gamma-Radiation influences browning, antioxidant activity, and malondialdehyde level of apple juice.

Apple juice was gamma-irradiated at 5 degrees C at doses ranging from 0 to 8.9 kGy and then stored at 5 degrees C for 15 days. Ionizing radiation reduced the browning of apple juice and increased antioxidant activity measured by the ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay. The magnitude of changes increased with radiation dose. The level of malondialdehyde (MDA) measured using the thiobarbituric acid reactive substrates assay increased at radiation doses above 2.67 kGy. The browning of irradiated juices increased during storage at 5 degrees C, but the irradiated juices were still lighter than controls at the end of storage. Differences in FRAP values disappeared during early periods of storage while higher MDA levels were observed in irradiated samples during most of the storage period. Elimination of suspended matter from apple juice did not alter irradiation-induced changes in browning, FRAP, or MDA formation. As compared to irradiation conducted at 5 and 20 degrees C, treatment at -15 degrees C was less effective in reducing browning and in increasing MDA formation but elevated FRAP values. The exclusion of oxygen from juices did not affect the reduction in browning due to irradiation but promoted the increase in FRAP values and decreased the irradiation-induced MDA formation.