Inactivation of spoilage yeasts in apple juice by UV–C light and in combination with mild heat

•S. cerevisiae resulted was the most UV–C resistant yeast in the study.•UV–C (3.9 J/mL) at 25 °C inactivated less than 1 log10 cycle of S. cerevisiae in apple juice.•UV–heat (50–60 °C) permitted showed a 5-log10 reduction of S. cerevisiae in apple juice.•UV–heat reduced up to 89% UV dose and 63% processing time of compared to UV or heat individual treatments.

The UV–C resistance of yeasts (Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Saccharomyces bayanus, Zygosaccharomyces bailii, Dekkera anomala and Dekkera bruxellensis) commonly involved in juice spoilage was investigated. Saccharomyces spp. showed the greatest UV resistance and yeast inactivation decreased with absorptivity of the medium. To improve the UV lethal effect on yeasts in juice, UV treatment was combined with heat (UV–H) (45–60 °C). The inactivation of S. cerevisiae by UV–H treatments between 52.5 and 57.5 °C was greater than use of both technologies individually, suggesting a synergistic effect. Modeling of inactivation data found that a combination of UV–C light with mild temperatures (50–60 °C) produced a 5-log10 reduction of S. cerevisiae in clarified apple juice with lower UV doses (up to a 89.3% of reduction at 57.5 °C) and treatment times (up to 63% of reduction at 52.5 °C) than those needed for UV treatments or heat alone.Industrial relevanceThis investigation demonstrated the lethal efficacy of the combination of UV–C radiation and heat to improve the inactivation of spoilage yeasts in juice. Combined UV–H treatments synergistically increased yeast inactivation, with this approach being less effective than for bacteria. In any case, UV–H at mild temperatures would be an alternative to heat pasteurization treatments, enabling the inactivation of pathogenic bacteria and reducing the concentration of spoilage microorganisms like yeasts, obtaining a safe and stable product at lower temperatures.