EFFECTS OF FARMING PRACTICES ON THE QUALITY OF ULTRA‐FROZEN MANDARIN JUICE

ABSTRACT The effects of the farming type (organic or conventional) and cyclodextrin addition on the quality (loss of ascorbic acid, carotenoids composition, color and antioxidant activity) of freshly squeezed, nonpasteurized, ultra‐frozen mandarin juices were studied during a shelf life of 145 days. The vitamin C content was reduced from 540 and 470 mg/L to 515 and 447 mg/L in organic and conventional juices, respectively. Carotenoids were stable during the storage time (decreases being in the range 5–10%), with β‐cryptoxanthin (7.21 ± 0.31 mg/L) being the most abundant compound, followed by lutein and zeaxanthin. The juices color was not affected by thermal treatment and these data were provided by both instrumental Commission internationale de l'éclairage L*, a*, b* data and the sensory studies conducted. The antioxidant activity was 0.04 and 0.06 mMT/mL, at day 0, for the organic and conventional juices; the losses during the storage were below 18%. The addition of cyclodextrins did not have any significant effect on the parameters under study. This study showed that the nutritional and organoleptic quality of ultra‐frozen juices is quite stable during the storage period. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS The application of cyclodextrins in the food industry is very important as solubilizing agents, stabilizers and emulsifiers. The molecular encapsulation of lipophilic food ingredients with cyclodextrin improves the stability of flavors, vitamins, colorants and unsaturated fats, etc., both in physical and chemical sense leading to extended product shelf life, accelerated and long‐term storage stability.