NMR Spectroscopy and Chemometrics to Evaluate the Effect of Different Non-Thermal Plasma Processing on Sapota-do-Solimoes (Quararibea cordata Vischer) Juice Quality and Composition

Atmospheric and vacuum cold plasma technologies were applied to the Amazonian sapota-do-Solimoes juice (Quararibea cordata Vischer) to evaluate its effects on several physicochemical and nutritional characteristics. The study was carried out applying atmospheric cold plasma using the dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) system operating at different frequencies (50 to 960 Hz) and processing times (5 to 15 min); and vacuum plasma operating at different synthetic air flow rates (10 to 30 mL/min) and processing times (10 to 30 min). The results from H-1 NMR coupled with chemometrics showed a decrease in the amount of sucrose, glucose, fructose, and alanine in sapota-dos-Solimoes juice. The increase in frequency and processing time increased the concentration of phenolic when applying atmospheric cold plasma, while a decrease in concentration was observed when vacuum plasma was applied. Atmospheric cold plasma processing increased the antioxidant activity of sapota-dos-Solimoes more than vacuum plasma. The juice pH and total soluble solids content were not significantly affected by plasma processing. Plasma treated did not significantly change the perceived color (DE < 3), maintaining the yellow characteristic color (h degrees similar to 70).