Use of nonthermal technologies in the production of functional beverages from vegetable ingredients to preserve heat‐labile phytochemicals

Abstract

Functional beverages (FBs) can be made from fruits and/or vegetables, and serve as a healthier alternative to sugar‐rich beverages. Their periodic consumption can increase the daily intake of bioactive micronutrients like polyphenolic compounds or vitamins, which can be health promoting. However, some thermal processing methods can promote their degradation. Nonthermal methods can complement or substitute thermal ones, particularly, high‐intensity pulsed electric fields, high‐hydrostatic pressure, ultrasound, ultraviolet C treatment, molecular entrapment, and active packaging are promising options in this regard. These methods yield optimum results if the operational parameters are fine‐tuned, with the aid of response surface methodology or similar studies. Therefore, the object of the present work is to provide an overview on the main nonthermal methods that can be used to produce FBs of good sensorial qualities, while also preserving bioactive compounds and favoring their bioaccessibility, bioavailability, and health effects. Practical applications The use of nonthermal methods in the production of functional beverages can be used to simultaneously prevent the degradation and increase the bioaccessibility and bioavailability of health‐promoting vitamins (A, C, and E) and polyphenolic compounds present in the raw fruit/vegetable ingredients. While generally safe and effective, studies that focus on processing methods only consider in vitro data, which suggests the need for experiments that validate the effects of processing method on the consumer. Their continued use and study will permit their use in substitution of traditional thermal methods or in tandem to minimize their destructive effects on the molecules of interest.

Effect of Alternative Preservation Steps and Storage on Vitamin C Stability in Fruit and Vegetable Products: Critical Review and Kinetic Modelling Approaches

“…This treatment can also cause a reduction of the duration of the thermal process applied, a decline in the amount of dissolved oxygen, while it is considered to inactivate the native enzymes and possess an antibacterial effect. The benefits of this technology in the retention of Vitamin C were shown by Domínguez Avila et al 2018 [68] for functional beverages, by Manzoor et al 2020 [69] for sugarcane juice, by Ordóñez-Santos et al 2017 [70] for gooseberry juice and by Aguilar et al 2017 and Khandpur and Gogate 2015 [71,72] for different fruit juices. However, in most studies, sonication is used as a complimentary assisting step and not as a single preservation step, as it will be discussed later on in the context of the hurdle technology approach [58,73].…”

“…High-pressure processing, HHP (alternatively called high hydrostatic pressure or cold pasteurisation), is shown to increase the microbiological stability and reduce the enzyme activity, with an improved retention of bioactive compounds when compared to the traditional thermally processed products. There are numerous works that show the superior nutritional quality of HHP-processed products, focusing on Vitamin C, including fruit juices [62][63][64][65][66], vegetable smoothies [67] and a number of fruit and/or vegetable-based functional beverages [68]. A point to underline is that specific HHP treatments (pressure and temperature range, as well as processing time) are crucial for the effectiveness of the preservation method applied.…”

Novel Affordable, Reliable and Efficient Technologies to Help Addressing the Water-Energy-Food Nexus

“…So much, that it was recommended long since to acquire antioxidants or bioactive compounds through whole-food consumption, rather than from expensive dietary supplements (R. H. Liu, 2013). Therefore, processing of plant foods, including vegetable beverages, should at least avoid damaging the bioactive phytochemicals, for example due to thermal degradation (Domínguez Avila, Wall Medrano, Ruiz Pardo, Montalvo González, & González Aguilar, 2017), while preserving their variety and abundance, including bound phenolics. Whole beverages, possibly including multiple functional ingredients, have the potential to convey superior health benefits than extracts, supplements, and single-ingredient beverages, provided that bioactive compounds are effectively extracted in the liquid phase, as well as go mostly undamaged in the processing.…”