This study focused on the development of a multifunctional, biodegradable and intelligent food packaging film based on fish scale-derived gelatin reinforced with bio-synthesized graphene oxide (GO) and pH-responsive anthocyanins for real-time fish freshness monitoring. Gelatin extracted from underutilized fish scales served as the primary biopolymer, while GO synthesized from wood apple shells was incorporated to overcome gelatin's inherent mechanical, thermal and barrier limitations. Anthocyanins isolated from jamun fruit were integrated as natural colourimetric indicators. Structural and physicochemical characterization using FT-IR, SEM-EDS, UV-Vis, TGA-DTG and mechanical analyses confirmed effective incorporation and homogeneous dispersion of GO and anthocyanins within the gelatin matrix. The incorporation of GO/anthocyanin increased tensile strength by 75.8% relative to the control film, improved thermal stability, reduced water vapour permeability and enhanced UV-blocking performance. Soil burial tests demonstrated rapid biodegradation of the nanocomposite films, with GO-containing formulations exhibiting similar to 97% weight loss within 7 days. The anthocyanin-containing film exhibited distinct pH-dependent colour transitions during fish storage at 25 degrees C, correlating strongly with fish pH (6.9-8.4; R-2 = 0.94) and TVB-N content (7.2-36.5 mg/100 g; R-2 = 0.97). These findings demonstrate that the developed gelatin/GO/anthocyanin composite films function as mechanically reinforced, rapidly biodegradable packaging materials with reliable real-time freshness-sensing capability.

The study aimed to fabricate a novel biodegradable UV barrier composite food packaging by integrating Hyptis suaveolens seed mucilage (HSSM), black gram husk (BGH) lignin, and Citrus macroptera peel essential oil (CMEO). The resulting HSSM/BGH-lignin/CMEO were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA-DTG), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy. In addition, the mechanical properties, water resistance, color, and UV-blocking abilities of the films were also evaluated. UV-spectroscopy, FTIR, and SEM-EDS validated BGH-lignin's successful extraction and reinforcement in active food packaging. The GC-MS study identified 23 distinct bioactive components in CMEO that are responsible for the films' antioxidants and antibacterial properties. Optimal BGH-lignin incorporation (0.12-0.18 % w/v) improved the films' tensile strength and elongation at break, while CMEO addition (0.05-0.15 % v/v) conferred antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. At the same time, the addition of lignin and essential oil reduced the moisture content, enhanced the water resistance properties, and improved UV-blocking capabilities, with the F5 film achieving 100 % UVA protection at higher concentrations. TGA-DTG analysis indicated superior thermal stability and reduced weight loss in the HSSM/BGH-lignin/CMEO composite film compared to the HSS-mucilage control. The biodegradability test confirmed that the composite films had almost disintegrated, losing over 90-95 % of their original weight, demonstrating substantial biodegradability. Overall findings of the current study showed that HSSM/BGH-lignin/CMEO films had significant potential as biodegradable, antimicrobial, and UV-resistant films for developing active food packaging.

The use of chemical fertilizers and fungicides in Bangladesh hinders organic tea cultivation due to its high costs and low yields. As a result, organic tea faces limited market acceptance compared to conventional methods. This study aimed to evaluate the quality of black tea from BT-2 varieties using both organic and conventional methods in Bangladesh. The study meticulously assessed various tea quality parameters, including moisture content, ash content, water extract, lipid, caffeine levels. Results revealed that organic tea exhibited elevated levels of theaflavin (TF), thearubigin (TR), total polyphenols, and antioxidants, despite a 22% reduction in output. The maximum moisture content was seen in June for organic tea, whereas for non-organic tea, it was found in September (4.10%). Additionally, both organic and non-organic tea exhibited high ash content in March (7.64% and 5.46%, respectively). The water extract exhibited a concentration of approximately 30% across all seasons, while the lipid content remained at approximately 4% throughout the season for non-organic samples. However, organic samples showed a slight decrease in lipid content by the end of the season. Caffeine exhibited beneficial effects throughout the mid-season, with organic tea demonstrating superior total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activity. Across all seasons, organic tea consistently outperformed non-organic varieties in terms of quality criteria. Although certain variables such as moisture content or caffeine levels may vary by season, organic tea maintained its superiority. This superior quality attributes make organic tea a compelling option despite seasonal fluctuations, affirming its appeal to health-conscious consumers seeking premium tea experiences.

The research endeavors to address the exigent demand for augmented nutritional efficacy in food commodities, alongside the escalating preference for expedient, superior, and health-conscious alternatives. As a result, the ongoing investigation aims to formulate instant noodles utilizing a composite blend of flours, including foxtail millet (FMF), wheat (WF), mushroom (MF), and rice bran flour (RBF), followed by a subsequent evaluation of the functional properties, cooking attributes, and amino acid composition of the noodles. The investigation considered distinct proportions of composite flour, specifically 0:100:0:0, 60:30:5:5, 50:40:5:5, and 40:50:5:5 (FMF: WF: MF: RBF), designated as treatment T1 (control), T2, T3, and T4, respectively. The results indicate that composite noodles (T2 to T4) demonstrate significantly higher water absorption indexes (ranging from 189.41% to 197.28%) compared to the control noodles (T1) composed solely of wheat flour (100%), signifying an elevated capacity for water retention. Conversely, the oil absorption index of treatment T1 (214.45%) surpassed that of treatments T2 (210.14%), T3 (207.47%), and T4 (200.64%), respectively. Similarly, treatment T1 exhibited a higher swelling index (16.57%), whereas T4 demonstrated a significantly lower swelling index with the highest water solubility (4.51%). Additionally, the inclusion of foxtail millet flour led to a notable reduction in the optimal cooking time, with T4 requiring the shortest duration (3.45 minutes). Conversely, the cooking yield varied among treatments, with T4 displaying the lowest yield (42.30%), while T1 exhibited the highest (48.72%). Furthermore, in the comparison between control and composite noodles, treatment T4 manifested the highest levels of basic, aromatic, aliphatic, and essential amino acids. It also contained a substantial amount of lysine (11g/100g), nearly twice as much as treatment T1 (5g/100g). Organoleptic assessment indicated a preference for composite noodles (T2 to T4) in terms of taste and flavor. Therefore, fortifying foxtail millet, wheat, mushroom, and rice bran flour in a ratio of (50:40:5:5) for functional food formulations has the potential to enhance the quality of noodles.

AbstractThe combination of multiple strains and multiple species in lactic acid bacteria-based fermented milk offers the potential for nutritional and sensory attributes, making it an attractive option for developing high-quality and health-promoting probiotic yoghurt-like fermented milk products. In the present study, four combinations of yoghurt-like fermented milk samples: Sample 1 (Control), Sample 2 (Lactobacillus desidiosus), Sample 3 (Lactobacillus fermentum), and Sample 4 (Lactobacillus desidiosus and Lactobacillus fermentum) were developed. Proximate composition (moisture, ash, protein, fat, carbohydrate), physicochemical (pH, titratable acidity, syneresis, total soluble sloid), microbiological (Lactobacillus bacteria, yeast and mold, and coliform bacteria), and sensory properties (color, flavor, texture, taste, and overall acceptability) were assessed under refrigerator conditions (4 °C) from 0 to 28 days of storage period. Proximate composition differed significantly (p < 0.05) among samples for moisture (49.34–79.32%), ash (1.14–0.31%), protein (3.72–3.21%), fat (11.23–5.62%), and carbohydrate (33.11–12.98%). Yoghurt-like fermented milk containing Lactobacillus desidiosus as single or in combination with Lactobacillus fermentum resulted in reduced pH levels (6.02–3.49), total soluble solid (41.66–24.66%) and increased syneresis (30.04–65.52%), titratable acidity content (0.42–1.62%). Single or combination of Lactobacillus desidiosus and Lactobacillus fermentum significantly (p < 0.05) reduced Lactobacillus bacteria (8.17–6.01 Log CFU/g), yeast, and mold (1.45–1.19 Log CFU/g). Additionally, none of the samples of probiotic yoghurt-like fermented milk showed any detectable coliform count, indicating the possibility of prolonging the shelf life. The sample prepared by Lactobacillus desidiosus had the highest sensory ranking (8.10) at day 0 and during storage than other samples. In conclusion, the inclusion of Lactobacillus desidiosus and Lactobacillus fermentum strains in the composition of production starter cultures holds great promise. The utilization of these enriched starter cultures enables the production of healthy food products that maintain their quality throughout the entire storage period.

We studied the drying kinetics of sliced potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) using a tray dryer. An experiment was conducted on how the drying rate was impacted by air temperature, sample thickness, and air velocity. The study was conducted under varying temperature ranges (50°C, 60°C, and 70°C), air velocities (0.6 ms−1, 0.7 m s−1, and 0.8 m s−1), and potato slice thickness (2 mm, 4 mm, and 6 mm). The findings revealed that a higher air temperature was correlated with an increase in the drying rate, while thicker layers demonstrated a decrease in the drying rate. We further evaluated five mathematical models, with the Page Model emerging as the most suitable based on the lowest residual standard error (RSE) and Akaike's Information Criteria (AIC), which are 0.06421 and -1123.947, respectively. After plotting the predicted moisture ratio against the experimental moisture ratio, we observed an exceptional predictive accuracy (R2 > 0.99) across various conditions. These findings underscore the critical importance of precise parameter control for optimizing potato drying processes in industrial settings, providing valuable insights for enhanced efficiency and resource utilization. Further exploration into real-time optimization and scalability can extend the practical applications of this study.

Tea (Camellia sinensis) is a widely consumed beverage known for its numerous health benefits, largely attributed to its rich content of quality determining secondary metabolites such as methylxanthine compounds and bioactive phenolic compounds. The goal of this study was to find out variations of the levels of methylxanthines, bioactive phenolic compounds, and antioxidant activity in methanolic and water extracts of 129 tea samples grown in three different ecological regions of Bangladesh named Panchagar, Sylhet, and Chattogram. Methylxanthine and bioactive phenolic compounds were determined by using HPLC-DAD, and the antioxidant profile was analysed by UV–vis spectrophotometric methods for methanol and hot water extracts of tea leaves. The IC50 values showed the trend as Panchagar > Sylhet > Chattogram and Sylhet > Chattogram > Panchagar for water and methanol extract, respectively. The results revealed significant (p < 0.05) variations in the levels of methylxanthines content: Panchagar > Chattogram > Sylhet. Caffeine was significantly higher (103.02 ± 5.55 mg/g of dry extract) in the methanolic extract of tea leaves of Panchagar district and lower (53.33 ± 4.30 mg/g of dry extract) in the hot water extract of Sylhet district. Panchagar and Chattogram possessed significantly (p < 0.05) higher catechin content for methanol (57.01 ± 5.50 mg/g dry extract) and hot water (55.23 ± 4.11 mg/g dry extract) extracts, respectively. The utilization of canonical discriminant functions yielded highly favorable outcomes in the classification of tea from three distinct cultivation origins in Bangladesh, relying on their inherent features. This study demonstrated the potential effects of geographical variations on the bioactive compounds and antioxidant properties of tea, emphasizing the importance of regional differences in tea cultivation for optimizing its health benefits as well as dispersing tea cultivation across the country.

Noodles are a popular snack mainly produced from wheat flour; however, the low contents of protein, minerals, and lysine are a concern. Therefore, this research developed nutri-rich instant noodles by using foxtail millet (FTM) (Setaria italic) flour to improve the contents of protein and nutrients and increase its commercial importance. FTM flour was mixed with wheat flour (Triticum aestivum) at a ratio of 0:100, 30:60, 40:50, and 50:40, and the samples were named as control, FTM30, FTM40, and FTM50 noodles, respectively. Mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) and rice bran (Oryza sativa L.) flour were added at a percentage of 5% to all the composite noodles (FTM30, FTM40, and FTM50 noodles). The contents of biochemicals, minerals, and amino acids, as well as the organoleptic properties of the noodles, were examined and compared with wheat flour as a control. The results revealed that the carbohydrate (CHO) content of FTM50 noodles was significantly lower (p < 0.05) than all the developed and five commercial noodles named A-1, A-2, A-3, A-4, and A-5. Moreover, the FTM noodles had significantly higher levels of protein, fiber, ash, calcium, and phosphorous than the control and commercial noodles. The percentage of lysine calculated protein efficiency ratio (PER), essential amino acid index (EAAI), biological value (BV), and chemical score (CS) of FTM50 noodles were also higher than that of the commercial noodles. The total bacterial count was nil for the FTM50 noodles, and the organoleptic properties were consistent with those of acceptable standards. The results could encourage the application of FTM flours for the development of variety and value-added noodles with enhanced level of nutrients.

Food packaging is often made from plastic, which is usually obtained from non-renewable resources. The development of new technologies, like biocomposite films, has been driven in response to environmental concerns as well as consumer demands for eco-friendly, high-quality products derived from nature. Biocomposite films were prepared by incorporating taro mucilage, carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), ZnO, glycerol, and black cumin seed (BCS) oil. The SEM results showed that the biocomposite films containing taro mucilage (TM), ZnO, and BCS oil had noticeably smoother surfaces. The FTIR analysis indicated the existence of a -OH group, N-H bond, alkaline group, C-C, C=N, C-H, C-O-H, and C-O-C bond formation, confirming the interaction of CMC, glycerol, BCS oil, ZnO nanoparticles, and TM. The results of TGA and DSC analysis suggest that incorporating ZnO nanoparticles, BCS oil, and TM into the CMC polymer matrix increased thermal stability. The addition of TM significantly increased water uptake capacity, antioxidative property, tensile strength, and elongation at break, with significantly decreased whiteness index and water solubility. The film inhibited the growth of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli as foodborne pathogens. The results suggest that the films can be potentially used as environment-friendly antioxidative and antimicrobial packaging films with additional research.

This study aimed to assess the influence of taro mucilage (TM) and black seed oil (BSO) as an edible coating to extend guava fruits’ shelf-life and quality attributes. Four different edible coatings were applied, namely, T1 (1% TM + 0.75% glycerol + 0.5% BSO), T2 (5% TM + 0.75% glycerol + 0.5% BSO), T3 (0.75% glycerol + 0.5% BSO), and T4 (1% chitosan + 0.75% glycerol + 0.5% BSO). Different quality parameters, including weight loss, surface color, firmness, chlorophyll, vitamin C, phenolic content, antioxidant, malondialdehyde, and microbial load, were measured at a regular interval. Significant differences were observed between the coated and uncoated (control) fruits. Compared to the control fruit, weight loss was decreased in all the treated fruits, and T2 treatment retained the highest weight compared to other treatments. Fruits treated with T2 and T4 treatments retained high levels of vitamin C throughout the storage period. After 9 days, T4 treatment showed the lowest increase of microbial growth compared to other treatments. At the end of the storage period, results showed that the sample treated with 5% mucilage retained a higher level of polyphenol, antioxidant, and vitamin C content. Furthermore, the addition of BSO improved the antibacterial and antioxidant properties of coated guava. The results of this study indicate that a polysaccharide-based edible coating mixed with BSO improved the quality parameters and extended the shelf-life.

Food toxicity and health risks due to heavy metals exposure through fish consumption have become a major concern for this present era. Since, both cultured and captured fishes are largely consumed in Bangladesh, a comparison of heavy metals between those fishes are must. Seven sample species were collected from a tributary of the Meghna River at Lakhai Kheyaghat, Habiganj, Bangladesh and fish market of Dhaka, Bangladesh. Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) Spectrometer were used to measure the metal concentrations. The sequence of metal concentration in the flesh of fishes was Fe > Zn > Cu > Pb>Hg for both fish categories with mean concentrations (mg kg(-1)) of 69.8 +/- 7.5 > 56.42 +/- 8.59 > 19.52 +/- 2.63 > 0.44 +/- 0.18 > 0.39 +/- 0.04 respectively for cultured fishes (n = 21). Statistically, mean Cu, Zn, and Pb concentrations from captured fishes flesh samples were not significantly different from cultured fishes (p > 0.05) when analyzed with non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis test. Pb carcinogenicity from the cultured fishes was measured a value of 2.5E-05 for children exceeding the prescribed limit by 25 times which indicates a substantial risk for lifelong exposure. Summarizing the results, the Toxicity Scores (TS) has shown substantial rate of possibility for study area inhabitants to be exposed to heavy metals through heavy metal contaminated fish consumption, specially cultured fishes.

Scientists are indeed fascinated by the pharmacologically important chemicals found in medicinal plants. Citrus fruits possess several curing agents for the prevention of diseases. Therefore, experiments were carried out to test the antibacterial activity of methanolic extracts of peels from various locally available citrus fruits such as citron (Citrus medica), satkora (Citrus macroptera) and adajamir (Citrus assamensis) against Bacillus spp. and E. coli using the disc diffusion method. Different physicochemical characteristics of fruit juice were also determined. Methanolic extract of satkora peel had the highest antibacterial activity of 2.2 and 2.6 cm while adajamir had the lowest antibacterial activity of 1.7 and 2.1 cm as ZOI against Bacillus spp. and E. coli, respectively. In the case of pH and total soluble solids (TSS), the three citrus varieties showed a small variation where satkora showed the highest total phenolic content (TPC), vitamin C content, and antioxidant activity than the others. Citrus fruits can be exploited as antibacterial and antioxidant ingredients in food and nutraceuticals, according to the findings of this study.

Influence of various organic manures with chemical fertilizers on increasing growth, yield and nutritional quality of potato was studied. The experiment consisted of seven treatments including T0: Control, T1: 75% recommended fertilizer dose (RFD); T2: 100% RFD, T3: 75% RFD + Kazi compost (5 t/ha), T4: 75% RFD + Kazi compost (3 t/ha), T5: 75% RFD + Poultry manure (3 t/ha) and T6: 75% RFD + Cowdung (5 t/ha). Among the organic manures, Kazi compost performed the best which compensated up to 25% of recommended inorganic fertilizers and significantly improved the growth components, yield parameters, tuber yield and nutrient uptake by potato. In field performance, Kazi compost @ 5 t/ha was effective followed by poultry manure and can be recommended for better growth, yield and nutritional quality of potato. Bangladesh J. Bot. 50(3): 651-657, 2021 (September)

This study evaluated the effects of three cooking methods, including boiling (100 oC, 5 min), steaming (7.5 min), and microwave (900 W, 1 min) on physicochemical characteristics and bioactive compounds of three widely consumed winter vegetables in Bangladesh, such as green bean (Lablab purpureus), cabbage (Brassicaoleracea var. capitata), and mustard leaf (Brassica juncea). The ascorbic acid (AA) content was decreased significantly after all cooking treatments. In general, the AA retained by different vegetables was highest after microwave cooking and lowest after boiling. Cooked vegetables contained more β-carotene than fresh vegetables, and maximum retention was observed after steaming. However, total flavonoid contents were decreased slightly for all treatments. With the exception of cabbage, both steaming and microwave cooking enhanced significantly (P<0.05) the polyphenol content (TPC) in all vegetables. The highest TPC was found in the green bean during boiling (72.5 mg GAE/100 g), and the lowest was found in cabbage with steaming (35.58 mg GAE/100 g). There is a significant increase in antioxidant activity after boiling and steaming, except microwave cooking of cabbage and mustard leaf. However, the lightness (L*) of all vegetables decreased for each cooking method, but the greenness intensity increased after microwave cooking. Overall, cooking can alter the food's physical and nutritional content but depend on vegetables and the method of cooking.

Sodium alginate oligomers were tested for tea plant growth promoter and anti-fungal agent in this experiment. Sodium alginate solutions were irradiated by Co-60 gamma radiation with different radiation doses to produce the oligomers. Irradiated solutions were then diluted into 150, 300 and 500 ppm prior to foliar application. Solutions were applied through foliar spraying at 7 days interval and the best response of tea plants in terms of various attributes were recorded. Tea buds were collected in 10 days of interval and the growth attributes like- total number of buds, fresh weight of buds, average leaf area and weight per bud, weight of made tea etc. were calculated. The experiment was continued up to 12 weeks and the attributes were averaged to get results per plucking. 12 kGy radiation doses along with 300ppm solution showed the best results and about 36% increase in productivity was found based on the fresh weight of buds. Total fungal count in tea leaves was also found to be reduced greatly. Based on the present study, irradiated sodium alginate could be used as safe and environmentally friendly agent to increase tea production.

Antioxidant and antibacterial activities of four underutilized fruits namely Jujube (Ziziphus mauritiana Lam.), Olive (Elaeocarpus serratus L.), Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.), and Taikor (Garcinia pedunculata Roxb.) commonly found in Bangladesh were evaluated. The highest total phenolic content (685.08 ± 27.65 mg GAE/100 ml) and total flavonoid content (148.18 ± 0.40 mg QE/100 ml) were found in Taikor extract, which compliance with its highest DPPH scavenging activity and antibacterial properties. It exerted a significantly higher (p ≤ 0.05) zone of inhibition against Escerichia coli, Staphylococcus spp. and Pseudomonas spp. than the other experimented fruit extracts. The antioxidant activity was found as Taikor (43.15 ± 1.61%)> Roselle (33.07 ± 1.61%) > Olive (28.68 ± 0.78%) > Jujube (24.81 ± 1.34%). Bacillus spp. are found to be more susceptible to the experimented sample extracts. Fruit samples studied may be utilized as potential sources of natural antioxidants and antibacterial compounds, and their extracts may be used as natural biopreservatives to extend the shelf life of foodstuffs. Bangladesh J. Bot. 50(4): 1035-1039, 2021 (December)

The present study was conducted to explore major bioactive compounds, antioxidant properties, along with individual phenolic compounds of Syzygium cumini fruit pulp (edible part, pulp with peel) and seed. The in vitro antioxidant properties of S. cumini fruit pulp and seed were analyzed using 2,2-diphenil-1-pycrilhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2´-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazolin)-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) free radical scavenging assay methods. Phenolic profiles were explored using high performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector (HPLC–DAD). Total phenolics, flavonoids, and tannin content were significantly (P < 0.05) higher in seed extract and displayed better antioxidant properties than that of pulp extract. The antioxidant activities of S. cumini seed extract was comparable with other potent antioxidants like ascorbic acid. S. cumini seed extract demonstrated significantly higher antioxidant activity than ascorbic acid in ABTS free radical scavenging assay. Regression analysis showed a strong positive correlation between the concentration of bioactive compounds and free radical scavenging activity of the samples. Additionally, ten individual phenolic compounds among the nineteen standards were identified using HPLC–DAD analysis. Contents of gallic acid, epicatechin, and catechin hydrate were predominant among the identified phenolic compounds. This study showed that the seed of S. cumini has immense potential as a source of natural bioactive compounds with excellent antioxidant properties. The findings of the present study are pioneering to move to advanced research on the utilization of S. cumini seed as an alternative to artificial antioxidants in food products.

Laboratory experiment was conducted to study the biochemical and quality parameters of tea i.e. Polyphenol, Theaflavin (TF), Thearubigin (TR), Caffeine, Lipid, Total ash, Chlorophyll, Moisture content etc. under different variables designed for age, topography, and processing system imposed on an established tea orchard. Results revealed that plant age and topography do not have any significant effect on most of the studied parameters. In case of plant age, tannin is found to be significantly higher in mature tea plant (39.35 ppm) whereas young plant showed significantly lower total sugar content (28.98 ppm). In case of land elevation, significantly higher tannin (37.41 ppm) and lower carotenoid content (0.74 mg/g) were evident in plants from kunchi topography where flat topography showed significantly higher total sugar (26.62 ppm) in leaves. The handmade tea flavoured with significantly higher amount of polyphenol (58.57 ppm) and caffein (43.30 ppm) but industry made tea showed significantly higher amount of tannin (37.65 ppm), total sugar (15.25 ppm) and TF:TR (1:10). Bangladesh J. Bot. 50(3): 633-639, 2021 (September)

The effect of pulsed electric field (PEF) treatment on pineapple juice, applied in a batch system, was studied in terms of change in microbial community, bioactive compounds, and antioxidant capacity. Among the bioactive compounds, total phenolic content (TPC), flavonoid, ascorbic acid, and β-carotene content were evaluated. The results were monitored over a 10 days of storage at −20 oC and compared with that of untreated juice sample. A PEF device-designed and fabricated in laboratory-was used for this purpose and the applied electric field strength were 9 kV/cm, 11 kV/cm, and 13 kV/cm at a frequency of 100 Hz. Highest microbial inactivation was observed at 13 kV/cm field intensity, which was the greatest possible field strength supplied by the PEF system. During storage, microbes grew in PEF treated juice, though at a slower pace than the untreated one, since the applied field intensity was far short of critical value to inactivate them entirely.