Enhancing Quality Properties of Fresh Orange Juice through the Addition of Freeze-Dried Cassia javanica Extracts’ Coacervates

This study investigated the impact of freeze-dried coacervates at various concentrations (0.5, 1, and 1.5%) on physicochemical and microbiological properties of orange juice. Either 60% ethanol freeze-dried coacervates (EFC) or absolute ethanol freeze-dried coacervates (AFC) were used. The addition of EFC or AFC to orange juice did not significantly (p<0.05) affect pH, viscosity, or electric conductivity, as pH was unchanged for a 0.5% concentration and slightly increased from 3.99 to 4.01 at 1% and 1.5% concentrations. After adding AFC and EFC, viscosity were 52, 53, and 53 mPas at 0.5, 1, and 1.5% concentrations, respectively. Electric conductivity increased from 0.278 s.m-1 (control) to 0.334, 0.347, and 0.375 s.m-1 at 0.5, 1, and 1.5% concentrations after adding EFC, while were 0.325, 0.335, and 0.373 s.m-1 at the same concentration after adding AFC, respectively. However, after adding EFC, total phenolic content increased to 77.25, 115.96, and 154.95 mg.100mL-1, total flavonoid content (TFC)increased to 34.76, 52.18, and 69.73 mg.100mL-1, and antioxidant activity (AA) enhanced to 70.36, 74.36, and 79.58% at concentrations 0.5, 1, and 1.5%, respectively. Also, after adding AFC, total phenolic content increased to 79.26, 117.78, and 156.25 mg.100mL-1, TFC increased to 35.67, 53.00, and 70.31 mg.100mL-1, and AA enhanced to 71.65, 75.84, and 81.21% at concentrations 0.5, 1, and 1.5%, respectively. At concentrations 0.5, 1, and 1.5%, EFC decreased total plate count (TPC) to 2.12, 2.02, and 1.78 log cfu.mL-1, respectively and mold and yeast counts decreased to 1.5, 1.35, and 1.1 log cfu.mL-1, respectively. Also, adding AFC caused TPC to decrease to 2.18, 2.04, and 1.84 log cfu.mL-1, respectively and mold and yeast count decreased to 1.53, 1.33, and 1.12 log cfu.mL-1, respectively. Overall, the results indicate that adding EFC or AFC to fresh orange juice can enhance its nutritional and microbiological qualities without degrading its sensory qualities.