EFFECT OF SORBIC ACID ON IRRADIATION-INDUCED SENSORY AND CHEMICAL-CHANGES IN SWEETENED ORANGE JUICE AND MANGO PULP

Gamma-irradiation (10 KGy) of pasteurized orange juice and both blanch ed and unblanched mango pulp produced off-flavours rendering them unac ceptable, and enhanced browning during storage. Sorbic acid (0.1%) com pletely inhibited the off-flavours and reduced the rate of browning; i t also reduced losses in ascorbic acid during irradiation and storage of sweetened orange juice. In mango pulp, sorbic acid did not prevent ascorbic acid loss on irradiation, but did reduce storage losses. Irra diation and storage losses in carotenoids were slight and not influenc ed by sorbic acid. The pH and acidity of sweetened orange juice and bl anched mango pulp did not change on irradiation or storage, but in unb lanched pulp acidity increased and pH decreased on storage. Radiolytic degradation of sorbic acid was higher in blanched than unblanched man go pulp, both were more than in orange juice.