Executive Summary : | Arunachal Pradesh produces kiwi and carambola, valuable fruits known for their unique flavors and functional constituents. However, these juices are highly susceptible to microbial contamination, leading to health hazards and spoilage. Conventional thermal processing fails to retain nutritional, functional, and sensory properties. Alicyclobacillus spp., an aciduric, spore former, and heat-resistant bacterium, has emerged as a major concern in the juice sector. To address these issues, non-thermal technologies are being explored for safety and quality retention in juices. Cold plasma applications in liquid food matrices have emerged as a simple, cost-effective, non-toxic, and sustainable non-thermal technique for microbial decontamination and quality retention. This project aims to intentionally inoculate both juices with these microorganisms and subject them to cold plasma treatments to achieve decontamination. The plasma-liquid interactions will be tailored using ambient air at different voltages and treatment times, resulting in varying concentrations of reactive gas species. The plasma treated juices will be evaluated for impact on quality parameters like pH, acidity, total soluble solids, browning enzymes, vitamin C and beta-carotene levels, polyphenolic content, and antioxidant potential. The processed juices will be sensorial tested for consumer acceptance, and the optimized juices will be evaluated for shelf-life. The project aims to deliver a more efficient cold plasma process, resulting in ready-to-serve shelf-stable juices of better quality. |