Prunus fruit juices

The juice drinks obtained from Prunus fruit species, apricot (Prunus armeniaca), cherry (sweet cherry (Prunus avium) and sour cherry (Prunus cerasus)), peach (Prunus persica), and plum (Prunus domestica), are gaining increasing interest as a convenient alternative to fresh fruits. The conventional thermal pasteurization of fruit juices may cause some quality deterioration, such as nonenzymatic browning, losses of essential nutrients, and changes in physicochemical and organoleptic properties. Recently, novel nonthermal technologies are being extensively explored as promising alternatives to avoid the negative effects of heat pasteurization. The most studied nonthermal processing methods in Prunus fruit juices are pulsed electric fields and high-pressure processing, which are reviewed in detail in the scope of this chapter by describing the aim and the basic concepts, and highlighting their effects on microbial quality, enzymatic activity, and physical, chemical, and sensory properties of Prunus fruit juices.