Optimization of ingredients for a herbal beverage with medicinal attributes

Health oriented individuals are turning to medicinal or herbal preparations as alternative to caffeinated beverages. An organoleptically acceptable arjuna-ginger medicinal mix blended with natural colour (safflower florets) and sweetener (stevia leaves) was developed. Medicinal mix was optimized at 14.64% stevia leaves, 27.45% ginger shreds, 45.73% arjuna bark and 12.18% safflower petals. About 1.64 g of this formulation is appropriate to make 100 ml of hot beverage. The mix contained 9.99–10.54% protein, 20.04–20.53% ash, 42.30–45.39% carbohydrates, 54.0–71.5 mg P, 147–242 mg S, 167–208 mg Ca, 75.7–77.8 mg Mg,17.9–21.9 mg Fe, 0.7–1.1 mg Cu, 0.48–0.7 mg Zn, 5.7–7.9 mg Mn, 0.1 to 1.0° Brix TSS, 0.006 to 0.011% titrable acidity and 35.6–37.6 mg ascorbic acid per 100g of herbal mix. Bright, sparkling and clear infusion of orangish brown colour with pleasant strong aroma and taste was obtained from optimized medicinal formulation. Microbial quality of the product packed in aluminum foil bag was well up to 3 months storage at ambient temperature.