Non-thermal processing of orange juice via high-voltage electrospray: Effects on flavour, microbial control, and nutritional properties

This study examined high-voltage electrospray (HVES, 20–100 kV) as a chemical-free and non-thermal method for processing orange juice. Remarkably, the 100 kV HVES treatment reduced the microbial load of orange juice by 2.92 log CFU/mL, equivalent to that obtained through thermal processing (TP) at 75 °C for 10 min. Compared with fresh juices, the orange juice treated with 100 kV HVES exhibited an 11.8 % reduction in particle size, an 11.2 % increase in zeta potential, and a 30.68 % increase in electrical conductivity. The treatment inactivated polyphenol oxidase (50.8 % inactivated) and peroxidase (46.4 % inactivated) while maintaining superoxide dismutase activity (4.8 % inactivated) and preserving more of the orange juice flavour. Meanwhile, HVES processing boosted the antioxidant capacity (>36.7 % DPPH and > 20.5 % ABTS scavenging ability) of orange juice. During 7-day storage, HVES-treated juice showed slower particle sedimentation and viscosity loss than TP-treated juice, although its shelf life remained shorter than that of commercial brands, such as Huiyuan 100 % and Haoen. These findings highlight HVES's potential for the preservation of orange juice quality. However, aseptic environment and operations are required for commercial applications.