Non-enzymatic browning due to storage is reduced by using clarified lemon juice as acidifier in industrial-scale production of canned peach halves

Non-enzymatic browning (NEB) in canned peach halves in syrup during storage was investigated. Absorbance at 420 nm (A₄₂₀), colorimetric parameters (CIELab, TCD and La/b), fructose, glucose and sucrose, total sugar, organic acids, ascorbic acid (AA), dehydroascorbic acid, and 2,3-diketogulonic acid were used to estimate the extent of NEB during 1 year of storage at 30 °C and the relationships between each of these parameters and A₄₂₀ were established. The investigation was carried out to explore the possibility of replacing the E330 commonly used as acidifier by turbid or clarified lemon juice (TLJ or CLJ) to obtain a product having good nutrition with better retention of quality. The a, La/b, glucose and fructose were positively correlated with A₄₂₀ and all proved to be good indicators of browning development. Overall results showed that replacement of acidifier E330 with CLJ for controlling pH in canned peach halves in syrup had some advantages.