Pollen immobilized enzymes for boosted apple juice deoxygenation

Browning-induced deterioration of juice flavor leads to substantial economic losses annually. The glucose oxidase (GOX) and catalase (CAT) cascade system suppresses browning at its source through oxygen removal while preserving the sensory characteristics of food products. However, free enzymes are environmentally sensitive and unrecoverable. Therefore, this study developed a co-immobilized enzyme system by encapsulating GOX and CAT within pollen shells (GCP), establishing a biocompatible and practical immobilized enzyme approach for juice deoxygenation and browning inhibition. The results indicated that GCP exhibited an enzyme loading efficiency of 34.8%. Compared with free enzymes, the GCP exhibited higher affinity for glucose with a 7.23 mM reduction in K m value and displayed excellent stability over a broader pH range (3-8) and at elevated temperatures (up to 60 °C). When applied to apple juice processing, the in-situ cascade reaction minimizes mass transfer-induced adverse effects on juice quality. Ultimately, GCP effectively suppressed browning and adverse effects on physicochemical properties.