The potential of osmotic distillation (OD) and coupled operation of membrane distillation (MD) and OD processes (CO) for concentration of pomegranate juice was investigated comparatively with a view to the impact on product quality and process performance. The pomegranate juice (17 degrees Bx) which was previously clarified by combined application of fining agents (gelatin and bentonite) and ultrafiltration (UF), was concentrated up to 55-57 degrees Bx by OD, CO or thermal evaporation (TE). Both membrane-based concentration techniques were very efficient in preventing the original characteristics (pH, total titratable acidity (TTA), color characteristics, total antioxidant activity (TAA), total phenolic content (TPC), total monomeric anthocyanins (TMA), individual phenolics and organic acid composition) of the clarified juice. Concentration with TE, however, resulted considerable losses in natural color and TAA, and in a marked formation of hydroxymethyl furfural (HMF). CO was the most feasible approach for concentration of pomegranate juice, allowing to reach higher concentration levels in shorter periods of operation time with a slight increase (5 degrees C) in temperature of the juice in comparison with OD. The results of this study highlighted the need for an effective pre-clarification step prior to UF to contribute to the improvement of the efficiency of the overall membrane-based system. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.