Process optimization for enzyme aided clarification of watermelon juice

Watermelon juice was exposed to the enzyme masazyme at varying enzyme concentrations (0.01–0.1 % w/w) and different time (20–120 min) and temperature (30–50 °C) combinations. The effects of the treatments on selected responses (juice recovery, total dissolved solids (TDS), viscosity, turbidity, cloud stability and L value) were determined employing a second order Box Behnken Design in combination with Response Surface Methodology. Enzymatic treatment effectively degraded polysaccharides, resulting in reduced viscosity, turbidity and absorbance value and increased juice recovery, total dissolved solids and lightness. R2 value for all models for the dependent variables were greater than 90 %. The maximum juice recovery (86.27 %), TDS (8.7°Brix) and L value (17.57) while minimum viscosity (0.0020 Pa.s.), turbidity (39.37 NTU) and cloud stability (0.033 abs) were obtained when enzyme treatment was set up with 0.09 % w/w enzyme concentration at 46.90 °C and 117.45 min.