Antioxidant and preservation effects of tea polyphenols on apple juice

Tea polyphenols (TP), a natural ingredient recognized for their potent antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, are the focus for extending the freshness and shelf life of apple juices in preservation. This study evaluated the nutritional quality, microbial growth, and sensory changes in apple juice during storage, examining the impact of TP addition on both freshly pressed and retail high-pressure processing (HPP) apple juice. For fresh apple juice, the growth of total colonies was predicted using a modified Gompertz model. The results showed that the addition of 0.6 g/kg TP to fresh apple juice reduced the total number of colonies by 1.54 times after 11 days of storage, while the addition of 0.6 g/kg TP to retail HPP apple juice reduced the total number of colonies by 2.15 times after 20 days. In addition, apple juice treated with 0.6 g/kg of TP had good antioxidant and sensory properties compared to the control. These results indicated that the application of TP could increase the antioxidant capacity of apple juice, enhance their taste and prolong their shelf life.