Pectolytic treatment of non-sonicated or sonicated barbados cherry mash: alternative choice in juice processing

Traditionally, pectolytic treatment of fruit mash has been carried out in juice processing for improvement in extraction yield. In this study, barbados cherry mash was sonicated and subsequently treated by pectinase preparation. The efficiency of the pectolytic treatment of non-sonicated and sonicated barbados cherry mash in juice processing was evaluated and compared. Response surface methodology was used to optimize enzyme concentration and pectolytic time in the two treatment processes. The combination of ultrasound and pectinase increased extraction yield 9.2% as well as decreased enzyme concentration 27.2% and pectolytic time 24.1% in comparison with the conventional enzymatic treatment. In addition, the level of total phenolics, sugars, free amino nitrogen in the barbados cherry juice from the combined ultrasound and pectinase treatment was much higher than that in the juice from the pectolytic treatment.