Regarding microfiltration performance, the permeate flux was
high at the initial stage, showing a decrease and a constant plateau afterwards
(Fig. 1). Although an enzymatic treatment has been done in
order to reduce juice's viscosity and facilitate its passage through
the membrane, the decrease in the permeate flux may be attributed
to the concentration polarization and the formation of a gel layer,
which characterizes the fouling phenomena. In the case of fruit juices,
the foulants are generally composed of cell wall and polysaccharides
such as pectin, cellulose, lignin and hemicelluloses (Koltuniewicz &
Drioli, 2008).