Optimization of high-pressure processing and UV-C treatments on the quality attributes of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) arils

Ensuring the quality and safety of minimally processed fruits is a growing challenge, as consumers increasingly prefer fresh, nutritious, and preservative-free products with extended shelf life. In this study, fresh pomegranate arils were subjected to high-pressure processing (HPP, 300–400 MPa for 3–7 min) and ultraviolet-C (UV-C, 60–120 W for 10–20 min) treatments. Response surface methodology (RSM) was applied to optimize the treatments carried out using a factorial completely randomized design (CRD) with two factors at three levels based on the physicochemical, bioactivity, and microbial parameters of the vacuum-packaged (VP) pomegranate arils. The pomegranate arils treated with an optimized condition of high pressure (390 MPa for 4.5 min) yielded processing parameters of TSS (14.17 ° Brix), microbes (1.97 log10 CFU/mL), phenols (223.39 mg GAE/100 g), antioxidant (64.87%), and anthocyanin content (29.79 mg/L), respectively. Similarly, the pomegranate arils treated under the optimized UV-C conditions (120 W for 10 min) exhibited the response parameters of TSS (15.66 ° Brix), microbes (2.65 log10CFU/mL), phenols (211.77 mg GAE/100 g), antioxidant (60.39%), and anthocyanin content (28.68 mg/L), respectively. Both treatments, in combination with vacuum packaging, were effective in reducing the microbial population while maintaining pomegranate aril quality, although each acted through a distinct mechanism. These findings establish an optimized processing window for HPP and UV-C treatments and provide a valuable insight into the application of non-thermal technologies for improving the safety and quality of fresh-cut pomegranate arils. RSM optimizes the HPP and UV-C conditions based on pressure, power and time. Optimized condition of HPP and UV-C process are effective against the microbes. HPP+VP and UV-C+VP are non-destructive alternatives for quality evaluation of pomegranate arils.