APRICOT NECTAR PROCESSING BY PULSED ELECTRIC FIELDS

Application of pulsed electric fields to process apricot nectar by determining the pH,. Brix, total acidity, conductivity, color, non-enzymatic browning index, concentration of mineral ions, and retention of ascorbic acid and beta carotene as well as inactivation of Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas syringae subs. syringae, Erwinia carotowora, Penicillum expansum, and Botrytis cinerea was explored in this study. Processing of apricot nectar did not cause a significant difference in measured attributes (p > 0.05). However, inactivation of all microorganisms was significantly increased with increased electric field strength and treatment time (p <= 0.05). Microbial inactivation data fit both the Weibull distribution and log-logistic model.