Raw Juice Research Articles

High doses of potassium metabisulphite are required to control the growth of native bacteria and yeasts from sugarcane juice

A major concern of ethanol production plants is the control of native microorganisms mainly derived from the sugarcane juice that may reduce the fermentative yield. In the wine industry, the sulphur dioxide (SO 2 ) is commonly used to control the undesirable populations of yeast and bacteria, however, this substance has not been evaluated yet in the context of the ethanol industry. This study aimed to verify the effect of different concentrations and incubation times of potassium metabisulphite (PMB), as a source of SO 2 , with raw sugarcane juice in order to control the growth of native bacteria and yeasts. PMB was effective to control the growth of native yeasts and bacteria from the sugarcane juice at the concentration of 800 mg L -1 , reducing almost one log cycle for yeasts and 1.9-2.9 log cycles for bacteria, with incubation times of 3 and 6-9 hours, respectively. Although PMB is effective in the context of wine fermentation, it was not appropriate to the fuel ethanol production especially due to the peculiar characteristics of the substrate and also to the cost in terms of high doses of the antimicrobial and the volumes of sugarcane juice to be treated daily.

Raw Cucumber (Cucumis sativus) Fruit Juice as Possible First-Aid Antidote in Drug-Induced Toxicity

Raw cucumber (Cucumis sativus) fruit juice contains substances that have health-benefit potentials. Fibrinogen is produced in the liver cells. Highest concentrations of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) are found in the liver, heart, and skeletal muscle, and alanine transaminase (ALT) is a liver enzyme. Overdose of amoxicillin, an antibiotic, can lead to hemolysis, hepatotoxicity, and inflammation. This study was therefore designed to determine the use of raw cucumber (C. sativus) fruit juice as a possible first-aid antidote in druginduced toxicity. Fifteen rabbits of the same gender weighing 0.9-1.4 kg were used for the study. They were divided into three groups of five rabbits each as follows: Group A—five control rabbits; Group B—five rabbits, given 30.0 mg/kgBW subcutaneous injection of amoxicillin every 24 h for seven days and was followed by 30 mL raw cucumber fruit juice supplementation for 14 days; Group C—five rabbits, given 30.0 mg/kgBW subcutaneous injection of amoxicillin every 24 h and raw cucumber fruit juice supplementation for 14 days simultaneously. Plasma LDH, ALT, and fibrinogen were determined in the rabbits by spectrophotometry. There was a significant increase in plasma ALT and LDH and a significant decrease in fibrinogen following amoxicillin overdose compared with the results obtained from the basal samples and the control rabbits. These abnormalities were reversed when raw cucumber fruit juice was administered to the experimental rabbits initially overdosed with amoxicillin (ρ < 0.05). There was a significant increase in the plasma value of LDH in the rabbits when they were supplemented with raw cucumber fruit juice following amoxicillin overdose and when the rabbits were coadministered with raw cucumber fruit juice and amoxicillin overdose compared with their basal samples (ρ < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the plasma value of ALT and fibrinogen when the rabbits were coadministered with raw cucumber fruit juice (ρ > 0.05). This study showed an increase in plasma ALT and LDH, and a decrease in fibrinogen following the administration of subcutaneous injection of amoxicillin; however, these abnormalities were reversed when the rabbits were administered 30 mL of raw cucumber fruit juice. Raw cucumber fruit juice could be applied as first-aid antidote in drug induced toxicity.

Assessment of plasma iron, transferrin alanine, and aspartate transaminase in amoxicillin overdose supplemented with raw cucumber juice

Background: Raw cucumber (Cucumis sativus) fruit juice contains substances of health-promoting bioactivities. Elevated plasma alanine transaminase (ALT/serum glutamate-pyruvate transaminase), aspartate transaminase (AST/serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase), iron, and decreased transferrin could indicate hepatotoxicity, hepatitis, and kidney and liver damage, which could be drug induced. Aim and Objective: This work was designed to determine the benefits of cucumber fruit juice as a natural antidote in amoxicillin-induced hepatotoxicity by assessing the plasma iron, transferrin alanine, and AST in amoxicillin overdose supplemented with raw cucumber juice. Materials and Methods: Fifteen rabbits of the same sex weighing 0.9–1.4 kg divided into three groups of five rabbits each were used for the study. Group A – five control rabbits; Group B – five rabbits given 30 mg/kg body weight (BW) subcutaneous injection of amoxicillin every 24 h for 7 days which was followed by 30 ml raw cucumber fruit juice supplementation for 14 days; and Group C – five rabbits given 30 mg/kg BW subcutaneous injection of amoxicillin every 24 h and raw cucumber fruit juice supplementation for 14 days simultaneously. Plasma ALT, AST, iron, and transferrin were determined in the rabbits by spectrophotometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: The results obtained showed a significant increase in plasma ALT, AST, and iron and a significant decrease in plasma transferrin when the rabbits in Group B were given 30 mg/kg BW subcutaneous injection of amoxicillin (B2 samples) compared with the results obtained from their basal samples (B1) and control rabbits (A) and when they were given 30 ml of raw cucumber fruit juice supplementation (B3 samples) (P < 0.05). The results obtained showed a significant decrease in plasma ALT, AST, and iron and a significant increase in plasma transferrin when the Group B rabbits were given 30 ml of raw cucumber fruit juice (B3 sample) than when they were given subcutaneous injection of amoxicillin (B2 samples) (P < 0.05). Conclusion: This work revealed significant biochemical alterations in the values of iron, transferrin, AST, and ALT when given 30 mg/kg BW subcutaneous injection of amoxicillin and supplementation of raw cucumber fruit juice. Cucumber juice is therefore beneficial as a possible antidote to amoxicillin-induced hepatotoxicity.

Kinetička analiza alkoholne fermentacije među i nusproizvoda prerade šećerne repe u laboratorijskom bioreaktoru

Bioethanol production in batch culture by free Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells from intermediate and by-products of sugar beet processing was investigated. This research relays on the previously conducted experiments in the bioreactor of 1.5 L working volume where key fermentation parameters, including initial sugar concentration and fermentation time, were optimized. This study was performed to validate the applicability of obtained results in the enlarged scale i.e. in 10 L laboratory bioreactor. The main aim was to analyze the bioprocess time course by monitoring the yeast cell number and concentrations of sugar, amino nitrogen, total soluble salts,and ethanol. Also, the kinetic analysis of ethanol and yeast biomass formation as well as sugar consumption during fermentation of media based on raw juice, thin juice, thick juice,and molasses was performed.

Feasibility study for rapid near-infrared spectroscopic identification of different gallbladder diseases by direct analysis of bile juice.

A whole-sample-covering near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy scheme has been adopted for the simple drop-and-dry measurement of raw bile juice for the identification of gallbladder (GB) diseases of stone, polyp, and cancer. For reproducible measurement, a non-NIR absorbing polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) providing a hydrophobic surface was chosen as a substrate to form bile juice droplets of a consistent shape. To ensure representative spectroscopic sampling, NIR radiation illuminated the whole area of the dried sample for spectral acquisition. The NIR band shapes and relative band intensities of GB cancer differed moderately from those of GB stone and GB polyp. The composition of GB cancer samples was presumed to be dissimilar from other sample compositions. Differentiation between GB polyp and GB stone, however, was less facile; nevertheless, in the case of GB polyp samples, the obtained NIR features were informative in the identification of various pathological conditions such as adenomyomatosis (abnormal growth of epidermal tissue) and hepatitis B. To elucidate the NIR features of bile juice samples, separate NIR spectra of major bile constituents such as conjugated bile salts, lecithin, cholesterol, and albumin were analyzed. The demonstrated NIR spectroscopy scheme requiring no sample pretreatment or separation of bile juice could be useful for fast bile juice-based screening of GB diseases, especially the identification of early GB cancer.

Oxalate Contents of Raw, Boiled, Wok-Fried and Pesto and Juice Made from Fat Hen (Chenopodium album) Leaves.

The total, soluble, and insoluble oxalate contents of fresh and wok-fried fat hen (Chenopodium album) leaves were extracted and measured using High pressure liquid chromatography. The total oxalate content of the raw leaves was 1112.4 mg/100 g dry matter (DM), and the levels were significantly reduced by boiling (682.8 mg/100 g DM) or cooking the leaves in a wok (883.6 mg/100 g DM). The percentages of soluble oxalate contents in the total oxalates of the raw and boiled leaves were similar (mean 75%), while the proportion of soluble oxalate content in the wok-fried leaves was reduced to 53.4% of the total, giving a significant increase in the insoluble oxalate content of the wok-fried leaves. The percentage of insoluble calcium in the total calcium was significantly reduced (p < 0.05) when the leaves were boiled, but the insoluble oxalate content significantly increased (67.2%) in the wok-fried leaves when compared to the content of the original raw leaves. Processing the cooked leaves into pesto or extracting the juice gave final products that contained significantly reduced total and soluble oxalate contents. The addition of calcium chloride to the juice caused a very small reduction in the soluble oxalate content in the juice.

Analysis of fouling and juice quality in crossflow ultrafiltration of watermelon juice

Abstract Raw watermelon juice was clarified in a laboratory scale flat plate ultrafiltration system incorporating polyethersulphone membranes with a molecular weight cut-off of 50 kDa. The experiments have been carried out over a wide range of trans-membrane pressures (1-3 bar). The effect of ultrafiltration with molecular weight cut-off (MWCO) of 50 kDa PES membrane on permeate properties is reported. The effects of trans-membrane pressure (TMP) on permeate flux and resistances were studied. The flux decay was analyzed through the resistance in series model which showed increase of both reversible and irreversible resistance with trans-membrane pressure, The TSS content of the permeate was found to be almost the same with feed while the ascorbic acid content in the permeate was on the lower side as compared to in feed.

Investigating of artificial neural network potential to predict the properties of refined raw sugar beet juice by electrocoagulation process

Investigating of artificial neural network potential to predict the properties of refined raw sugar beet juice by electrocoagulation process

EVALUATION OF BIOACTIVITY OF JAGGERY PREPARED USING PLANT MUCILAGE AS CLARIFICANT

Objective: The aim of the study was to prepare the jaggery using plant mucilage as clarificants and to evaluate the bioactivity of jaggery by determining total phenols, total flavonoids, reducing power, antibacterial activity, and antihelmintic activity.Methods: Jaggery was prepared from sugarcane variety Co-80632 using five plant mucilage as clarificants, namely Aloe vera, flax seeds, fenugreek, purslane, and malabar spinach at three different concentrations, i.e., 0.1%, 0.2%, and 0.4% of raw sugarcane juice. The characteristic bioactivities such as total phenol content by Folin–Ciocalteu method, flavonoids content by spectrophotometer method, reducing power assay by measuring the absorbance at 700 nm, antibacterial activity by well-diffusion method, and antihelmintic activity by in vitro were determined.Results: The highest total phenolic content was observed in jaggery prepared using plant mucilage clarificant of A. vera (JAV4 [3.68±0.02]) and Fenugreek seeds (JFG4 [3.61±0.02]) at 0.4% followed by them at 0.2% and 0.1% concentration, respectively. Similarly, a significant amount of total flavonoids content was elevated only in 0.4% plant mucilage clarificants of Aloe vera-treated experimental group jaggery (0.73±0.01) compared to control (0.61±0.02). Further, the antioxidant activity of jaggery was evaluated by reducing power. The increased absorbance at 700 nm indicated the presence of reducing power. At 10 mg/ml concentration, an absorbance unit of 1.93 and 1.80 was observed for jaggery prepared using 0.4% concentration of A. vera and fenugreek seed mucilage clarificants. Antihelmintic activity of jaggery showed dosage depended on the pattern where with the increase in the concentration of mucilage, the antihelmintic activity enhanced. A. vera mucilage showed maximum antihelmintic activity at 0.4% concentration with paralytic time (28.6 min) and death time (39.6 min).Conclusion: Jaggery prepared using plants mucilaginous clarificants is the richest source of polyphenols such as phenolic acids and flavonoids, thereby contributed to the enhancement of bioactivity such as antioxidant, antibacterial, and antihelmintic activity. Thus, jaggery prepared using plant mucilage as clarificants is a novel nutraceutical product which can supplement the nutrients along with various medicinal properties through antioxidant, antibacterial, and antihelmintic activity.

Monitoring and Risk Assessment of Pesticide Residues in Agricultural Products for Raw Juice in Gyeonggi-Do, Korea

Monitoring and Risk Assessment of Pesticide Residues in Agricultural Products for Raw Juice in Gyeonggi-Do, Korea

Characterization of Diversity and Probiotic Efficiency of the Autochthonous Lactic Acid Bacteria in the Fermentation of Selected Raw Fruit and Vegetable Juices.

The diversity of indigenous lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in fermented broccoli, cherry, ginger, white radish, and white-fleshed pitaya juices was analyzed using culture-independent and -dependent approaches. The major properties of selected probiotic strains, including dynamic variations in pH, viable cell counts, antibiotic resistance, bacterial adhesion to hydrophobic compounds, and survivability during simulated gastrointestinal transit, were investigated using broccoli as the fermentation substrate. In broccoli and ginger juices, the genus Lactobacillus occupied the dominant position (abundances of 79.0 and 30.3%, respectively); in cherry and radish juices, Weissella occupied the dominant position (abundances of 78.3 and 83.2%, respectively); and in pitaya juice, Streptococcus and Lactococcus occupied the dominant positions (52.2 and 37.0%, respectively). Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Weissella cibaria/soli/confusa, Enterococcus gallinarum/durans/hirae, Pediococcus pentosaceus, Bacillus coagulans, and Lactococcus garvieae/lactis subspecies were identified by partial 16S rRNA gene sequencing. In general, the selected autochthonous LAB isolates displayed no significant differences in comparison with commercial strains with regard to growth rates or acidification in fermented broccoli juice. Among all the isolates, L. mesenteroides B4-25 exhibited the highest antibiotic resistance profile (equal to that of L. plantarum CICC20265), and suitable adhesion properties (adhesion of 13.4 ± 5.2% ∼ 36.4 ± 3.2% and 21.6 ± 1.4% ∼ 69.6 ± 2.3% to ethyl acetate and xylene, respectively). Furthermore, P. pentosaceus Ca-4 and L. mesenteroides B-25 featured the highest survival rates (22.4 ± 2.6 and 21.2 ± 1.4%, respectively), after simulated gastrointestinal transit. These results indicated a high level of diversity among the autochthonous bacterial community in fermented fruit and vegetable juices, and demonstrated the potential of these candidate probiotics for applications in fermentation.

Effect of thermosonication on the quality attributes of star fruit juice

AbstractThe effect of pasteurization and thermosonication on the quality of star fruit (Averrhoa carambola) juice was reported in the present study. Freshly extracted star fruit juice was pasteurized and thermosonicated to compare the effect on physiochemical properties, antioxidant activity, total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), ascorbic acid levels, microbial populations, and sensorial properties. The results were compared with the raw star fruit juice. The treatments did not show any significant (p &lt; .05) variations in pH, total soluble solids, and titratable acidity. A significant (p &lt; .05) increase in antioxidant activity, TPC, TFC, ascorbic acid content, cloud index, and browning index of thermosonicated juices was observed. Pasteurization and thermosonication treatments also displayed significant effect in the reduction of microbial populations. Thus, findings in this study revealed that thermosonication may be a viable option for fruit juice industry, especially, for star fruit processing.Practical applicationsUltrasound processing is an emerging nonthermal technique which can be utilized in the processing of liquid food products. In general, fruit juices are processed through thermal treatments to keep the safe microbial levels. However, thermal processing adversely affects the quality of food products. The present study demonstrated the application of thermosonication that effectively maintained the quality of star fruit juices. Furthermore, it can be added that, thermosonication may be employed as a suitable technique to improve the quality parameters of star fruit juice.

Toxigenic fungi and mycotoxin occurrence and prevention in food and feed in northern Africa – a review

North African countries (Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia) are surrounded by water bodies, such as the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Their climate is characterised by high temperatures and high relative humidity in some areas, which are environmental conditions favourable to fast fungal growth and toxinogenesis. This paper reports information on the presence of toxigenic fungi, mycotoxins (especially aflatoxins and ochratoxin A) and emergingFusarium mycotoxins (enniatins, beauvericin and fusaproliferin) in some Northern African commodities that are largely consumed and were investigated thoroughly, especially raw cereals, bread, couscous, pasta, milk, spices, wine, beer, fruit juices, olives and olive oil, dried fruits and nuts, poultry feeds, etc. in the three North African countries. High contamination levels have been reported for some food samples from the three countries. Steps towards better prevention of mycotoxin production in feeds and decrease of intestinal absorption, by means of plant essential oils associated with clay, have been undertaken. Morocco presumably is the country where mycotoxin regulation is the most detailed in comparison with Algeria and Tunisia. Finally, the conclusion section offers some prospects and recommendations for actions by authorities and scientists during the monitoring of mycotoxins in the foods and feeds produced and/or commercialised in the three countries.

Effect of pasteurization on in vitro α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of apple juice

The in vitro α-glucosidase inhibitory activity of raw, mildly (F71.75 = 0.4 min, 5 Log reductions of Cryptosporidium parvum) and intensively (F9012=14.8 min, 2 Log reductions of Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris) pasteurized apple juice was studied. Raw apple juice (23 mgdw/mL) caused 90% α-glucosidase inhibition. Analogous results were obtained for the mildly treated sample. The most intense treatment reduced by 35% the α-glucosidase inhibition. However, such a decrease was associated with an increase in the phenolic content, suggesting that α-glucosidase inhibition might not rely on these compounds, but depend on more complex mechanisms. Apple juice was combined with acarbose to investigate their interaction towards α-glucosidase inhibition. A synergistic behavior was observed for concentrations <2 mg/mL. Increasing the concentration of the combined system (up to 9 mg/mL) produced an antagonistic effect, while a further increase (<9 mg/mL) allowed approaching an addictive behavior.

Impact of Sugarcane Juice Clarification on Physicochemical Properties, Some Nutraceuticals and Antioxidant Activities of Non-centrifugal Sugar

In Thailand, non-centrifugal sugar (NCS) product is not yet processed on an industrial scale and all of it is produced by famers on a small scale using a traditional evaporation process with open iron pans. Since the whole sugarcane stalk is directly pressed by a milling machine, impurities from the rind contaminate the raw juice. Therefore, subsequent clarification of the raw juice is a crucial step to produce the high-quality NCS product. The farmers normally use traditional filtration, and sometimes non-food-safe additives to remove suspended impurities from the raw juice. This study examined and analysed the effects of the food additives calcium oxide (CaO) and sodium hydrogen carbonate (NaHCO3) on the physicochemical properties of NCS, and the results will be used to guide and improve traditional-level production. Clarifying the juice at pH 8.5 with CaO gave the greatest mud weight (47.52 g) and the lowest sediment value of NCS (0.68%), while clarifying the juice with the maximum studied level (0.1% w/v) of NaHCO3 gave the mud weight and sediment values of 30.28 g and 0.71%, respectively. The higher the amount of clarifier, the cleaner the juice obtained. Clarification by NaHCO3 or CaO caused different effects on the moisture content, water activity and colour of the NCS, but had no impact on its solubility. Total phenolic content and total flavonoid content were positively correlated with antioxidant activity by the ABTS radical scavenging assay. Clarifying the juice with CaO or sodium NaHCO3 caused loss of policosanol and tricin contents.

MC-Media Pad ACplus™ for Enumeration of Aerobic Counts in a Variety of Foods

The MC-Media Pad ACplus™ is a dry, rehydratable film medium for the enumeration of aerobic bacterial colonies. The performance of the method in a variety of foods was compared to that of U.S. reference methods: U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) Microbiology Laboratory Guidebook (MLG) Chapter 3.02 "Quantitative Analysis of Bacteria in Foods as Sanitary Indicators" (USDA/FSIS MLG 3.02); Standard Methods for the Examination of Dairy Products (SMEDP) Chapter 6 "Microbiological Count Methods, Standard Plate Count Method" (SMEDP 6); AOAC Official MethodSM 966.23 Microbiological Methods; and ISO 4833-1:2013 "Microbiology of the food chain-Horizontal method for the enumeration of microorganisms-Part 1: Colony count at 30 degrees C by the pour plate technique." The validated matrixes included raw chicken breast and raw ground pork for USDA/FSIS MLG 3.02; cream cheese and yogurt drink for SMEDP 6; parsley, vegetable juice, prawns, tuna pate, sandwiches, and pasta salad for AOAC Method 966.23, and raw chicken breast, raw ground pork, cream cheese, yogurt drink, parsley, vegetable juice, prawns, tuna pate, sandwiches, and pasta salad for ISO 4833-1:2013. In each matrix study, five replicates at each of three contamination levels were tested as paired test portions. All 10 matrixes were compared to the appropriate U.S. reference methods under MC-Media Pad ACplus standard-usage conditions (35 ± 1°C for 48 ± 2 h). Across all matrixes, the difference of mean log10 values ranged from -0.43 to 0.44, within the acceptable range of -0.50 to 0.50. The candidate method repeatability SD (sr) varied from 0.03 to 0.23 log10 CFU/g, comparing favorably to the reference method SD, which ranged from 0.06 to 0.30 log10 CFU/g. Seven matrixes were compared to the appropriate U.S. reference methods under MC-Media Pad ACplus rapid-usage conditions (35 ± 1°C for 24 ± 2 h). Of the 21 matrix/concentration combinations, only three instances of difference of mean >0.5 log were observed. The ranges of sr values of the rapid-usage candidate method (0.023-0.324) and the reference method (0.013-0.236) were similar for the seven matrixes tested. All 10 matrixes were compared to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) reference method under MC-Media Pad ACplus alternate-method conditions (30 ± 1°C for 72 ± 3 h). All 10 matrixes yielded a mean difference between methods of <0.5 log, and the ranges of sr values were similar between the candidate alternate method (0.037-0.378) and the ISO reference method (0.037-0.437). The product consistency study demonstrated no significant difference between lots of product and supported the 2-year shelf life. Robustness testing yielded no significant differences when small variations were made in sample volume, incubation temperature, and incubation time. Thus, the data show equivalent or better performance of the MC-Media Pad ACplus method compared to the relevant reference methods in support of AOAC Performance Tested MethodSM certification.

Physiological and molecular study on the anti-obesity effects of pineapple (Ananas comosus) juice in male Wistar rat.

The present study was performed to assess anti-obesity effects of raw pineapple juice in high fat diet (HFD)-induced fatness. Based on food type, rats were divided into normal diet and HFD groups. When animals of HFD group become obese, they were given pineapple juice along with either HFD or normal diet. Blood biochemistry, liver and muscle gene expressions were analyzed. HFD induced significant elevations in body weight, body mass index (BMI), body fat accumulation, liver fat deposition and blood lipids while juice restored these parameters near to their normal values. Juice significantly decreased serum insulin and leptin while adiponectin was increased. Juice administration downregulated the increment of FAS and SERBP-1c mRNA expression in liver and upregulated HSL and GLUT-2 expressions. The muscular lipolytic CPT-1 expression was upregulted by juice treatment. Pineapple juice, therefore, may possibly be used as anti-obesity candidate where it decreased lipogenesis and increased lipolysis.

Feasibility of a Novel Industrial-Scale Treatment of Green Cold-Pressed Juices by UV-C Light Exposure

A novel industrial-scale ultraviolet-C (UV-C) light processor from AseptoRay (MGT, Israel) was used to treat a raw cold-pressed green juice blend (GJB) consisting of kale, romaine, celery, apple, and lemon. The effect of UV-C light energies of 0.88 kJ L−1 and 2.93 kJ L−1 on microbial, enzymatic, nutritional, quality, and sensory parameters of the GJB was studied. Using 2.93 kJ L−1, 3.7 log reduction in aciduric bacteria and 3.9 logs in aerobic colony count were achieved, while lactic acid bacteria, coliforms, yeasts, and moulds were reduced by &gt;3, &gt;2, 2.1, and 2.1 logs, respectively. A minor increase in polyphenoloxidase (PPO) enzyme activity was seen with 0.88 kJ L−1 and a slight change in colour (not visually observed) was detected using 2.93 kJ L−1. No other significant change in nutritional and quality parameters or enzyme activities was detected. Further, the stability of the GJB was explored. Kale and romaine contributed the most significant source of spoilage enzyme activity, cloud loss, and browning in the GJB. These stability parameters were shown to be affected by pressing temperature and pH. The commercial UV-C treatment process explored in this study is a viable alternative to high pressure processing (HPP) for improved microbial safety of fresh green juice blends.

Evaluation of quantitative and qualitative characteristics of selected celery (Apium graveolens var. Dulce) varieties in the context of juices production

Celery, Apium graveolens var. Dulce (Mill.) is a biennial plant, lesser used in Slovakia in comparison with celeriac, but with increasing popularity because of its very health beneficial properties. The aim of the study was to evaluate quantitative (yields) and qualitative (chlorophyll a and b, soluble solids) parameters in selected patioles of celery in the context of raw juice production in a small-plot field experiment. Six varieties of celery (var. Dulce) were planted - ´Helios´, ´Red Soup´, ´Malachit´, ´Verde Pascal´, ´Golden Self- Blanching´ and ´Celebrity´. The harvest was carried out twice a season in terms of August and September. The chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b were determined spectrophotometrically, Total soluble solids were estimated by the help of refractometer. The lowest values in yields reached ´Malachit´variety, the highest ´Red Soup´ variety. In the evaluation of both harvests the ´Celebrity´ and ´Golden S.´ varieties showed the lowest chlorophyll content. The total soluble solid content reached values ranging from 5.00 to 8.77 °BRIX, in the following order: ´Celebrity´ &lt;´Helios´ &lt;´Golden S.´ &lt; ´Red Soup´ &lt;´Verde Pascal´. The term of harvest had significant influence on chlorophyll a and b. The effect wasn´t confirmed on yields and soluble solids according to used statistical analyse. There were mainly other kind of characteristics followed in previous scientific studies about celery (var. Dulce), such a flavonoids, vitamins, minerals, fibre, the essential oils and phenolic acids, etc. Processing to juices or smoothies allow consuming of other antioxidant - chlorophyll.

Implementation of osmotic membrane distillation with various hydrophobic porous membranes for concentration of sugars solutions and preservation of the quality of cactus pear juice

Hydrophobic polymeric (0.45 and 0.20 μm polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and 0.10 μm polypropylene (PP)) membranes were efficiently applied for cactus pear juice and sugars solutions concentration using Osmotic Membrane Distillation (OMD) process. It is reported that the PTFE membranes gave higher permeate fluxes and higher final juice concentrations. Furthermore, the filtration of raw juice prior to OMD process, the extension of the process time and the increase of processing temperature resulted in the increase of the final juice concentration. Using 0.45 μm PTFE membrane, the final concentration of the filtered juice (FJ) was 16.4 °Brix ± 0.1 (at 20 °C, after 5 h) and 23.4 °Brix ± 0.2 (at 35 °C, after 18 h). The juice quality was assessed by determining the juice viscosity, the total phenolic content, total flavonoids content, antioxidant activity and phenolic acids content. It was revealed that the physicochemical properties were preserved in the concentrated juice.