Exploring the potential of emerging thermal and non-thermal processing techniques for tomato juice preservation: A comprehensive review

• Tomato juice contains carotenoid, phenolic and vitamin C-rich functional powerhouse • Thermal treatments have less consumer preference than non-thermal treatments • Non-thermal treatments better retain nutrients and bioactive compounds • Ultrasound, high-pressure and cold plasma processing produce safe and stable juice • Integrated processing approach enable scalable and sustainable high-quality juice Tomato juice is a nutrient-rich beverage due to its high content of carotenoids, phenolics, and vitamin C, which increase its functional importance. However, its high perishability and enzymatic activity necessitate proper processing approaches to maintain safety. This review highlights the effects of thermal and non-thermal processing techniques on tomato juice. It focuses on safety, enzyme activity, functionality, storage stability, and retention of nutrients and bioactive compounds. Techniques discussed include pasteurization, hot break (HB), cold break (CB), ohmic heating (OH), microwave heating, ultrasound (US), high hydrostatic pressure (HHP), cold plasma (CP), pulsed electric field (PEF), hydrodynamic cavitation (HDC), ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (UV-LED), and dynamic high-pressure microfluidization (DHPM). Across studies, non- thermal techniques and hybrid approaches were consistent in better retention of bioactives, and antioxidant activity (AOA). These also resulted in preservation of color, and improvement of storage stability, while attaining microbiologically pure juice. Among all, HHP, CP, and US combined with heat effectively enhanced juice nutrients and bioaccessibility, as well as prolonged the storage life with limited resource usage, consistently. Combined strategies further enhanced microbial safety. In contrast, traditional thermal approaches were commonly used to guarantee microbiological safety. However, these lowered carotenoids, ascorbic acid (AA), and phenolic compounds. These also resulted in loss of color and flavor changes. In conclusion, novel thermal and non-thermal techniques, as well as their combination with other approaches, exhibit an eco-friendly and energy-optimized substitute for traditional processing. Future investigation should be carried out to explore the industrial scale-up, interactions of carotenoids, cost effectiveness, and intelligent hybrid or combined process strategies for the overall safety of tomato juice.