Effects of Ascorbic Acid on the Light-Induced Riboflavin Degradation and Color Changes in Milks

Effects of ascorbic acid (0.025, 0.05, and 0.1%, w/v) on the light-induced riboflavin degradation and color changes in whole and skim milks were studied during 10 h fluorescent light illumination at 7 ± 2 °C. As the time of light illumination increased, the riboflavin content in milks greatly decreased, resulting in 30.1 and 59.1% reduction of riboflavin in whole milk and skim milk after 10 h exposure to fluorescent light, respectively. The ascorbic acid treatment effectively protected the photodegradation of riboflavin in both whole milk and skim milk, and its effectiveness is concentration dependent. The 0.1% ascorbic acid treatments resulted in 50.0 and 25.5% inhibition of riboflavin reduction in whole milk and skim milk after 10 h fluorescent light illumination, respectively. The color parameters of lightness (L), greenness (−a), and yellowness (b) in both whole milk and skim milk decreased after light illumination. Ascorbic acid treatment also protected effectively the changes in greenness and yellow...