The inactivation kinetics of PME in an orange juice-milk beverage system treated by thermal (65-80 degrees C) and combined thermal (25-65 degrees C)-high pressure (0.1-700 MPa) processes were fitted using a biphasic model. About 6-8% of the initial activity corresponding to the heat and pressure stable fraction was observed. For complete inactivation a treatment at 90 degrees C, 1 min or 700 MPa at 55 degrees C for 2 min was necessary showing the protective effect of the orange-milk media. The extent of inactivation was different in the orange matrices showing that PM E was more thermostable in the orange juice-milk based beverage system as compared to the purified enzyme in a buffer system. On the other hand, the purified enzyme in a buffer system showed the highest pressure stability. Parameters such as pH (from acid in the orange juice matrices to basic in the buffer), matrix composition (from less to more complex) and purification level of the enzyme (purified in the buffer or nature in the orange juice) play an important role in the stability of the PME against the different processing technologies studied. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.