Evolution of cranberry juice physico-chemical parameters during phenolic antioxidant enrichment by electrodialysis with filtration membrane

Cranberry is recognized for its antioxidant potential but its enrichment with functional phytochemicals, such as anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins, would be particularly interesting for the nutrition-health market. Recently, it was demonstrated that it is possible to enrich a cranberry juice in polyphenols from another cranberry juice by an electrodialysis with filtration membrane (EDFM) process. The objectives of the present work were to study, during consecutive EDFM treatments, the evolution of raw and enriched cranberry juices composition and membrane integrities. The anthocyanin concentrations and the antioxidant capacity of the enriched juice increased respectively of 19.4% and 23.7%, while the anthocyanin concentrations and antioxidant capacity of the raw juice remained constant throughout treatments. Proanthocyanidin concentrations of both juices remained also constant which suggests that the duration of treatments was too short to allow the migration of these molecules. However, enriched juice concentrations in citric and malic acids decreased respectively of 7.3% and 4.7% resulting in a significant decrease of its sour taste intensity, a major problematic for cranberry juice producer.

► Anthocyanin concentrations of the enriched juice increased of 19.4%.
► Antioxidant capacity of the enriched juice increased of 23.7%.
► Anthocyanins and antioxidant capacity of raw juice remained constant.
► Improvement of the enriched juice sour taste intensity.
► Development of an unique process for antioxidant enrichment of juice.