Comparison of phenolic compounds of orange juice processed by pulsed electric fields (PEF) and conventional thermal pasteurisation

Processing of orange juice by pulsed electric fields (PEF) and thermal pasteurisation was carried out to compare changes in total phenolic concentration, hydroxybenzoic acid, hydroxycinnamic acids, flavonols, flavones and flavonones before and after being stored at 4 °C for 180 days. Changes in the initial total phenolic concentration of the samples varied depending on the applied electric field intensity and thermal pasteurisation. Hesperidin and chlorogenic acids were detected as the most abounded flavonoid and phenolic acids in the orange juice, respectively. Except for syringic acid and neoeriocitrin, the concentration of the phenolic compounds indentified in the orange juice samples enhanced after the PEF or thermal pasteurisation. The samples treated with PEF had more stable flavonoids and phenolic acids than those treated with the thermal pasteurisation. The PEF-treated samples had higher sensory scores than the heat-treated samples.