Cashew apples are often discarded after nut extraction, despite their potential for juice production. This study aimed to clarify cashew apple juice using pectinases extracted from the epicarp of papaya cultivar Solo 8. These enzymes were previously purified using ammonium sulfate precipitation followed by dialysis and isoelectric focusing. Cashew apples were sourced from a village plantation in Bondoukou, Gontougo region. Clarification tests were conducted using standard methods. According to the results, the juice clarity improved significantly over 120 minutes: from 44.67% to 83.18% with pectin methylesterase, to 93.32% with polygalacturonase, and to 72.44% with pectin lyase. The browning index and color intensity of the raw juice decreased from 82.98 to 41.69% and from 75.86 to 26.91%, respectively. The vitamin C content declined from 327.82 to 202.94 mg/100 mL (pectin methylesterase), 280.99 mg/100 mL (polygalacturonase), and 208.70 mg/100 mL (pectin lyase). Viscosity reductions were also notable: 67% with pectin methylesterase, 72% with polygalacturonase, and 59% with pectin lyase. Among enzyme combinations, the most effective was a mix of pectin methylesterase (0.087 mg/mL) and polygalacturonase (0.264 mg/mL), which reduced the juice’s viscosity by over 76% and increased its clarity by more than 50%. These findings highlight the potential of papaya-derived pectinases in improving cashew apple juice quality and marketability.
Cashew apples are often discarded after nut extraction, despite their potential for juice production. This study aimed to clarify cashew apple juice using pectinases extracted from the epicarp of papaya cultivar Solo 8. These enzymes were previously purified using ammonium sulfate precipitation followed by dialysis and isoelectric focusing. Cashew apples were sourced from a village plantation in Bondoukou, Gontougo region. Clarification tests were conducted using standard methods. According to the results, the juice clarity improved significantly over 120 minutes: from 44.67% to 83.18% with pectin methylesterase, to 93.32% with polygalacturonase, and to 72.44% with pectin lyase. The browning index and color intensity of the raw juice decreased from 82.98 to 41.69% and from 75.86 to 26.91%, respectively. The vitamin C content declined from 327.82 to 202.94 mg/100 mL (pectin methylesterase), 280.99 mg/100 mL (polygalacturonase), and 208.70 mg/100 mL (pectin lyase). Viscosity reductions were also notable: 67% with pectin methylesterase, 72% with polygalacturonase, and 59% with pectin lyase. Among enzyme combinations, the most effective was a mix of pectin methylesterase (0.087 mg/mL) and polygalacturonase (0.264 mg/mL), which reduced the juice’s viscosity by over 76% and increased its clarity by more than 50%. These findings highlight the potential of papaya-derived pectinases in improving cashew apple juice quality and marketability.