Apple Juice Quality as Influenced by Ultrafiltration

Objective quality of ultrafiltered (UF) apple juice compared favorably to apple juice filtered by conventional plate and frame filtration (PF). Agtron red and green values were higher for the UF juice, indicating a lighter colored product. Agtron green values were lower after 4 months of storage and compared well to juice from conventional methods over the remaining 8 months of storage. Green color of the UF juice remained steady at storage temperatures of either 1° or 21°C and was equal to the color values of the conventional juice stored at 1°, 21° or 32°. Clarity of the UF juice was excellent and remained stable over the entire storage period at either 1 or 21° with only a slight drop in clarity at 32°. UF juice was rated significantly lower in sensory flavor than PF juice. Sensory color of the UF juice was not rated as high as the PF juice at the start of the study, but as time in storage progressed sensory color improved. Initial panel reaction to UF apple juice was that the UF juice was too light in color and watery in flavor.