Influence of dielectric barrier discharge plasma processing in the volatile compounds and aroma of cashew apple juice

Cashew apple juice is a popular beverage in several parts of the world due to its unique fruity aroma. However, the high styrene concentration contributes to an undesirable balsamic note. To address this issue, cold plasma technology was proposed to alter the juice's volatile compounds, thereby improving its flavor. This study has evaluated the effects of cold plasma on the volatile compounds and aroma of cashew apple juice. The research was conducted by applying dielectric barrier discharge plasma to the juice, varying the frequency (50 to 1000 Hz) and processing times (5 to 20 min) while keeping a constant voltage (18 kV). The plasma treatment induced noteworthy changes in the volatile compounds of the juice. Specifically, there was a significant decrease in volatile organic acids (73%) and an increase in aldehydes (52%), alcohols (67%), and short-chain esters (11%). Plasma induced the internal scission of fatty acids and esters, which resulted in the formation of short-chain esters and aldehydes. Further processing has oxidized the aldehydes, generating alcohols and isomerized short-chain esters, which generate branched esters. Cold plasma, however, did not significantly reduce the styrene concentration and could not mitigate the off-flavor caused by this compound.