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R. WOROBO, Department of Food Science and Technology, Cornell University, Geneva, NY 14456

Fresh, unprocessed citrus juice is highly perishable due to spoilage by microorganisms. Unprocessed citrus juice has also been implicated in foodborne illness outbreaks because of the lack of a microbial kill step. Traditionally, pasteurization was the sole processing option to extend the shelf life and ensure the safety of citrus juice. Thermal pasteurization can impart some undesirable organoleptic changes in addition to some detrimental affects to the nutritional quality of the juice. Recently, non-thermal processing alternatives have been investigated for their efficacy to extend shelf life and enhance the safety of citrus juice while minimizing organoleptic and nutritional qualities of the juice. Non-thermal processing alternatives investigated have included dimethyl dicarbonate, ultraviolet light, high-pressure treatment and pulsed electric field. These various processes will be described as to their effectiveness against spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms as well as their feasibility for different sized juice producers.