Enzymatic browning inhibition and antioxidant activity of pear juice from a new cultivar of asian pear (Pyrus pyrifolia Nakai cv. Sinhwa) with different concentrations of ascorbic acid.

Different ascorbic acid (AA) concentrations of 0.16, 0.20, and 0.24% (w/v) were added to pear juice from the new cultivar Pyrus pyrifolia Nakai cv. "Sinhwa". Enzymatic browning reduction and antioxidant activity were analyzed after 24 h at 37°C. Juices with 0.20% added AA showed the highest inhibition of 78.8% of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity. L* values of juices a with 0.20 and 0.24% added AA decreased more slowly than controls lacking AA addition and juice with 0.16% added AA after storage for 24 h. Browning indices of juices with added AA were lower than for controls. However, indices increased after storage for 24 h. The DPPH radical-scavenging activity, reducing power, and nitrite scavenging activity of all juices with added AA were higher than for controls and decreased after storage for 24 h. Addition of 0.20% AA to pear juice from the new "Sinhwa" cultivar showed the highest browning activity reduction.