Effects of vacuum concentration on color, polyphenol and flavonoid contents and antioxidant activity of pomelo citrus maxima (Burm. f.) Merr. Juice

Abstract

Pomelo (Citrus maxima (Burm. f.) Merr). juice is known as an enriched source of antioxidants and nutrients. It is therefore necessary to develop a preservation method for freshly prepared juice. This study aims to determine the effect of the vacuum concentration process on the change in color, bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity of pomelo juice. High pressure showed negligible effects on color. However, longer heating time seemed to cause browning in juice. In comparison with the fresh sample, total color difference (TCD) value of the treated sample was 6.73 ± 0.58 after 150 min of heating at 85°C. The total polyphenol content (TPC) values in the sample also increased with longer heating time or increased pressure. The total flavonoid content (TFC) seemed to be non-responsive to changes in heating time and pressure but was closely related to total soluble solid. 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate) (ABTS) of pomelo juice are affected by heat and, to a lesser extent, by pressure. The changes caused by the application of vacuum dehydration in the juice texture resulted in a higher water loss and higher sugar content (52.92 ± 0.79 °Brix).