Evaluation of non-thermal effects of electricity on anthocyanin degradation during ohmic heating of jaboticaba (Myrciaria cauliflora) juice

•Non-thermal effects of electricity on anthocyanin degradation were evaluated.•Degradation kinetics during ohmic and conventional heating were compared.•All kinetic and thermodynamic parameters showed similar values for both technologies.•The oscillating electric field did not affect the degradation rates of anthocyanins.•Ohmic heating is a good technology for heat treatment of foods rich in anthocyanins. This study investigated the non-thermal effects of electricity on anthocyanin degradation during ohmic heating of jaboticaba juice. For this, temperature profiles during conventional and ohmic heating processes were matched, and the degradation kinetics of anthocyanins were compared at temperatures ranging from 70 to 90°C. The monomeric anthocyanin content was quantified by UV–Visible spectroscopy using the pH-differential method. Anthocyanin degradation was fitted to a first-order model. The rate constants ranged from 1.7 to 7.5×10−3min−1 and from 1.8 to 7.6×10−3min−1 for ohmic and conventional heating, respectively. The analysis of variance (α=0.05) showed no significant differences between rate constants of the ohmic and conventional heating at the same temperatures. All kinetic and thermodynamic parameters evaluated showed similar values for both technologies. These results indicate that the presence of the oscillating electric field did not affect the degradation rates of anthocyanins during ohmic heating.