Aulia Putri Srie Wardani, Raisya, Aruzhan Otegenova, Waminee Niramit, Balázs P. Szabó, Judit Krisch
The desire for natural preservatives is motivated by the demand for safer, healthier and more sustainable food products that meet modern consumer expectations. Lemon as natural preservatives in fruit juices have the potential to improve food safety, extend shelf life, and satisfy consumer demand for natural and healthy products due to its citric acid component and could potentially increase the antioxidant activity. Grapes and pear are nutritious fruits that can be found globally and are usually turned into juices for the everyday diet. The aim of this study is to examine the combined effect of two natural preservatives (lemon oil and lemon juice) in inhibiting microbial growth and extending the shelf life of juices compared to pasteurization. The juices and number measurements were taken at intervals of 0 days, 1 day, 2 days, 3 days, 1 week, and 4 weeks under chilled conditions. Other properties of the juices, such as pH, antioxidant activity, and sensory evaluation, were assessed once. The results suggest that lemon essential oil and lemon juice synergistically enhance the effect of pasteurization in fruit juices to extend their shelf life while maintaining their sensory qualities. Finally, lemon essential oil and lemon juice generally do not impair the acceptable organoleptic characteristics of fruit juices, except for the taste in grape juice. © 2025, University of Szeged. All rights reserved.
Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Sports and Health Sciences, Universitas Negeri Surabaya, Surabaya, Indonesia; Department of Food Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
