Abstract

In this study, the effects of enzyme and sonicator usage on the juice amount and antioxidant activity of raw and ripe Myrtus communis L. fruit were investigated. Raw and ripe myrtle fruits collected from the same tree were divided into 4 groups. After crushing by adding equal weight of water, the first group was affected with a sonicator and, the second group with hydrolytic enzyme mixture. The third group with a sonicator after the enzyme mixture and the fourth group is the control group in which no application was made. After the fruit juices were filtered, their amounts, turbidity and antioxidant activities were compared with the control group and each other. According to the results obtained, the amount of fruit juice was higher only in the enzyme-activated group than in the others. The use of sonicator caused a decrease in the amount of raw myrtle juice. Turbidity values of only enzyme-treated myrtle juices were lower than all other samples. In order to determine antioxidant activities, total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), iron reducing power (FRAP) and radical scavenging activities (ABTS) were determined, and it was observed that raw myrtle had higher antioxidant activity than mature myrtle. In addition, the use of enzymes and sonicators in general led to an increase in TFC value as 70.7 % and 283.6% for raw and ripe juices, respectively whereas in the ABTS activity, 29 % and 28 % increament was observed.