Kinetics of Fe2+ and Vitamin C Retention in a Novel Continuous Simultaneous Extraction and Pasteurization System: Application to Justicia secunda Beverage

This study evaluates the retention of Fe2+ and vitamin C during the processing of Justicia secunda drink using a Continuous Conventional Extraction followed by Pasteurization (CCEP) system in comparison to a Continuous Simultaneous Extraction and Pasteurization (CSEPA) system. In the Continuous Conventional extraction followed by Pasteurization (CCEP) system, the drink was first extracted and then pasteurized while the Continuous Simultaneous Extraction and Pasteurization (CSEPA) system integrates extraction and pasteurization into a single process. The results revealed that the average Fe2+ and vitamin C content of the drink produced from the CSEPA process was significantly higher compared to that from the CCEP process, with average Fe²⁺ and vitamin C contents being higher by 30.65% and 50.60% respectively at optimal processing temperatures. The accumulation of Fe2+ and vitamin C, degradation of Fe2+ in the CSEPA process and degradation of vitamin C in the CCEP process followed a zero-order kinetic model while the degradation of vitamin C in the CSEPA process, accumulation of vitamin C and degradation of Fe2+ in the CCEP process followed a second order kinetic model. The results also revealed that activation energies calculated using the first order and second order equations for Fe2+ and Vitamin C degradations were found to be approximately 12 and 3 times higher for the CSEPA process compared to the CCEP process respectively. This study highlights the potential use of the CSEPA process over the CCEP process since the CSEPA process retains more Fe2+ and vitamin C, and utilizes less processing time, and energy relative to the CCEP process.