Shelf stable ready to serve sugarcane juice technology: development and economic analysis

The variety Coj 85 was selected for preparing sugarcane juice beverage on the basis of yield and sensory attributes from two promising varieties of sugarcane. Sugarcane juice beverage samples were prepared by pasteurizing the sugarcane juice at 70°C for 10 minutes and adding flavourings and salt. The result revealed that good quality beverage from sugarcane juice of variety COJ 85 can be prepared by addition of lemon as flavor enhancer and source of citric acid (anti oxidant), salt as flavoring compound and mint and ginger as flavor enhancer. Sugarcane juice is a very popular drink in India but still it is rarely available commercially in packaged form, since it is traditionally sold in Punjab by roadside vendors, often in unhygienic conditions. The technologies should be developed for ready to serve sugarcane and making it a popular health drink.