Shelf-life of fresh orange juice in plastic bottle: Microbial and sensory aspects

Microbiological and sensory changes in pasteurised orange juice packed in polyethylene terephythalate (PET) bottles and shelf-fife during storage at 4degreesC were evaluated. Orange juice (Citrus sinensis) was pasteurised at 72degreesC/16 s (batch 1) and 90degreesC/40 see (batch 2) and evaluated periodically for microbiological counts of moulds, yeasts, lactic acid bacteria, and total and faecal coliforms, overall quality, and taste. Shelf-fife of the orange juice was determined based on microbiological changes, 17 and 19 days for batches 1 and 2, respectively. For overall quality and taste, preference for pasteurised juice subjected to least heat treatment prevailed. Maximum shelf-life could not be determined based on sensory test results.131353