Effect of Pretreatments on Physico-Chemical Characteristics of Sugarcane Juice

Sugarcane juice was collected from the local vendor and its physico-chemical properties like pH, brix, acidity, vitamin C and microbial count were measured by standard methods. Sugarcane juice beverage samples were prepared by pasteurizing the juice at different temperatures. Pasteurization were done of eight conical flasks which contain 100 ml of sugarcane juice per flask at different temperatures viz. 80, 85, 90, 95 degrees C for 2 min. Samples of sugarcane juice were stored at 25 and 4 degrees C in presterilized glass bottles and analyzed vitamin C and microbiological attributes at every 2 days interval for 25 days. The vitamin C decreased, whereas, microbial count increased significantly (P < 0.01) during storage. The changes in different attributes were significantly (P < 0.01) higher at 25 degrees C as compared to 4 degrees C. Sugarcane juice pasteurized at 90 degrees C for 2 min and stored at 4 degrees C was shown the best result so again pasteurization was done of sugarcane juice at 90 degrees C for 30 s, 1 min, 2 min, 5 min and stored at 4 degrees C and analyzed for physico-chemical properties like pH, brix, acidity, vitamin C and microbiological attributes at every 2 days interval for 25 days. The pH and vitamin C decreased, whereas, titratable acidity and microbial count increased significantly (P < 0.01) during storage. The best result was obtained from the juice which was pasteurized at 90 degrees C for 5 min and stored at 4 degrees C, after 25 days the vitamin C 4.7 mg/ml, microbial content 50/1 ml, brix 10, acidity 0.072 mol/l, pH 4. An acceptable quality beverage of sugarcane juice with satisfactory storage stability for 25 days at 4 degrees C could be prepared.