence, the expected bioactive properties—are likely to vary significantly between different noni juice brands. Furthermore, the anti-cancer activity of non-concentrated noni juice appears to be relatively low.

Total fructose, total glucose and benzoic acid contents in commercially available fruit nectars in Anuradhapura town area, Sri Lanka

High intake of total fructose, total glucose and benzoic acid can cause many adverse health effects. Most commercially available fruit juice and nectar brands in Sri Lanka are not claimed on the label about the levels of fructose, glucose and benzoic acid in the products. Available brands of fruit juices [Mixed Fruit Juice (MFJ) and Mango Juice (MJ)] and fruit nectars [Mixed Fruit Nectar (MFN) and Mango Nectar (MN)] were selected through a pre-validated questionnaire. Seven brands of MN and MFN were identified as mostly consumed and there was a significant difference (p&lt;0.05) in the total fructose and total glucose levels among the brands. Total fructose of MN and MFN was in the range of 28.54 ± 3.03 gl-1 to 60.28 ± 5.04 gl-1 and 30.46 ± 8.56 gl-1 to 62.47 ± 9.27 gl-1 respectively. Total glucose content of MN was in the range of 17.49 ± 5.39 gl-1 to 41.87 ± 2.11 gl-1 and for MFN from 29.29 ± 4.34 gl-1 to 85.71 ± 5.64 gl-1. Total fructose in MJ and MFJ were in the range of 32.28 ± 0.86 gl-1 to 37.66 ± 0.55 gl-1 and 33.14 ± 0.87 gl-1 to 36.81 ± 1.81 gl-1 respectively. Three, out of the four brands of MN and MFN contained benzoic acid. One brand of MN and one brand of MFN had exceeded the permitted level (120 mg/l) of benzoic acid. Benzoic acid was present in two, out of three brands of MJ and MFJ. It can be concluded that there is a variation in total fructose, total glucose and benzoic acid contents in fruit nectars and juices available for sale in Anuradhapura town area. However, some brands have violated the Sri Lanka food regulations.

Bioassay of oxidative properties and toxic side effects of apple juice

Introduction. Apple juice owes its beneficial properties to various biologically active compounds, e.g. antioxidants. Therefore, food science needs effective methods that would cover all the mechanisms of their effect on human metabolism. However, fruit juice production raises certain safety issues that are associated not only with production risks, but also with some natural components in the raw material. The Allium cepa test seems to be an effective solution to the problem. This plant bioassay has a good correlation tested on mammalian cell cultures.&#x0D; Study objects and methods. Onion roots (A. cepa) were treated with aqueous solutions of juices and sorbic acid to assess their antioxidant profile. The toxic effects on root tissues were described according to biomass growth, malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration, and proliferative and cytogenetic disorders. &#x0D; Results and discussion. The study revealed the optimal conditions for the A. cepa assay of the antioxidant properties of apple juice. The antioxidant activity was at its highest when the juice was diluted with water 1:9 and the onion roots were treated with sorbic acid. The lipid oxidation of the A. cepa roots decreased by 43%. A comparative analysis of three different juice brands showed that the difference in their antioxidant profiles was ≤ 3%. As for toxic side effects, the chromosome aberrations increased by six times in all samples.&#x0D; Conclusion. The research offers a new in vivo method for determining the antioxidant profile of apple juice. Three juice brands proved to have irreversible cytotoxic and genotoxic effects.

Visible sugar : Salient sugar information impacts health perception of fruit juices but only when motivated to be responsible and not when motivated to enjoy

The present study explores when consumers recognize the high sugar content of fruit juice and refrain from choosing it for themselves or their families. Fruit juice may be typically perceived as a healthy drink, despite its often high sugar content. We investigate the role of salience of sugar information and enjoyment and responsibility goals in perception and choice of fruit juices. We argue that sugar information needs to be salient to prevent this health halo effect, but that consumers also need to be in a motivational state that promotes processing of this information. In three experiments (N = 801), we manipulate the salience of the sugar content using a salient sugar label (or no explicit sugar label) as well as the activation of different goals (to enjoy versus to be responsible, in the context of choices for self versus significant others). Utilising a newly designed fictitious juice brand, salient sugar labels are effective in significantly raising awareness of sugar content in study 1. Consumers primed for responsibility consider fruit juice with salient sugar information unhealthier as compared to those primed for enjoyment in study 2. Further, in study 3, parents primed for responsibility perceive fruit juice with salient sugar information as unhealthier and less appealing in comparison to parents primed for enjoyment. The effects of responsibility and enjoyment primes on health perceptions are stronger when people think of responsibility or enjoyment of food in the context of their families rather than themselves. We discuss implications for theorizing, beverage marketing, and public policy.

Total phenol, total flavonoid and ascorbic acid content of Iranian commercial orange juice

This study was designed to measure and compare the total phenols, flavonoids and vitamin C contents in four orange juice brands which are commercially available in Iran. Total phenols, flavonoids and ascorbic acid content of 100 samples from four different commercial brands were evaluated by the spectrometric method. The concentration of total phenol in commercial orange juice samples was between 28.39 and 114.20 mg gallic acid equivalent per liter (mg GAE/L). The measured range of total flavonoids was from 12.53 to 32.62 mg quercetin equivalent per liter (mg QE/L) and the content of ascorbic acid in the samples was between 29.95 and 93.08 mg/L. The results showed a significant difference between the four brand`s total phenols, flavonoids and vitamin C level (P&lt; 0.05). According to the found variation among different studied brands, setting a determined amount for the measured parameters is suggested.

Challenges in using Electronic tongue to study rasa of plants: II. Impact of solvent and concentration on sensor response and taste ranking

BackgroundAlthough Electronic tongue is used in pharmaceutical, food and beverage industries for objective evaluation of taste, its use in medicinal plants from an ayurvedic perspective is novel. Control experiments are therefore necessary to standardise and optimise parameters. ObjectiveThe aim is to optimise the use of solvent and standardise sample concentration for study of plants from an ayurvedic standpoint of rasa. The major objectives are two-fold: (i) evaluate sensor response to different types of solvent water (ii) explore use of E-tongue in taste ranking of medicinal plants used in ayurveda. Materials and methodsSingle, double and triple distilled, reverse osmosis and milliQ waters were evaluated separately and as a medium for preparing plant extracts. For taste ranking, standard addition method using d-glucose as sweet taste standard was used for different brands of mango juices (case in point study) and eight medicinal plants from sweet category. The effect of sample concentration and taste standard on taste ranking were evaluated. ResultsMQ and TD water demonstrated similar organoleptic properties whereas plant extracts prepared in DD and MQ water showed maximum taste-based differentiation. The mango juices were taste discriminated by E-tongue and ranked based on their sweetness scores. The relative ranking of plant samples showed concentration dependence and also varied with the concentration range of taste standard. ConclusionMilli-Q and double distilled water can be used for E-tongue studies of medicinal plants. While the results open up the possibility of taste ranking of medicinal plants, they also demonstrate the importance of standardising and optimising the concentration of samples and taste standards in the context of ayurvedic rasa based studies.

IDENTIFYING BRAND EQUITY DIMENSIONS AND MEASURING ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH PRODUCT QUALITY DIMENSIONS: A STUDY ON JUICE BRANDS IN INDIA

Brand Equity, which speaks about the perceived value of a product under a brand name, is one of the key measures of a brand’s success. Higher level of brand equity could be translated as higher perceived value, growing market share and greater ROI. Thus, marketers are in eternal pursuit to device strategies for achieving higher brand equity. But for achieving this, knowledge about brand equity constructing components is necessary. Although theoretical studies have identified some brand equity constructing components, empirical validation of the theoretical constructs are vague. Studies in this field also states that product quality plays a significant role in creating brand equity, but empirically the interrelationship between product quality dimension and brand equity is not properly measured. The present study which is conducted on the juice brands in India aims to identify factors constructing brand equity of juice brands and also to estimate the impact of product quality dimensions of juice as a product on brand equity of the juice brands.Keywords: Brand; Types of Brand Equity; Consumer Based Brand Equity; Dimensions of Brand Equity; Product Quality Dimensions

Evaluation of Copper and Manganese Concentrations in Commercial Fruit Juices and Nectars Consumed in Brazil by GF AAS.

The present work proposes a simple method for direct determination of Cu and Mn in commercial fruit juices and nectars by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GF AAS). We analyzed samples of different flavors (orange, mango, passion fruit, peach, and grape) and brands of Brazilian commercial fruit juices and nectars. We also carried out a study to define a suitable temperature program and to optimize the calibration conditions. It was possible to determine Cu and Mn in the samples just after a simple dilution of samples with a 0.70 mol L−1 HNO3 solution, except in the case of grape juice. We compared the results obtained with the proposed method to those obtained after a traditional treatment based on acid digestion in a microwave oven, and no significant differences were observed (except for grape juice). The accuracy of the method was assessed through a recovery test, which provided recovery percentages in the range of 81–117%. Precision was always better than 8%, and the limits of quantification for Cu and Mn were 6 μg L−1 and 9 μg L−1, respectively. We analyzed twenty-two samples, and the concentrations of Cu and Mn were in the range of 24.1–321 μg L−1 and 116–3296 μg L−1, respectively. Statistical analysis using a two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) at 95% confidence level showed that flavor and brand impacted on the concentration of the analytes in the samples. Among the samples analyzed, the grape juice presented the highest concentrations of both Cu and Mn.

Evaluation of Sugar Types in Selected Brands of Commercial Fruit Juice in Osun State, Nigeria

The study examined the sugar types and sum sugars in selected brands of commercial fruit juice. The sugar types were determined base on the reducing properties of the monosaccharide sugars using Lane and Eynon method. Non-reducing sugar was estimated after it hydrolysis. The data obtained were subjected to statistical analysis using ANOVA and Hierarchical Clustering (Dendrogram). The results showed that there is no significant difference in the sugar content amongst the seven brands of fruit juice analyzed. However, the results indicated that there is significant difference in the sugar types (Dextrose, Fructose and Sucrose) found in the samples. Fructose was found to be the higher concentrated of the two reducing sugars determined (Dextrose and Fructose) across the samples analyzed. Sample B has the highest fructose and dextrose concentrations (5.22± 0.02 g/100 mL) and (4.92± 0.01 g/100 mL) respectively while G has the lowest concentrations of the two sugars (4.76± 0.01 g/100 mL) and (4.49± 0.01 g/100 mL). Maximum sucrose content was recorded in G (9.36± 0.02 g/100 mL) out of 18.61 g/100mL total sugar reported for the sample. Lowest sucrose was observed in sample E (6.96± 0.03 g/100mL) out of 16.33 g/100 mL total sugar. There is significant amount of sucrose in all the fruit juice sample analyzed

Influência da embalagem na intenção de compra do consumidor de suco de laranja industrializado

Objetivo: avaliar a influência da embalagem na aceitação de suco de laranja industrializado pelo consumidor. Método: Foram estudadas cinco marcas de suco (A, B, C, D e E), as quais foram avaliadas em três etapas de testes: teste cego, teste com embalagem e teste com informação. Os testes foram aplicados em 51 julgadores, utilizando escala hedônica de 9 pontos. Os resultados foram analisados por meio de estatística descritiva e pelo teste de Tukey (α = 0,05). Resultados: No teste cego, a marca E obteve melhor aceitação, diferindo das marcas A e B. No teste de embalagem, as marcas A, D e E não diferiram entre si, sendo a marca C a de pior aceitação. Já no teste com informação, as marcas A, C, D e E não diferiram entre si. Conclusão: Os resultados indicam que a embalagem pode influenciar positiva ou negativamente a avaliação do consumidor sobre o produto. Neste estudo, a informação sobre a marca exerceu influência positiva para as marcas A, B e C. Já para as marcas D e E, a informação sobre o produto diminuiu a porcentagem de consumidores que gostaram do produto, indicando que estes sucos podem ser preferidos quando as intervenções da marca são eliminadas.

Analysis and Health Risk Assessment of Sodium Benzoate and Potassium Sorbate in Selected Fruit Juice and Soft Drink Brands in Nigeria

Sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate are chemical preservatives commonly used in fruit juice and soft drinks. In this study, a total of 20 commercial brands of such beverages in Nigeria were analysed for Sodium benzoate and Potassium sorbate using a UV-Vis spectrophotometric method. Preliminary validation of the method revealed good accuracy and precision; 94.54 – 97.25% mean recovery was recorded for benzoate and 92.7 – 96.82% for sorbate. % RSD for intraday precision was 1.67% and 2.36% for benzoate and sorbate respectively. The limits of detection and quantitation (LOD, LOQ) were 1.35, 0.87mg/L for sodium benzoate and 4.11, 2.56mg/L for potassium sorbate. The samples analysed all contained sodium benzoate in concentrations ranging from 25.80 to 245.10 while for potassium sorbate, fourteen samples tested positive with concentrations between 1.36 – 158 mg/L. All the obtained concentrations for potassium sorbate were within acceptable limits but for sodium benzoate, seven samples were found with concentrations above permissible limits. Exposure estimation and health risk assessment carried out in this study revealed potential risks from the sodium benzoate content of some samples. The consumers that are prone to these risks are mainly children with body weights ≤ 30kg. Based on these findings, we recommend that the feeding of soft drinks and related beverages to children should generally be done with caution.

Quality Control of Juices Produced in Democratic Republic of Congo and Marketed in Lubumbashi

The consumption of juice has increased sharply in recent years in Lubumbashi. The objective of this study was to determine the standards applicable to the types of juice for domestic consumption in Lubumbashi. A descriptive cross-sectional study on quality control (QC) of ten brands of juice selected from around thirty listed on the Lubumbashi markets focused on the determination of different physico-chemical and microbiological parameters. Physical analysis of the juices was carried out in the laboratory of the Congolese Office of Control (OCC) in February 2019. It appears that five samples, or 25%, have a density lower than the ISO 9001 standard. All the samples have a Brix Degree in accordance with French standards applicable by the Congolese control office. The chemical analysis shows that 4 samples, or 20%, have a pH 4, therefore higher than the prescribed standards. As for the titratable acidity and the formaldehyde index, all the samples have values within normal limits. On the other hand, the glucose level of all the samples is abnormally high (≥40 g/L). The sucrose level of 50% of the samples is normal (≥80 g/L). Microbiological analysis revealed that certain juices were without preservatives and harbored aerobic mesophilic germs (10%), lactic bacteria (20%) yeasts and molds (10%). It is urgent that the public authorities bring all the producers to respect the standards in order to protect the health of the populations.

Fast Punicalagin Content Analysis of Various Brands of Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) Juices by UPLC-MS

Punica granatum L., commonly known as pomegranate, has a good source of bioactive polyphenolic compounds that&#x0D; has been widely used as a traditional Chinese herbal medicine owing to their important biological properties including&#x0D; cardiovascular disease, arthritis, diabetes, and cancer. Commercial pomegranate juice is generally obtained via pressing&#x0D; whole pomegranate and its peels. Then, the most abundant ingredient, punicalagin, can be extracted into the juice. However, punicalagin levels may vary in commercial pomegranate juice and it can range from 0.017 to 2 g/L. In this study, we&#x0D; analyzed punicalagin content from six different brands of pomegranate juices by using UPLC-MS method. First, punicalagin&#x0D; standards were prepared from 50 µM to 5 µM in buffer A (0.1% formic acid in water) and standard calibration curve was&#x0D; created. After that, three mass tune parameters including ionization voltage, desolvation temperature and source temperature of ESI source were optimized to obtain better peak shapes and correct quantification of the α- and β- isomer peaks of&#x0D; punicalagin. After analysis of six different brands of pomegranate juices, it was seen that punicalagin levels from different&#x0D; juice samples varied from 0.007 to 0.3 g/L.

The Influences of Organic Matter Concentrations in Juices for Pathogen Detection Using Phage-Based Biosensors

Fruit and vegetables are playing an important role of today’s healthy diet. Juices are the liquid extracts from fruit and vegetables, which contain lots of organic matters, such as vitamins, minerals and plant chemicals (phytonutrients). Commercial bottle juices usually contain different percentages of real juices in their juice products. Therefore, the amount of organic matter content in juices are different in various brands of juices. The foodborne pathogen outbreaks through the consumption of fruit or vegetable juices continue to be reported (CDC, 2016). It indicates that pathogens like Salmonella can be packaged with juices even with current manufacture microbial-inactivation process. According to several studies, the acidity in tomatoes juice and the phyto-chemicals (like chlorophyll) from damage leaves in leafy greens samples can affect the sensitivity of pathogen detection in juices. For example, chlorophyll is one of the substances in leafy green juice that inhibits PCR reaction for pathogen detection. This made the pathogen detection in some juices a difficult task to achieve. The phage magnetoelastic (ME) biosensors are wireless sensors, whose resonance oscillation and resonance frequency are actuated and detected through magnetic fields. These biosensors have been shown to be highly sensitive and specific in pathogen detection including Salmonella on various food surfaces or liquids (Li et al., 2010). Therefore, in this study, different concentrations of juices from tomatoes and spinach with artificially spiked Salmonella (at the concentration of 104 cfu/ml) was tested by ME biosensors. The influence of pathogen detection capability was then studied by comparing the bacterial capture rates on biosensors. In tomato juice, the results showed that the capture rate of Salmonella can be reached up to 90.68% by using 100 ME biosensors in a tube rocking experiment with 10% tomato juice content. In spinach juice, the capture rate of Salmonella showed similar results as 90.68% in the same 10% juice concentration. However, when the juice concentration of spinach went up to 15% and 20%, the bacterial capture rate slightly decreased. The Salmonella capture rate were shown as 89.82% and 89.065, respectively. The decreasing of capture rate was obvious by using 50 ME sensors for the 15% and 20% spinach juices. In conclusion, by using 100 phage ME biosensors, the detection platform can detect as high as 89% Salmonella in high juice concentration (15 % and 20%) of both tomato and spinach juice samples. While in the moderate juice concentration zone (5-10%), the ME biosensors show very promising results of detecting 90% Salmonella in both juices.

Pulp in Shop-Bought Orange Juice Has Little Effect on Flavonoid Content and Gut Bacterial Flavanone Degradation In Vitro

Orange juice is an important source of flavanones in the Western diet. However, little is known of the variation in flavanone content of shop-bought orange juice with pulp (OJP) or without pulp (OJ), nor the impact of pulp on the fate of flavanones in the gut. Total phenols, total flavonoids, antioxidant capacity, hesperidin and narirutin, and dietary fibre were measured in six orange juice brands sold as OJP and OJ. The inclusion of pulp had little impact on fibre content. Apart from total phenols (OJ: 208.4 ± 10.7 μg gallic acid equivalents (GAE) ml−1; OJP: 225.9 ± 16.7 μg GAE ml−1, P < 0.05), there were no differences between OJ and OJP. The fate of flavanones in OJ and OJP (Tropicana) were further compared using in vitro gastrointestinal (GI) models. After in vitro upper GI digestion, recovery of hesperidin was higher in OJ compared with OJP (89 ± 6 vs. 68 ± 3%, P = 0.033). After 2 h colonic fermentation, hesperidin was 1.2 fold higher in OJP than OJ. However, after 24 h colonic fermentation there was no significant difference between juices in terms of hesperidin, hesperetin, narirutin, naringenin and catabolites. In conclusion, the amount of pulp included in these shop-bought orange juices had little impact on flavanone metabolism in models of the GI tract. The effects of greater amounts of orange pulp remain to be determined.