Standardization of recipe for the preparation of ready-to-serve (RTS) beverage from sweet orange (Citrus sinensis Osbeck) var. sathgudi using sugar substitutes and its storage

The investigation on standardization of recipe for preparation of ready-to-serve beverage from sweet orange (Citrus sinensis Osbeck) var. sathgudi using sugar substitutes was conducted in the processing laboratory in the Division of Post Harvest Technology, Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru from November 2009 to June 2010. The experiment was laid out in factorial completely randomised design with three replications and six treatments viz., fructose, aspartame, sucralose and their combination with cane sugar (sucrose) with 18% juice and 0.2% acidity. The RTS beverage with sucrose was the control. Sugar substitutes were used in place of sugar based on sugar equivalents. The prepared RTS beverages were stored up to six months and analysed for chemical composition and sensory quality attributes at 0, 3 and 6 months intervals at ambient conditions. In sensory evaluation, RTS with fructose, 50% sucrose+50% fructose, 50% sucrose+50% sucralose were on par with RTS prepared from sucrose and thus were rated as best recipes. During storage period, the TSS, acidity and reducing sugars increased, while pH, total sugars, non-reducing sugars and ascorbic acid decreased. The RTS beverage had storage stability up to six months.