Prof. Dr. K. Savaş Bahçeci, a faculty member at the Department of Food Engineering at Hitit University, has prepared a project aimed at making fruit juices healthier.
Prof. Dr. Bahçeci noted that, in light of the increasing health awareness in recent years and the growing consumer demand for functional fruit juices and concentrates, his project proposal titled "Blackberry Juice Concentration with Non-Thermal Membrane Systems," aimed at increasing the nutritional value of fruit juices, was deemed worthy of support under the TÜBİTAK 1002 Rapid Support Program.
The project will focus on research into utilizing membrane systems as an alternative to the traditionally applied thermal evaporation method in fruit juice concentrate production.
Prof. Dr. Bahçeci stated that in Turkey's fruit juice sector, the increasing health awareness in recent years has led to a growing consumer demand for functional fruit juices and concentrates, which in turn has increased the need to produce new products that maintain functional properties at the highest level and to utilize new production methods.
Blackberry Juice Concentration Process to be Performed with Membrane System
Prof. Dr. Bahçeci emphasized that in fruit juices obtained through concentration using the traditional thermal evaporation method, cooked taste formation, color changes, flavor and bioactive component losses occur depending on the intensity of the heat treatment applied, and noted the following:
“Therefore, there is a strong need for studies on systems that preserve product characteristics at the highest level in the concentration of fruit juices. Within the scope of our project, it is aimed to carry out the concentration process with non-thermal membrane systems to reduce the negative effects of thermal methods on the final product. For this purpose, we will conduct research on the concentration of blackberry juice, which is among the top choices of consumers in terms of visual and sensory aspects and has important functional properties due to its bioactive components, using membrane systems.”
Fruit Juices Will Have Higher Nutritional Content
Prof. Dr. Bahçeci pointed out that color loss would be minimized, especially as a result of concentration with membrane systems, stating, “Thus, the aim is to obtain a product with higher nutritional content, both in terms of color and the preservation of antioxidant components. It is also thought that the formation of hydroxymethylfurfural, an undesirable chemical compound that arises depending on the intensity of the heat treatment applied during concentration carried out with traditional thermal evaporation, can be prevented.”
Prof. Dr. Bahçeci stated that Dr. Nihal Güzel, Assistant Professor, will be a researcher and Kübra Elif Özkaleli, a master's student, will be a scholarship recipient in the research team for the studies to be carried out within the scope of the project, and that the studies are planned to be completed in one year.
