Effects of thermal and non-thermal processing technologies on physicochemical stability, nutritional quality, and flavor profile of melon juice.

This study systematically evaluated and compared the effects of low-temperature long-time (LTLT) processing, high-temperature short-time (HTST) processing, high-pressure processing (HPP), and magnetically induced heating (MIH) treatments on the comprehensive quality and volatile flavor characteristics of melon juice. Based on comprehensive analysis under different treatment parameters (temperature, pressure, and voltage), it was found that LTLT and HTST processing easily caused browning, reduced stability, and generated off-flavors. In contrast, HPP and MIH technologies achieved commercial sterilization while retaining up to 90% of bioactive compounds, enhancing antioxidant capacity, and better retaining characteristic volatile profile. Specifically, the HPP500 group exhibited the lowest turbidity (451.17 NTU) and centrifugal sedimentation rate (2.52%), along with a more uniform particle size distribution, effectively maintaining system stability. These findings suggested that HPP was the optimal choice for maintaining the flavor and quality of melon juice, providing a robust theoretical foundation for the processing of high-quality fruit and vegetable juices.