Influence of Heat Treatment and Lactic Acid Fermentation on the Physical and Chemical Properties of Pumpkin Juice
Emilia Janiszewska-Turak,
Katarzyna Rybak,
Dorota Witrowa-Rajchert,
Katarzyna Pobiega,
Anna Wierzbicka,
Szymon Ossowski,
Joanna Sękul,
Aniela Kufel,
Aneta Wiśniewska,
Urszula Trych,
Justyna Szczepańska-Stolarczyk,
Andrzej Krzykowski,
Anna Gramza-Michałowska
Affiliations
Emilia Janiszewska-Turak
Department of Food Engineering and Process Management, Institute of Food Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGW, 159C Nowoursynowska St., 02-787 Warsaw, Poland
Katarzyna Rybak
Department of Food Engineering and Process Management, Institute of Food Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGW, 159C Nowoursynowska St., 02-787 Warsaw, Poland
Dorota Witrowa-Rajchert
Department of Food Engineering and Process Management, Institute of Food Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGW, 159C Nowoursynowska St., 02-787 Warsaw, Poland
Katarzyna Pobiega
Department of Food Biotechnology and Microbiology, Institute of Food Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGW, 159C Nowoursynowska St., 02-787 Warsaw, Poland
Anna Wierzbicka
Department of Food Engineering and Process Management, Institute of Food Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGW, 159C Nowoursynowska St., 02-787 Warsaw, Poland
Szymon Ossowski
Department of Food Engineering and Process Management, Institute of Food Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGW, 159C Nowoursynowska St., 02-787 Warsaw, Poland
Joanna Sękul
Department of Food Biotechnology and Microbiology, Institute of Food Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGW, 159C Nowoursynowska St., 02-787 Warsaw, Poland
Aniela Kufel
Department of Food Engineering and Process Management, Institute of Food Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGW, 159C Nowoursynowska St., 02-787 Warsaw, Poland
Aneta Wiśniewska
Department of Food Engineering and Process Management, Institute of Food Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGW, 159C Nowoursynowska St., 02-787 Warsaw, Poland
Urszula Trych
Department of Fruit and Vegetable Product Technology, Institute of Agricultural and Food Biotechnology—State Research Institute, 36 Rakowiecka Street, 02-532 Warsaw, Poland
Justyna Szczepańska-Stolarczyk
Department of Fruit and Vegetable Product Technology, Institute of Agricultural and Food Biotechnology—State Research Institute, 36 Rakowiecka Street, 02-532 Warsaw, Poland
Andrzej Krzykowski
Department of Thermal Technology and Food Process Engineering, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 31 Głęboka St., 20-612 Lublin, Poland
Anna Gramza-Michałowska
Department of Gastronomy Science and Functional Foods, Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 31, 60-624 Poznan, Poland
Pumpkin is a highly nutritious plant, rich in valuable nutrients that benefit human health. Due to the high perishability of this fruit, the production of pumpkin juice is a practical way to use it effectively. Recently, fermented vegetable juices have been used as a dairy alternative due to their nutritional and potential probiotic properties. This study investigated the fermentation of pumpkin juice using different strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), with and without heat treatment. The effects of fermentation on microbial growth, pH, acidity, extract, sugars, carotenoids, polyphenols, and antioxidant properties were analyzed. The heat-treatment process did not greatly impact the dry matter content, pH, acidity, extract, or sugar content. However, it led to a reduction in carotenoid and polyphenol levels. During fermentation, there was a consistent decrease in pH and an increase in total acidity, with no noticeable differences between bacterial strains regarding their influence on these parameters. The study revealed that there were no distinctions between LAB strains in their effects on pH, acidity, and carotenoid content in fermented pumpkin juice. Nonetheless, both L. sakei and L. plantarum proved to be effective in the fermentation process, with L. sakei demonstrating greater adaptability. The expected pH, acidity, and sugar content changes were consistently observed throughout the fermentation process. Overall, results confirm the efficacy of the used Lactobacillus strains in fermenting pumpkin juice and highlight the potential impact of heat treatment on the nutritional composition of the juice. The purpose of thermal processing of pumpkin juice, which is conducted with lactic acid fermentation, is crucial for the food industry. It extends the product’s shelf life, improves its nutritional and taste profiles, and guarantees its microbiological safety.
