Not-from-concentrate pilot plant ‘Wonderful’ cultivar pomegranate juice changes: Quality

Authors: Beaulieu, John; Lloyd, Steven; OBANDO-ULLOA, JAVIER - Institute Of Technology

Submitted to: Food Chemistry
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/18/2020
Publication Date: 2/20/2020
Citation: Beaulieu, J.C., Lloyd, S.W., Obando-Ulloa, J.M. 2020. Not-from-concentrate pilot plant ‘Wonderful’ cultivar pomegranate juice changes: Quality. Food Chemistry. 318(2020):126453. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2020.126453.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2020.126453

Interpretive Summary: Anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic, antimicrobial and anti-mutagenic characteristics of pomegranate (Punica granatum) enriched diets, that help protect the brain, cardiovascular and central nervous system, and reduce type 2 diabetes etc. have led to a remarkable surge in production and consumption of pomegranate products. However, high antioxidant and phenolic containing fruits may have flavor and processing qualities which lead to bitterness and astringency. Colorful fruits conveying astringent beverages that provide well documented health-benefits may present clarification, turbidity and sedimentation problems. Therefore, pilot plant hydraulically pressing of whole fruit with ultrafiltration was used to mimick the dominant U.S. commercial pomegranate juice extraction to evaluate a truly not-from-concentrate (NFC), followed by short-time high-temperature pasteurization and three month storage at 4 and 25 °C. No maceration, blending or concentrating was used in these procedures. This article highlights the changes in quality attributes, organic acids and anthocyanidins. Data were subjected to an analysis of variance and principal components analysis. Hydraulic pressing, ultrafiltration and initial pasteurization had minor effects on most color parameters, organic acids and anthocyanidins. There were no significant temperature, time or factorial effects for all color parameters during storage of the not-from-concentrate pasteurized juices. However, there were significant time- and temperature-effect decreases in organic acids and anthocyanidins. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on quality attributes in ultrafiltered, pasteurized and stored not-from-concentrate ‘Wonderful’ pomegranate juice.

Technical Abstract: Colorful fruits conveying astringent beverages that provide well documented health-benefits may present clarification, turbidity and sedimentation problems. Hydraulic pressing whole ‘Wonderful’ cultivar pomegranates and ultrafiltration followed by high temperature short-time pasteurization was used to mimic the dominant U.S. commercial juicing protocol, and deliver not-from-concentrate juices that were stored at 4 and 25°C for 3 months. Changes in quality attributes, organic acids and anthocyanidins are presented. Data were subjected to an analysis of variance and principal components analysis. Hydraulic pressing, ultrafiltration and initial pasteurization had minor effects on most color parameters, organic acids and anthocyanidins. There were no significant temperature, time or factorial effects for all color parameters during storage of the not-from-concentrate pasteurized juices. However, there were significant time- and temperature-effect decreases in organic acids and anthocyanidins. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on quality attributes in ultrafiltered, pasteurized and stored not-from-concentrate ‘Wonderful’ pomegranate juice.