The project, “Effects of novel non-thermal food processing techniques on the content and bioavailability of phenolic compounds in fruit juice blends” led by Prof. Dr. Esra Çapanoğlu Güven, a faculty member of Food Engineering Department, was qualified for TUBITAK 2531-DAAD Bilateral Cooperation Support.

Project Research Group: Dr. Gülay ÖZKAN

Foods have traditionally been preserved by thermal treatment to prevent microorganism spoilage and contamination with pathogens. However, this treatment leads to the loss of healthy compounds and sensory properties of foods. Besides, a growing demand for ‘‘healthy” food and beverages has been observed worldwide, and the diffusion of functional foods throughout the market has lent support to the role of foods rich in phytochemicals, such as fruits and vegetables. Non-thermal food preservation technologies, such as pulsed electric fields and high-pressure processing, have been developed as alternative to heat treatments in order to satisfy consumer demand for nutritious, healthy and safe products with a fresh-like appearance. From the points of view of nutritional and functional value of food products, information about the concentration of bioactive compounds reaching the bioaccessible fraction and absorbed by intestinal lumen are much more important than the concentration of these compounds in the corresponding beverage. Therefore, the aim of this research is to understand the effect of non-thermal technologies - HPP and PEF - on the content, bioaccessibility and bioavailability of bioactive compounds in the food samples. To achieve this objective, a comprehensive evaluation will be performed.