doi:10.3390/foods11040621engDelso, C.Berzosa, A.Sanz, J.Álvarez, I.Raso, J.Two-step PEF processing for enhancing the polyphenol concentration and decontaminating a red grape juiceART-2022-128092This study’s aim is to evaluate Pulsed Electric Fields (PEF) technology as an alternative method for the processing of red grape juice. For this purpose, two PEF treatments were applied: first to grapes for polyphenol enrichment of the juice, and subsequently for microbial decontamination of the obtained juice. Juice obtained from PEF-treated grapes (5 kV/cm, 63.4 kJ/kg) had the polyphenol content 1.5-fold higher and colour intensity two times higher of control juices by spectrophotometric measurement (p = 0.05). A subsequent decontamination treatment by PEF (17.5 kV/cm and 173.6 kJ/kg) achieved inactivation of the present microbiota (yeasts, moulds, and vegetative mesophilic bacteria) below detection level (<30 CFU/mL). Furthermore, PEF-treated juices were microbiologically stable up to 45 days, even at abusive refrigeration storage temperatures (10 °C). PEF juice quality and sensory characteristics were similar to a fresh juice; they were neither affected by the PEF decontamination treatment, nor by storage time and temperature. Results obtained in this study demonstrate the considerable potential of PEF for the production of a polyphenol-enriched and microbially stabilized red grape juice as a unique and sustainable alternative for the juice industry, while avoiding enzymatic and heat treatments.2022http://zaguan.unizar.es/record/11212210.3390/foods11040621http://zaguan.unizar.es/record/112122oai:zaguan.unizar.es:112122Foods 11, 4 (2022), 621 [18 pp.]byhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/es/info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess