EFFECT OF STORAGE-TEMPERATURE, TIME, DISSOLVED-OXYGEN AND PACKAGING MATERIALS ON THE QUALITY OF ASEPTICALLY FILLED ORANGE JUICE

The interaction effects of beverage packaging materials (laminated car tons, high density polyethylene packs (HDPE), polyethylene-terephthala te (PET), and glass) on the quality and shelf life of commercially pre pared orange juice were evaluated at two temperatures (4 and 24 degree s C) during 60 days of storage. Browning, loss of ascorbic acid, disso lved oxygen and absorbed d-limonene into packs or retained in juice we re used as indicators for juice quality. The extent of browning and lo ss of ascorbic acid were found to be higher in HDPE packs than in cart ons and lowest in PET and glass. The ascorbic acid content and rate of browning were significantly affected by the level of dissolved oxygen in the juice. The content of d-limonene in juice stored in HDPE packs and cartons was reduced by 33.6% and 21%, respectively, compared with 11% and 9.1% for PET and glass after 15 days of storage at 24 degrees C, The reduction of d-limonene content in juice was related to the ab sorption rare of each type of package. Absorption of d-limonene was gr eater in HDPE packs (5.3 mg dm(-2)) and cartons (4.2 mg dm(-2)) than i n PET (0.26 mg dm(-2)). The conditions which lead to the change in the quality of juice are discussed.