Effect of hydrodynamic cavitation processing on orange juice physicochemical and nutritional properties

Effect of hydrodynamic cavitation (HC) processing on pH, °brix, separation index, viscosity and color properties, retention of nutritional bioactive compounds (Vitamin-C, total phenolics, and antioxidant), and inactivation of enzyme pectin methyl esterase (PME) in freshly expressed juice from Brazilian oranges was investigated. HC at 4 bar pressures with a treatment time of 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, and 90 min at low temperatures (42 °C) were studied. There was no significant change in the values of pH, and TSS was noted in HC-treated juices. Further decreased flow behavior index while increased values of flow consistency index were recorded for the juice treated with HC showing a significant physical modification of the juice. Degradation and loss in vitamin C and total phenolics were observed when juices were HC-treated for a longer time. Therefore, it was concluded that HC could be used as a non-thermal method for improving the stability and physicochemical properties of Brazilian orange juice.