Impact of thermosonication treatment on passion fruit juice: ANN/GA optimization, predictive modelling for shelf life and quality changes during storage

Optimized sugar-added passion fruit juice (OPFJ) was obtained after optimization of thermosonication treatments of passion fruit juice using hybrid Artificial neural network/Genetic algorithm. The quality parameters and shelf life of OPFJ stored at various temperatures were assessed. Baranyi and Ratkowsky’s square-root models proved the prediction accuracy of the theoretical model concerning the microbial population during storage. The lag phase value decreased with increasing storage temperature. Temperature rise from 8 to 25 °C decreased the shelf life from 17 to 8 days for OPFJ and 3.5 to 1.5 days for untreated juice. The activation energy and increase in the reaction rate on increase in temperature by 10 °C (Q 10 value) were also evaluated. Thermosonication increased the phenolic and β-carotene contents and maintained the pH, titratable acidity, ascorbic acid content, and antioxidant activity during storage. Thermosonication enhanced the quality and shelf life of juice. Predictive modelling effectively predicted the shelf life.