Thermosonication Processing of a Chickpea-Based Beverage and Its Effect on Microbiological and Physicochemical Quality

Pasteurization is a treatment used to reduce the microbial load in beverages; however, it can affect some nutrients. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of using thermosonication as an alternative to pasteurization on a chickpea-based beverage. The beverage was developed with the chickpea variety ‘El Patrón’ and inoculated with a strain of Salmonella typhi at a concentration of 1.47 × 10 7 CFU/ mL. The following treatment involved the application of ultrasound waves at different durations (15, 30, and 45 min) and amplitudes (50, 75, and 100%) at temperatures of 25 and 50 °C, while a control group was pasteurized. The effects of the treatments on the colour, protein digestibility, and viscosity of the product were evaluated. The effectiveness of the ultrasound treatment was greater when performed at 50 °C; the optimal thermosonication treatment is at 75% amplitude and 40 min. Additionally, higher viscosity was observed in the chickpea beverage treated with thermosonication (3500 mPa·s), while protein digestibility was increased by 5%. This ultrasound method is a viable alternative to thermal pasteurization in the preparation of chickpea-based beverages.