Author(s): Gagan Dip and Poonam Aggarwal

Abstract: Carbonated beverages infused with fruit flavors are valuable source of vital nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, and various beneficial bioactive compounds. Plums considered as delectable and nutritious addition to fruit based carbonated drinks, providing rich display of essential vitamins, minerals, and potent antioxidants. Their inclusion not only enhances beverage's flavor but also contributes to its health promoting qualities. Plums are furthermore valuable dietary fiber source. Plum juice was obtained through a screw type extraction process and afterward concentrated to a range of 13.62 to 68.60 degrees Brix. Carbonated beverage infused with plum juice concentrate blend was formed and established according to criteria about both biochemical and sensory attributes. For the formulation of carbonated plum beverage, several concentrations of plum fruit concentrate, i.e., 5%, 7.5%, and 10%, were employed in combination with sugar syrup and chilled carbonated water. These variations in concentrate levels were incorporated to fine-tune the beverage's flavor and characteristics. The results indicate that use of 7.5% plum juice concentrate in the carbonated beverage formulation yielded greater sensory quality while retaining a significant quantity of biochemical attributes.

DOI: 10.33545/26174693.2023.v7.i2Se.231