Vol. 7, Special Issue 2, Part E (2023)

Abstract: Carbonated beverages are popular for their ability to quench thirst and provide a refreshing experience, but they lack important nutritional components. An effort has been undertaken to create a carbonated drink based on fruit juice, utilizing peach juice concentrate at varying concentrations (5%, 7.5%, and 10%), in combination by addition of sugar syrup and chilled water containing carbon dioxide. The peach juice was obtained through a screw-type extractor and concentrated from 7.8 to 69.6 °B using a rotary vacuum evaporator. The assessment included determination of both the physicochemical and phytochemical characteristics of peach juice and concentrate. Peaches serve as a valuable source of important vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium, and dietary fiber, along with flavonoids and phenolic compounds. Following preliminary sensory assessments, a 7.5% juice concentrate was selected as the benchmark for formulating the carbonated beverage. In conclusion, mixing peach juice concentrate into carbonated beverages brings a dual benefit: providing consumers with convenient and naturally flavored carbonated drinks while potentially stimulating growth in the fruit based carbonated beverage industry.