Effect of ultrasound, centrifugation, and enzymatic pretreatments on phytochemical properties and membrane fouling during microfiltration of Sohiong (Prunus nepalensis L.) juice

The study aimed to investigate the effects of various pretreatment methods on sohiong fruit juice during the microfiltration process. The ultrasound, centrifugation, and enzymatic pretreatment processes were used before the microfiltration process of the juice. The highest total phenolic content, anthocyanin content, and antioxidant activity of sohiong fruit juice were observed after enzymatic pretreatment. However, the browning index and color of the sohiong juice deteriorated with enzyme pretreatment. The fouling behavior of the microfiltration process for the pretreated sohiong juice was well explained by the complete pore-blocking model as the coefficient of determination (R-2) varied from 0.821 to 0.971. All pretreatment methods significantly (p <= 0.05) increased the initial flux of the microfiltration process, and the highest flux was observed for the enzyme pretreated juice. Furthermore, as compared to alternative pretreatments following microfiltration, the enzyme pretreated fruit juice had a high sensory acceptance. The work manifested a way to develop high-quality sohiong fruit juice with a low fouling tendency.