BIOCORE JOURNALS

Abstract:

Present investigation was undertaken to prepare carbonated beverage from pomegranate juice. Fruits of Ganesh variety were used in investigation. The yield of pomegranate juice obtained on whole fruit basis was 43 per cent while it was 68 per cent on aril weight basis. The carbonated beverage was prepared with 5,10,15,20 percent pomegranate juice with blending of ginger juice at 1, 2, 3 per cent by maintaining the TSS at 15 Brix and acidity 0.32 per cent. Based on the organoleptic evaluation, carbonated beverage with 10 per cent pomegranate juice and ginger juice 1 per cent was best among all the levels.

Keywords: Pomegranate, Carbonated Beverage, Pomegranate Juice, Ginger Juice

Introduction:

Pomegranate Fruit Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) is one of the most important fruit crops in India because of its adaptable nature, high profitability and being cultivated on a commercial scale in temperate, tropical and subtropical regions of country^[11]. Its fruits are good source of nutrients and bioactive compounds, mainly anthocyanins which exhibit strong chemo-preventive activities such as antimutagenicity, antihypertension, antioxidative potential and reduction of liver injury^[12,13]. The edible part of the pomegranate is called aril which constitutes about 52% of total fruit (w/w), comprising 78% juice and 22% seeds^[10,4]. Joseph Priestly (1767) invented carbonation process in which carbonated water was made by passing pressurized carbon dioxide through water. The pressure increases the solubility and allows more carbon dioxide to dissolve than would be possible under standard atmospheric pressure. When the bottle was opened, the pressure is released allowing the gas to come out of the solution, thus forming the characteristic bubbles.

A method of preparation of carbonated RTS beverages using pomegranate syrup was described .Preparation and storage of carbonated ready to serve (RTS) pomegranate beverage. The pomegranate syrup consisted of 100% fruit juice, 0.5% citric acid and brix was maintained at 65%. The syrup was diluted to 5 times and then carbonated. Carbonated RTS beverage from acidic tamarind pulp was developed by exposing the pulp to mixture of food enzymes .Tamarind RTS beverage was prepared using 12.5% tamarind extract, 0.4% acidity and adjusting to 16° brix. It was demonstrated that carbonated coconut beverages packed in glass bottles with crown cork seal can be safely preserved for 6 months period at an ambient temperature range of 28- 32°C. Fruits like pomegranate, orange, amla and lemon because of high acidity and sharp taste are not palatable for direct consumption. To make them fit for human consumption and available throughout the year in the form of beverage, a reliable, controllable and reproducible technology has been developed for production of carbonated beverage with preservation of all the nutrients of the fruit.

Compared to fruit juices the formulations of carbonated fruit beverage offers more variety of flavors nutrients long shelf life and other physiological benefits with a greater margin of safety in drink with a lower inherent cost. In the present study carbonated pomegranate beverage was successfully prepared from the pomegranate juice and physicochemical properties with sensory evaluation were studied.

Materials and Methods:
Pomegranate fruits:

Pomegranate fruits of ganesh variety were obtained from koyambedu anna fruit market from Chennai. The fruits of uniform size, color, and maturity were used for investigation.

Moisture:

The moisture contents of the fruits were determined according to standard method. (Method 934.06 of AOAC, 1990).

Titratable:

acidity Acidity of juice was determined by titration with 0.01 N sodium hydroxide^[16]. The per cent acidity was expressed in terms of anhydrous citric acid.

Ash:

The sample (5 g) was kept in a muffle furnace and ashed at a temperature not exceeding 525 ˚C for 6 hours. The ash was then cooled in a desiccator and weighed. The ash content was recorded as g per 100 g-fresh weights (g/100 g-fw) (method 940.26 of AOAC, 1990).

Sugars and soluble solids:

Total sugars, reducing sugars and total soluble solids content in the pomegranate fruits were estimated by following the procedures of 932.12 of AOAC (1990).

Total Soluble Solids:

(T.S.S) Total Soluble Solids were determined by using Abbes refractometer (0-32˚Bx) and expressed in degree brix (˚Bx).

Ascorbic acid:

Determination of ascorbic acid was done by 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol dye method suggested by Ranganna ^[16].

Sugars

Reducing, non-reducing and total sugars were determined by the methods of Lane and Eynon^[12] with slight modifications suggested by Ranganna^[16].

Anthocyanin content:

The total anthocyanin pigment were measured by the method of Flueki and Francis^[16] with slight modification suggested by Khurdiya and Roy^[9].

Organoleptic:

Evaluation It has been long recognized that enjoyment of Food product is essential for good health. Enjoyment would mean choice, acceptance, nutrition and whole sameness. The 9 point hedonic scale for sensory evaluation has been used extensively since, its developments with a wide variety of products and with considerable success.

Development and Characterization of a Carbonated Pomegranate Beverage:

The pure pomegranate extract was blended with food additives mentioned above in accordance with standard set by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The resulting solution is a pomegranate soft drink. Carbonation was done in carbonation pilot plant. To carbonate the product, it was first absorption of CO2, which was then added to the pomegranate soft drink with the aid of carbonator. The temperature and pressure of the carbonator gauge varied at 100 to 120 psi and three different stages to vary the volume of CO2 in the pomegranate soft drink represented as sample A (Used 10 % pomegranate juice), B (Used 12% pomegranate juice), C (Used 15% pomegranate juice) was carbonated. The product was then bottled and sealed immediately for freshness. The product (carbonated pomegranate drink) was then analysed to determine the chemical content, pH, titratable acidity, brix, carbohydrate, protein and etc. Storage of the carbonated beverage

Storage of carbonated beverage:

was done at two different condition viz., ambient storage ( 12.2- 33.1oC)and cool storage (5-8 oC) for a period of three months.

Statistical analysis:

Statistical analysis of the results during storage of carbonated beverage of pomegranate juice was done according to the Factorial Completely Randomised Design (FCRD).

Results and Discussion:
Physico-chemical characteristics of pomegranate fruit and juice:

Fruits of pomegranate cv. Ganesh used in present investigation were having following physical as well as chemical properties.

The values of physico-chemical characteristics of pomegranate fruits and juice used in present investigation are comparable with those reported by Swaminathan (1977), Soodet al. (1982), Jagtap et al. (1992), Waskar and Deshmukh (1995) and Vaidya et al. (1998).

Carbonated beverages of various compositions have been reported by several workers. The values of various chemical parameters of carbonated beverage prepared from 10% pomegranate juice and 1% ginger juice are comparable with those reported by Khurdiya et al. (1989), Rokadeet al. (2001), Shelar (2001)and Jadhavet al. (2002).

The carbonated beverage prepared from pomegranate juice could be stored for two months in ambient condition storage and three months in cool storage condition. During storage of the carbonated beverage slight changes in chemical composition were recorded. Increase in T.S.S., pH, reducing sugars, non-reducing sugars and total sugars as well as decrease in titrable acidity, ascorbic acid and anthocyanin content was recorded in all treatments irrespective of storage condition . The rate of increase in T.S.S., pH, reducing sugars, non-reducing sugars and total sugars as well as decrease in titrable acidity, ascorbic acid and anthocyanin content was higher in ambient condition than cool storage condition. Similar findings were reported by Khurdiya et al. (1996) and Shelar (2001).

The score for all sensory attributes decreased gradually during storage period. The decrease in score for taste, flavor, colour and overall acceptability was rapid in ambient storage condition than cool storage condition Similar findings were reported by Khurdiya et al. (1996), and Shelar (2001).

References:

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