Non-thermal processing of inulin-enriched araticum juice using supercritical technology

The people are increasingly aware of the relation between diet and health and, therefore, there has been an increasing interest in more natural, healthier and safer products obtained from innovative processing technologies that ensure their safety and preserve their functionality. Thus, this work presents the non-thermal processing of a functional beverage, inulin-enriched araticum juice, using supercritical carbon dioxide. The effects of pressure (MPa) and temperature (°C) on the quality parameters of the product were investigated using a full factorial experimental design (3x2) with pressures and temperatures of 8, 15 and 21 MPa, and 35 and 55°C, respectively. The functional beverage was characterized with respect to pH, soluble solids content (SSC), particle size distribution, zeta potential (ZP), color analysis and fructooligosaccharides (FOS) content.