DEVELOPMENT AND STORAGE STABILITY OF LOW-CALORIE HILL LEMON AND GINGER READY-TO-SERVE (RTS) BEVERAGE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.48165/abr.2026.28.01.20Keywords:
Ginger, hill lemon, low-calorie beverage, ready-to-serve, storageAbstract
The growing consumer demand for healthier beverages has increased interest in functional drinks with enhanced nutritional benefits. The present study aimed to develop, standardize, and evaluate a low-calorie ready-to-serve (RTS) beverage combining hill lemon (Citrus pseudolimon Tan.) and ginger (Zingiber officinale) juice blends as a refreshing antioxidant-rich drink. Fresh hill lemon fruits (447 g average weight, 42.7% juice yield, and 4.94% acidity) and ginger juice with high antioxidant activity (72%) but low TSS (3.1°Brix) were used. Three formulations were prepared using different ratios of hill lemon-ginger juice and sweeteners (sugar, sorbitol, honey, and stevia). The highest sensory acceptability was observed for the 85:15 juice ratio with a stevia: sugar (75:25) blend. Nutritional analysis showed that stevia-based formulations significantly reduced sugar content while maintaining antioxidant activity and ascorbic acid. FTIR analysis confirmed functional groups (O–H, C–H, and C–O) associated with key bioactive compounds. During 90 days of storage, acidity, ascorbic acid, antioxidant activity, and sensory quality gradually declined, with glass bottles performing better than PET. Overall, the developed low-calorie hill lemon–ginger RTS beverage shows strong potential as a functional drink for health-conscious consumers and commercial applications.
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