Abstract

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of chemical preservatives on strawberry juice. The samples were; pasteurized strawberry juice (T₀), pasteurized strawberry juice with 20% sucrose (T₁), pasteurized juice with 0.1% sodium benzoate (T₀), pasteurized juice with 20% sucrose and 0.1% sodium benzoate (T₃), pasteurized juice with 0.1% potassium sorbate (T₄) pasteurized juice with 2% sucrose and 0.1% potassium sorbate (T₅) pasteurized juice with 0.05% sodium benzoate and 0.05% potassium sorbate (T₆) pasteurized juice with 20% sucrose, 0.05% sodium benzoate and 0.05% potassium sorbate (T₇) pasteurized juice with 0.1% sodium benzoate and 0.1% potassium sorbate (T₈) and pasteurized juice with 20% sucrose, 0.1% potassium sorbate and 0.1% sodium benzoate (T₉). The samples were stored at 4 - 15°C for three months. T₀and T₁ were rejected soon due to spoilage. Minimum ascorbic acid content was reduced in T₉ (9.8%), while maximum in T₂ (26%). Acidity increased from 1.39 to 2.38% with maximum in T₁ and T₉. pH decreased from 3.29 to 2.22. Reducing sucrose increased from 15.7 to 17.8 and non-reducing sucrose decreased from 11.6 to 8.3. The total soluble solids (TSS) increased from 16.5 to 17.4° brix with maximum in T₀ (60%) and minimum in T₆ (5.6). Treatments T_9, T₇ T₅ and T₃ were found most acceptable in maintaining the sensory characteristics compared to others during storage. Minimum microbial load were observed in T₉ and maximum in T₀ and T₁ (uncountable). Among all the treatments T₉ were most effective in maintaining the sensory and nutritional quality during storage.

Key words: Strawberry juice, pasteurization, benzoate, benzoate, citric acid, sucrose.