5. Conclusions
The application of PEF or a combination of UV irradiation
and PEF to freshly squeezed apple juice resulted in a
similar total microbial reduction compared to the severe
heat treatment. However, the quality attributes measured
in juice processed by PEF or by the combined approach
were similar to those observed in juice treated by the milder
heat process (72 C) and consistently superior when compared
to the severe heat treatment (94 C), with the exception
of enzyme inactivation. These results would indicate a
potential for the use of these combined technologies for
processing freshly squeezed apple juice. The sequence in
which the technologies were applied did not seem to affect
the overall microbial inactivation.