Vol. 9, Special Issue 10, Part I (2025)

A preliminary assessment comparing two grapefruit cultivars (NRCC‑6 and Imperial) for physicochemical and sensory attributes identified the Imperial cultivar as superior, owing to its higher juice yield (46.8%), higher TSS (10.8 °Brix), lower titratable acidity (0.88%), and elevated sensory scores for taste (8.4) and overall acceptability (8.07). RTS beverages were then formulated using juice of Cv. Imperial. Three TSS levels (14°, 15°, 16°Brix) and three acidity levels (0.30%, 0.35%, 0.40%), and stored under cold storage condition (5±2 °C). During storage, Total Soluble Solids, titratable acidity, total and reducing sugars steadily increased, while non‑reducing sugars declined. Sensory evaluation revealed progressive decreases in colour, flavour, taste, and overall acceptability across all treatments. Shelf life defined as the last day the overall acceptability remained at or above the sensory threshold ranged from 32 days for T₁ (14 °Brix + 0.30% acidity) to 63 days for T₈ (16 °Brix & 0.35% acidity) and T₉ (16 °Brix  & 0.40% acidity). Among all formulations, treatment T₉ (16°Brix & 0.40% acidity) consistently maintained the highest physicochemical stability and sensory quality, achieving a shelf life of 63 days. These results demonstrate that a higher TSS combined with higher acidity is critical for extending the shelf life stability and enhancing the consumer acceptability of grapefruit RTS beverages.