Black currant nectar: effect of processing and storage on anthocyanin and ascorbic acid content

The degradation of anthocyanins and ascorbic acid in black currant nectar was studied during processing and storage. A continuous production process was used where the nectar was bottled within 4.0h; 20 % of both components were lost in the main stream process. The choice of enzyme mainly affected the recovery of ascorbic acid. Pasteurization resulted in a loss of 2-6 % of the ascorbic acid content. About 50% of the original content of monomeric anthocyanins remained after 6 months storage at 20 degrees C. The stabilities of delphinidins and cyanidins during storage were very similar. Deaeration of the nectar before bottling had no effect on anthocyanin content.