Process optimization of Sohiong fruit juice extraction with better quality using RSM

Abstract

Sohiong (Prunus nepalensis) is an underutilized fruit grown in Meghalaya, India. It is very perishable and is a rich source of β-carotene, anthocyanins, phenols and antioxidants. Lack of storage facilities and processing machinery leads to minimum utilization of the fruit. Converting the fruit in to value added products will help in increasing the popularization of the fruit in domestic and international markets. Sohiong fruit has high amount of pectin, hence extracting the juice from the fruit is tedious and time consuming. Therefore, response surface methodology (Box-Behnken model) was employed for analysing the effect of pectin concentration, incubation time and temperature on juice yield, anthocyanins and total phenols. The coefficient of determination (R2) value for all the models for dependent variables were greater than 95%. The maximum juice yield (49.5%), anthocyanins (1735mg/L) and total phenols (6445mg GAE/L) were obtained when treatment was conducted at optimal conditions of pectin concentration (0.05%), incubation time (90 min)and temperature (45ºC).