Comparing equivalent thermal, high pressure and pulsed electric field processes for mild pasteurization of orange juice: Part II: Impact on specific chemical and biochemical quality parameters

The impact of thermal, high pressure (HP) and pulsed electric field (PEF) processing for mild pasteurization of orange juice was compared on a fair basis, using processing conditions leading to an equivalent degree of microbial inactivation. Examining the effect on specific chemical and biochemical quality parameters directly after treatment and during storage at 4 °C revealed only significant differences in residual enzyme activities. For pectin methylesterase inactivation, none of the treatments was able to cause a complete inactivation, although heat and HP pasteurization were the most effective in limiting the residual activity. Peroxidase was completely inactivated by heat pasteurization and was much less susceptible to HP and PEF. All other quality parameters investigated, including the sugar profile, the organic acid profile, bitter compounds, vitamin C (ascorbic acid and dehydroascorbic acid), the carotenoid profile, furfural and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, experienced no significantly different impact from the three pasteurization techniques.

Industrial relevance

HP and PEF processing have received important attention during the last years for application as alternatives to traditional thermal pasteurization. For the further implementation of HP and PEF treatment in the food industry, legal approval of such processes is required. Accordingly, an in-depth characterization of products treated by these novel technologies is indispensable. This paper addresses orange juice as a relevant model food product to compare the impact of HP and PEF processing with that of a conventional thermal pasteurization process and to search for significant differences in specific known nutrients, undesired substances and other quality-related aspects of orange juice.     

Carotenoid and flavanone content during refrigerated storage of orange juice processed by high-pressure, pulsed electric fields and low pasteurization

The impact of different processing technologies, including non-thermal technologies, on bioactive compounds of orange juice was investigated. Freshly squeezed orange juice was treated by high pressure (HP) (400 MPa/40 °C/1 min), pulsed electric fields (PEF) (35 kV cm⁻¹/750 μs) and low pasteurization (LPT) (70 °C/30 s). The stability of main carotenoids and flavanones was studied just after treatment and during 40 days of refrigerated storage at 4 °C. Just after treatment, HP juice showed a significant increase on total carotenoid and flavanone content extracted (45.19 and 15.46%, respectively) and on vitamin A value (30.89%) with regard untreated juice, whereas no significant changes were observed for PEF and LPT juices. For all treated orange juices, flavanone content decreased significantly (around 50%) during the first 20 days of storage at 4 °C while carotenoid content showed a moderate decrease (less than 11%) that took place during the last 20 days. In general, during refrigerated storage, carotenoids and flavanones remained higher in HP juice than in LPT and PEF juices. Hence, HP and PEF technologies were as effective o even more than LPT to preserve bioactive compounds in orange juice during refrigerated storage.     

Comparing the impact of high pressure,pulsed electric field and thermal pasteurization on quality attributes of cloudy apple juice using targeted and untargeted analyses

The impact of low-oxygen spiral-filter press technology combined with thermal pasteurization (TP), pulsed electric field (PEF) and high pressure processing (HPP) on cloudy apple juice quality was investigated immediately after the treatments and after 3 weeks of storage at 4 °C. Based on equivalent levels of microbial safety and desired shelf-life, low and high processing intensities were selected: TP (72 °C/15 s; 85 °C/30 s), PEF (12.5 kV/cm, 76.4 kJ/L; 12.3 kV/cm, 132.5 kJ/L), and HPP (400 MPa/3 min; 600 MPa/3 min). High intensity thermal treatment resulted in a bright, yellowish color which was maintained during storage. PPO and POD activities were largely reduced by high intensity PEF and TP yet showed high resistance to HPP. The highest vitamin C content was provided by fresh juice followed by PEF-treated juices. Due to oxidative degradation reactions, vitamin C of all treated samples significantly decreased during storage. Immediately after processing, high cloud stability values were obtained in all samples; however, cloud stability decreased during storage particularly for HPP juices with high residual PME. No significant changes were observed in pH, titratable acidity, organic acid and sugar content which also corresponded to sweet and sour taste. Results from untargeted volatile profiles showed that esters increased after PEF and were better retained after HPP. Contrary to TP treatment where ester degradation reactions occurred together with the formation of off-flavors. Most of the volatiles decreased during storage which could be linked to oxidation and ester hydrolysis reactions.Industrial relevanceBeing one of the most popular fruit juices consumed worldwide, cloudy apple juice can still undergo quality changes such as color degradation, cloud loss (fast sedimentation) and flavor changes during processing and storage. This study evaluates the potential of low-oxygen spiral-filter press in combination with different preservation technologies to obtain a maximal quality of cloudy apple juice. Results showed that high intensity thermal pasteurization can effectively inactivate quality-degrading enzymes, therefore it is useful to obtain an optimal cloudy apple juice product in terms of color and cloud stability. Although HPP has minimal impact on aroma of the juice, shelf-life of the juice may be limited due to incomplete enzyme inactivation. In the case of PEF treatment, thermal effects may contribute to maintain apple juice quality.     

Headspace fingerprinting as an untargeted approach to compare novel and traditional processing technologies: A case-study on orange juice pasteurisation

As a rule, previous studies have generally addressed the comparison of novel and traditional processing technologies by a targeted approach, in the sense that only the impact on specific quality attributes is investigated. By contrast, this work focused on an untargeted strategy, in order to take into account unexpected and unintended effects of (novel) processing, and to possibly uncover unknown compounds resulting from alternative processing. The potential of headspace GC–MS fingerprinting was explored as a tool to compare the impact of thermal, high pressure (HP) and pulsed electric field (PEF) processing for mild pasteurisation of orange juice. This study demonstrated that when processing conditions are selected based on equivalent microbial safety, the impact of heat, HP and PEF pasteurisation on the volatile profile of orange juice can be considered comparable. During refrigerated storage, however, indirect impact differences were revealed, which were attributed to differences in degree of enzyme inactivation.     

Effect of refrigerated storage on vitamin C and antioxidant activity of orange juice processed by high-pressure or pulsed electric fields with regard to low pasteurization

A better knowledge of the effect of refrigerated storage on the nutritional and antioxidant characteristics of foods processed by emerging technologies with regard to thermal traditional technology is necessary. Thus, freshly squeezed orange juice was processed by high-pressure (HP) (400 MPa/40 °C/1 min), pulsed electric fields (PEF) (35 kV/cm/750 μs) and low pasteurization (LPT) (70 °C/30 s). The stability of vitamin C and antioxidant activity was studied just after treatment and during 40 days of refrigerated storage at 4 °C. The determination of total vitamin C (ascorbic acid plus dehydroascorbic acid) was achieved by HPLC whereas the antioxidant activity was assessed by the measurement of the DPPH• radical scavenging. Just after treatment, all treated orange juices showed a decrease lower than 8% in vitamin C content compared with the untreated one. At the end of refrigerated storage, HP and LPT juices showed similar vitamin C losses (14 and 18%, respectively) in relation to untreated juice, although HP juices maintained better the vitamin C content during more days than LPT juices. Regarding antioxidant activity, after 40 days at 4 °C, differences among treated juices were no significant in terms of antiradical efficiency (AE=1/EC₅₀T_EC50). HP and PEF may be technologies as effective as LPT to retain antioxidant characteristics of orange juice during refrigerated storage.     

DEVELOPMENT OF A PROTEIN FORTIFIED FRUIT BEVERAGE AND ITS QUALITY WHEN PROCESSED WITH PULSED ELECTRIC FIELD TREATMENT

Pulsed electric field treatment (PEF), was explored to process a beverage at 30C. A protein fortified fruit based beverage was developed using proteins, orange juice, guar gum, sucrose, calcium lactate, citric acid, natural flavor and color. It was processed at low pH (3.75) using both a heat pasteurization and a PEF treatment. PEF treated beverage had less protein denaturation and lower loss of vitamin C compared with that of the heat treated beverage. The heat treated beverage had a slightly higher apparent viscosity than the PEF treated beverage and developed sedimentation in the container during storage. The PEF processed beverage maintained its natural orange juice like color better than the heat treated beverage, which developed a slightly whitish color. However, the PEF treated product was less microbiologically stable (5 months) at refrigeration temperature compared with the heat treated product which was stable for more than 12 months. It was concluded that more technological improvements are needed to process food safely by PEF technology.     

ENZYME INACTIVATION ON APPLE JUICE TREATED BY ULTRAPASTEURIZATION AND PULSED ELECTRIC FIELDS TECHNOLOGY

Apple juice was pasteurized by an ultra-high temperature treatment (UHT) at 115, 125 and 135C for 3 and 5 s, and compared with a high-voltage pulsed electric field treatment (PEF) at ranges between 33 and 42 kV/cm with frequencies of 150, 200, 250 and 300 pulses per second (pps). Enzyme inactivation and physicochemical properties of the treated juices were compared using a nontreated sample as control. The UHT treatment was more efficient in enzyme inactivation, reducing 95% the residual activity of polyphenoloxidase at the maximum temperature and time. However, a PEF treatment at 38.5 kV/cm and 300 pps combined with a temperature of 50C achieved a 70% reduction of residual PFO activity. In terms of quality characteristics as a function of physicochemical properties, color, pH, acidity and soluble solids were all less affected by PEF than by UHT when compared with the untreated juice.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

Apple juice is a popular beverage worldwide and it is consumed nearly as much as orange juice. Consumers prefer fresh-squeezed fruit juices with high nutrient value and fresh-like sensory attributes. Enzymatic browning negatively impacts appearance, nutritive value and flavor of fruit juices. The use of ultra-high temperature processing is efficient in microbial control, as well as in enzyme inactivation. Any thermal processing may, however, decrease the overall quality of the treated juices. Pulsed electric field processing provides a potential alternative to thermal pasteurization of fruit juices.     

Microbial, Enzymatic, and Chemical Changes During Storage of Fresh and Processed Orange Juice

Microbial, enzymatic, and chemical comparisons were made on orange juice stored at 4°C without pasteurization, with light pasteurization (66°C, 10 sec) directed at vegetative microorganisms, and with full pasteurization (90°C, 60 sec) directed at the heat stable isozyme of pectinesterase. Effects of oxygen-barrier and nonbarrier packaging were also examined. Oxygen-barrier packaging did not benefit unpasteurized juice. However, lightly and fully pasteurized juices in barrier cartons exhibited lower microbial counts, greater ascorbic acid retention, and apparent slowing of cloud loss by the third week of storage. During the first 22 days storage, microbial, cloud, sugar, and ascorbic acid values for lightly pasteurized juice were similar to those of juice receiving full pasteurization.     

Changes in Quality and Nutritional Parameters During Refrigerated Storage of an Orange Juice–Milk Beverage Treated by Equivalent Thermal and Non-thermal Processes for Mild Pasteurization

The effects of high-pressure (HP) treatment (400?MPa at 42 °C for 5 min) and pulsed electric field (PEF) processing (25 kV/cm at 57 °C for 280 μs) on ascorbic acid, total carotenoids, total phenolic compounds and total antioxidant capacity (TEAC and ORAC) of an orange juice–milk (OJ-M) beverage along the storage time at 4 °C were compared with a conventional heat preservation technology used in industry (90 °C for 15 s). During storage, ascorbic acid, total carotenoids and antioxidant capacity (TEAC) depleted with time regardless of the treatment applied. Instead, total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity measured by the ORAC method increased at the end of the storage. Non-thermal-treated beverage had less non-enzymatic browning than the thermally pasteurized one. There were no significant variations in the hidroxymethylfurfural (HMF) content of the HP- and PEF-treated OJ-M, whilst a significant increase was obtained after thermal treatment. During refrigerated storage, HMF was always below the maximum values established. The HP treatments reduced the L* value of the treated beverages immediately after processing and during refrigerated storage and induced an increase in total colour differences of beverages treated by HP compared with PEF and thermally processed orange juice–milk. Hence, alternative methods such as HP and PEF may give new opportunities to develop orange juice–milk with an equivalent shelf life to that of thermally treated orange juice mixed with milk in terms of microbial, physicochemical and nutritional characteristics.     

Commercial-Scale Pulsed Electric Field Processing of Orange Juice

Effects of commercial‐scale pulsed electric field (PEF) processing on the microbial stability, ascorbic acid, flavor compounds, color, Brix, pH, and sensory properties of orange juice were studied and compared with those of thermal processing. Freshly squeezed orange juice was thermally processed at 90 °C for 90 s or processed by PEF at 40 kV/cm for 97 ms. Both thermally processed and PEF‐processed juices showed microbial shelf life at 4 °C for 196 d. PEF‐processed juice retained more ascorbic acid, flavor, and color than thermally processed juice (P<0.05). Sensory evaluation of texture, flavor, and overall acceptability were ranked highest for control juice, followed by PEF‐processed juice and then by thermally processed juice (P<0.01).     

Electrical Conductivities of Liquid Egg Products and Fruit Juices Exposed to High Pulsed Electric Fields

Electrical conductivity can be used to monitor important changes in a food product during pulsed electric field (PEF) processing. Electrical conductivities of selected fruit juices (namely apple, orange, and pineapple juices) and liquid egg products (namely whole egg, yolk, and egg white) were determined online during a PEF treatment. The property was measured at broad processing temperatures ranging from 5 to 55°C. Electrical conductivity increased linearly with increasing temperatures for all the products. The liquid egg products have the highest overall electrical conductivity varying from 0.22 to 1.1 S/m whereas fruit juice products have the lowest electrical conductivity ranging from 0.13 to 0.63 S/m. Regression equations of electrical conductivity as functions of temperature were developed. This paper provides a database and equation correlations of food electrical conductivity that could be used to design and optimize PEF process.     

Comparative study on shelf life of orange juice processed by high intensity pulsed electric fields or heat treatment

The effects of high intensity pulsed electric fields (HIPEF) processing (35 kV/cm for 1,000 μs; bipolar 4-μs pulses at 200 Hz) on the microbial shelf life and quality-related parameters of orange juice were investigated during storage at 4 and 22 °C and compared to traditional heat pasteurization (90 °C for 1 min) and an unprocessed juice. HIPEF treatment ensured the microbiological stability of orange juice stored for 56 days under refrigeration but spoilage by naturally occurring microorganisms was detected within 30 days of storage at 22 °C. Pectin methyl esterase (PME) of HIPEF-treated orange juice was inactivated by 81.6% whereas heat pasteurization achieved a 100% inactivation. Peroxidase (POD) was destroyed more efficiently with HIPEF processing (100%) than with the thermal treatment (96%). HIPEF-treated orange juice retained better color than heat-pasteurized juice throughout storage but no differences (p<0.05) were found between treatments in pH, acidity and °Brix. Vitamin C retention was outstandingly higher in orange juice processed by HIPEF fitting recommended daily intake standards throughout 56 days storage at 4 °C, whereas heat-processed juice exhibited a poor vitamin C retention beyond 14 days storage (25.2–42.8%). The antioxidant capacity of both treated and untreated orange juice decreased slightly during storage. Heat treatments resulted in lower free-radical scavenging values but no differences (p<0.05) were found between HIPEF-processed and unprocessed orange juice.     

Pulsed Electric Field Processing of Orange Juice: A Review on Microbial,Enzymatic, Nutritional,and Sensory Quality and Stability

During the last decades pulsed electric field (PEF) processing received considerable attention due to its potential to enhance food products or create alternatives to conventional methods in food processing. It is generally acknowledged that PEF processing can deliver safe and chill‐stable fruit juices with fresh‐like sensory and nutritional properties. Relatively low‐processing temperature and short residence times can achieve highly effective inactivation of microorganisms while retaining product quality. A first commercial application of PEF for preservation of fruit juices was launched in 2006 in the United States. Since then, industrial‐scale processing equipment for liquid and solid products were developed and, in Europe in 2009, an industrial juice preservation line was installed using 20 kV/cm pulses at 40 to 50 °C to extend the chill‐stability of fruit juices, including citrus juices and smoothies, from 6 to 21 d. The related PEF processing costs are in the range of US $0.02 to 0.03 per liter and are justified due to access to new markets and reduced return of spoiled product. However, despite its commercial success there are still many unknown factors associated with PEF processing of fruit and citrus juices and many conflicting reports in the literature. This literature review, therefore, aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the current scientific knowledge of PEF effects on microbial, enzymatic, nutritional, and sensory quality and stability of orange juices.     

Effect of refrigerated storage on ascorbic acid content of orange juice treated by pulsed electric fields and thermal pasteurization

Application of pulsed electric fields (PEF) can lead to longer shelf life of fruit juices with minimal product quality loss and good retention of fresh-like flavour. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of PEF and conventional pasteurization (90 °C, 20 s) on ascorbic acid content of orange juice, and to assess modifications in ascorbic acid concentration of orange juice stored in refrigeration at 2 and 10 °C for 7 weeks. The ascorbic acid degradation rate was −0.0003, −0.0006, −0.0009 and −0.0010 μs⁻¹ for fields of 25, 30, 35 and 40 kV/cm, respectively. With selected PEF treatment (30 kV/cm and 100 μs) the shelf life based on 50% ascorbic acid losses was 277 days for the PEF-treated orange juice stored at 2 °C, while for the pasteurized juice was 90 days.     

Quality degradation kinetics of pasteurised and high pressure processed fresh Navel orange juice: Nutritional parameters and shelf life

A kinetic study of post processing quality loss was conducted after high pressure processing (600 MPa, 40 °C, 4 min) or thermal pasteurisation (80 °C, 60 s) of fresh Navel orange juice. Selection of processing conditions was mainly based on pectin methylesterase inactivation. Ascorbic acid loss, colour, viscosity and sensory characteristics were measured during storage at different isothermal conditions (0–30 °C). Increased shelf life (based on ascorbic acid retention) was achieved for high pressurised compared to thermally pasteurised juice, ranging from 49% (storage at 15 °C) to 112% (storage at 0 °C). Activation energy values for ascorbic acid loss were 68.5 and 53.1 kJ/mol, respectively, for high pressurised and thermally treated juice. High pressure processing resulted in better retention of flavour of untreated juice and superior sensory characteristics compared to thermal pasteurisation. Colour change was linearly correlated to ascorbic acid loss for both types of processing. Slightly higher apparent viscosity values were determined for high pressurised juice.Industrial relevanceApplication of high hydrostatic pressure on orange juice industry. Fresh orange juice is a product of high commercial and nutritional value due to its rich vitamin C content and its desired sensory characteristics. High Hydrostatic Pressure (HHP) is an alternative non-thermal technology that has been proposed for application on orange juice. Such a treatment denaturates enzymes and eliminates microorganisms responsible for spoilage of orange juice without detrimental effects on the sensory and nutritional quality of juice. The effect of HHP on the stability of fresh orange juice has been studied by different research groups, while orange juices processed with the new technology have already been commercially available in Japan, U.S.A., Mexico and Europe. However, a systematic kinetic approach of the effect of HHP on different quality indexes (not only microbial spoilage) immediately after processing, as well as during a long term storage of the processed orange juice is needed, in order to achieve an optimal process design and a successful application of the new technology in orange juice industry. Such kinetic data for parameters related to the quality and nutritional value of fresh orange juice were gathered in the present work providing therefore industry with useful information for the HHP stabilization of orange juice and the production of a high quality product. Due to the great benefits of HHP compared to the conventional pasteurization that emerged from this work regarding the quality, shelf life and nutritional characteristics of fresh orange juice, HHP technology is an advantageous alternative process for high valued products like orange juice.     

Pulsed electric fields as an alternative to thermal processing for preservation of nutritive and physicochemical properties of beverages: A review

Fruit juices and other beverages constitute an important source of bioactive compounds, but thermal processing may reduce their contents thus decreasing natural nutritive value of foods. This has been recently led to the use of non‐thermal technologies, especially pulsed electric fields (PEF) as an interesting alternative to thermal pasteurization of beverages. Reported results show that PEF is a useful for pasteurization of fruit juices that can minimize changes in physicochemical and nutritional properties with retention of higher amounts of health‐related phytochemicals. This study presents an overview of the effect of PEF on the physicochemical (e.g., Brix, pH, viscosity, acidity, color, aroma, and flavor, etc.) and nutritional (e.g., fatty acids and free amino acids, bioactive compounds, antioxidant capacity, etc.) properties of beverages.

Practical applications

Pulsed electric fields is suitable technological option for pasteurization, able to preserve valued bioactive compounds in beverages. Over the last decade, PEF has attracted a significant interest from various food industries and found numerous applications. However, chemical profile of food matrices has great influence on PEF, hence success of the treatment has to be evaluated and reported for each particular food. Accordingly, this review made systematic overview of the effects of PEF processing on the physicochemistry and nutrition with focus on beverages manufactured from various raw materials. Provided data can be applied for steering future uses of the PEF in processing, as well as directions of the future research with this useful technology.     

Kinetics of Peroxidase Inactivation in Carrot Juice Treated with Pulsed Electric Fields

Peroxidase activity accounts for quality losses in many plant‐based foods. The paper provides insight into the inactivation kinetics of peroxidase (POD) in carrot juice treated with pulsed electric fields (PEF). Juice samples were subjected to electric field intensities of 20 to 35 kV/cm for 300 to 2000 μs. Up to 93% of the initial activity was inactivated after treating at 35 kV/cm for 1500 μs. POD activity inactivation correlated well with the increase in energy density input. A first‐order fractional conversion model best fitted the experimental results. Other kinetic approaches such as the Fermi's model can be used to estimate residual POD activity values in treated juices as a function of electric field strength. Practical Application : Pulsed electric fields (PEF) are a processing technology that can be used for the pasteurization of liquid food products. Peroxidase activity inhibition is required in carrot juices to prevent undesirable quality losses, such as discoloration, flavor changes, and loss of nutrients. The most significant processing parameters ruling POD inactivation in PEF‐treated carrot juice are identified and mathematical modeling of experimental data is conducted.     

Inactivation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae suspended in orange juice using high-intensity pulsed electric fields

Saccharomyces cerevisiae is often associated with the spoilage of fruit juices. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of high-intensity pulsed electric field (HIPEF) treatment on the survival of S. cerevisiae suspended in orange juice. Commercial heat-sterilized orange juice was inoculated with S. cerevisiae (CECT 1319) (10(8) CFU/ml) and then treated by HIPEFs. The effects of HIPEF parameters (electric field strength, treatment time, pulse polarity, frequency, and pulse width) were evaluated and compared to those of heat pasteurization (90 degrees C/min). In all of the HIPEF experiments, the temperature was kept below 39 degrees C. S. cerevisiae cell damage induced by HIPEF treatment was observed by electron microscopy. HIPEF treatment was effective for the inactivation of S. cerevisiae in orange juice at pasteurization levels. A maximum inactivation of a 5.1-log (CFU per milliliter) reduction was achieved after exposure of S. cerevisiae to HIPEFs for 1,000 micros (4-micros pulse width) at 35 kV/cm and 200 Hz in bipolar mode. Inactivation increased as both the field strength and treatment time increased. For the same electric field strength and treatment time, inactivation decreased when the frequency and pulse width were increased. Electric pulses applied in the bipolar mode were more effective than those in the monopolar mode for destroying S. cerevisiae. HIPEF processing inactivated S. cerevisiae in orange juice, and the extent of inactivation was similar to that obtained during thermal pasteurization. HIPEF treatments caused membrane damage and had a profound effect on the intracellular organization of S. cerevisiae.     

Pasteurization of carrot juice by combining UV-C and mild heat: Impact on shelf-life and quality compared to conventional thermal treatment

The combination of UV-C radiation and mild heat (UV-H) treatment is a promising strategy for synergistically increasing microbial inactivation in low UV-transmitting juices. In this research, we explored the suitability of UV-H treatment in carrot juice pasteurization and its impact on juice quality during shelf-life compared to that of thermal pasteurization. UV-H treatment at 60 °C (3.92 J/mL, 3.6 min) enabled reductions of over 5 log₁₀ cycles in the reference pathogens and a significant reduction in spoilage yeasts, bacteria, and bacterial spores. The activity of pectin methylesterase and polyphenol oxidase was reduced by UV-H treatment to levels close to those of low-temperature pasteurization (60 °C/18.1 min). The native population of total aerobic bacteria, lactic acid bacteria, and yeasts and molds of UV-H-treated juice remained undetectable during 29 days of cold storage. Furthermore, viscosity, cloud stability, and the color of fresh juice were better preserved by UV-H treatment than by thermal pasteurization throughout storage.Industrial relevanceThis study demonstrates that UV-H treatment is a beneficial alternative to conventional thermal processing in carrot juice pasteurization, since appropriate inactivation levels of pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms can be reached while better preserving the quality attributes of fresh juice throughout its shelf-life.     

PROCESSING OF YOGURT-BASED PRODUCTS WITH PULSED ELECTRIC FIELDS: MICROBIAL, SENSORY AND PHYSICAL EVALUATIONS

Yogurt-based products similar to a dairy pudding dessert were formulated and processed by mild heat and pulsed electric fields (PEF) to investigate the effects of combined mild heat and PEF treatment on the microbial stability and quality of high viscosity foods. Commercial plain low fat yogurt was mixed with fruit jelly and corn syrup and processed by mild heat treatment at 60C for 30 s and 30 kV/cm electric field strength for 32 μs total treatment time using OSU-2C pilot plant scale PEF system. Control and processed products were aseptically packaged and stored at 4 and 22C. Mild heat combined with PEF treatment significantly decreased the total viable aerobic bacteria and total mold and yeast of yogurt-based products during storage at both 4 and 22C (P ≤ 0.05). Mild heat treatment alone without any PEF treatment did not prevent the growth of microorganisms in yogurt-based products. Sensory evaluation indicated that there was no significant difference between the control and processed products (P ≤ 0.05). Color, pH and °Brix were not significantly affected by mild heat and PEF processing conditions.