Processing methods for mandarin (Citrus reticulata Blanco) juice

The individual effect of juice extraction methods, processing temperature-time, potassium meta-bi-sulphite, storage temperatures, and exposure of fruits to ethylene concentrations was found to be significant in prolonging storage duration and maintaining the acceptable quality of mandarin juice. It can be concluded that the juice obtained from the fruits exposed to 500 ppm ethylene and extracted with screw type juice extractor, processed at 65C for 15 minutes, preserved with 1000 ppm potassium meta-bi-sulphite and stored under lower temperatures of 3-4C, proved to be the most effective treatment for quality parameters up to 6 months of storage. 85C processing temperature with 15 minutes holding time was observed to be most effective for reducing microbial load and inactivation of enzymes.