Low-pressure homogenization of tomato juice using hydrodynamic cavitation technology: Effects on physical properties and stability of bioactive compounds

Hydrodynamic cavitation (HC) technology, offers benefits in many processes, specifically due to its low operational cost and simple configuration. In the present work, physical properties, microbial quality and stability of bioactive compounds of HC-treated tomato juice were evaluated considering different processing conditions. Significant effects of the induced cavitation such as a reduction in particle size and an increase in the apparent viscosity were observed in the HC-treated samples. Moreover, the HC-treated tomato juice showed higher stability without sedimentation for 14 days compared to a sedimentation index of 68% observed in samples before treatment and control experiment. Lycopene and phenolic contents in tomato juice were not altered even after HC-treatment. Finally, the microbiological quality was also improved, mainly for the samples treated above 55 °C. Therefore, this technology can be envisaged as a promising strategy for food processing to enhancing desirable properties in juices.