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Effect of increased acidity on the carotenoid pattern and colour of orange juice

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Abstract

The colour of orange juices is one of the main factors related to their acceptability. Their colour is mainly due to carotenoids, with the particularity that the major ones, the epoxycarotenoids, can isomerise into differently coloured isomers in the presence of acid. Since acidity is one of the main characteristics of citrus, we have carried out a simple experiment to ascertain whether large changes in this parameter can affect significantly their colour. We observed that the addition of citric acid to increase the acidity of the control by roughly 50% speeded up the isomerisations initially, although it did not lead to markedly appreciable colour changes at the end of the study. These observations may be important from a food safety point of view and in relation to the consumers’ choices. In this regard, these preliminary findings could be important for food technologists and the citrus industry in general.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Food Colour and Quality, Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Sevilla, c/P. García González 2, 41012, Seville, Spain

    Antonio J. Meléndez-Martínez, M. Luisa Escudero-Gilete, Isabel M. Vicario & Francisco J. Heredia

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  1. Antonio J. Meléndez-Martínez
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  2. M. Luisa Escudero-Gilete
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  3. Isabel M. Vicario
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  4. Francisco J. Heredia
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Correspondence to Francisco J. Heredia.

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Meléndez-Martínez, A.J., Escudero-Gilete, M.L., Vicario, I.M. et al. Effect of increased acidity on the carotenoid pattern and colour of orange juice. Eur Food Res Technol 230, 527–532 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00217-009-1190-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00217-009-1190-1

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