A Comparative Study of Changes in Microbiological Quality and Physicochemical Properties of N2-Infused and N2-Degassed Banana Smoothies After High Pressure Processing

The microbiological changes in N-2-infused and N-2-degassed banana smoothies subjected to high pressure processing (HPP) at 350-550 MPa for 2-10 min were compared. The counts of total aerobic bacteria (TAB) and yeasts and molds (Y & M) of N-2-infused banana smoothies were lower when compared with N-2-degassed samples/ones. The N-2-infused samples were treated by HPP at 550 MPa for 10 min and subsequently stored at 4 A degrees C for 15 days. The counts of Y & M were below the detection limit after HPP and during storage, but the TAB of the HPP-treated N-2-infused samples increased to 2.11 log(10) CFU/g after storage at 4 A degrees C for 15 days. During storage, the polyphenol oxidase, pectin methyl esterase, particle size distribution, color, total soluble solids, and titratable acidity of HPP-treated N-2-infused samples remained stable, whereas there was a significant decrease in the pH. The HPP-treated N-2-infused banana smoothies exhibited stable microbiological and physicochemical qualities, even after 15-day storage at 4 A degrees C.