The Effect of Two Methods of Pomegranate (Punica granatum L) Juice Extraction on Quality During Storage at $4^\circ$ C

The effect of two extraction methods of pomegranate juice on itsquality and stability was evaluated. The first method consistedof separation of the seeds from fruits and centrifugation. Thesecond method consisted of squeezing fruit halves with anelectric lemon squeezer. During a period of 72 hours of coldstorage at 4^°C, the juices were evaluated for thepresence of sugars, organic acids, and anthocyanins. Delphinidin3-glucoside was identified to be the major anthocyanin present atthe level of 45–69mg/L. Among the organic acids, oxalic andtartaric acids dominated. The major sugars detected inpomegranate juice were glucose and sucrose. No significantdifferences in the content of sugars, organic acids, oranthocyanins in juices obtained through application of the twodifferent extraction methods were detected, with the exception ofthe drastic decrease of cyanidin 3,5-diglucoside level in juiceobtained by seed centrifugation. The pH did not show differencesbetween treatments. Titrable acidity and the level of sugarsexpressed as ^°Brix decreased after 32 and 15 hoursafter extraction, respectively, when juice was obtained bycentrifuging the seeds.