Pulsed electric field treatment strategies to increase bioaccessibility of phenolic and carotenoid compounds in oil-added carrot purees

The impact of pulsed electric fields (PEF) and their combination with a thermal treatment on the bioaccessibility of phenolic and carotenoid compounds in oil-added carrot puree (5 %) was investigated. Fractions of such puree were differently treated: subjected to PEF (5 pulses of 3.5 kV cm(-1)) (PEF); thermally treated (70 degrees C for 10 min) (T) or first PEF treated and then thermally treated (PEF/T). Purees were in vitro digested, carotenoid and phenolic content and bioaccessibility were determined. Likewise, quality attributes and microstructure were analyzed. Generally, treatments did not affect carotenoid content and quality attributes, whereas phenolic content dramatically decreased after PEF. Nevertheless, all treatments enhanced both compounds bioaccessibilities, which were trebled in PEF-treated purees. Particle size reduction may suggest that microstructural changes could be responsible of bioaccessibility increases. Therefore, PEF could be a feasible treatment to enhance phenolic and carotenoid bioaccessibility without altering quality attributes of carrot-based puree.