Physical, chemical, and sensory properties of a turmeric-fortified pineapple juice beverage

Authors: Sun, Xiuxiu; Follett, Peter; Wall, Marisa; Duff, Keegan; Wu, Xiaohua; SHU, CHANG - Oak Ridge Institute For Science And Education (ORISE); Plotto, Anne; Liang, Peishih; Stockton, Dara

Submitted to: Foods
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/6/2023
Publication Date: 6/9/2023
Citation: Sun, X.N., Follett, P.A., Wall, M.M., Duff, K.S., Wu, X., Shu, C., Plotto, A., Liang, P., Stockton, D.G. 2023. Physical, chemical, and sensory properties of a turmeric-fortified pineapple juice beverage. Foods. 12(12). Article 2323. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12122323.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12122323

Interpretive Summary: Due to its high nutritional and medicinal value, turmeric has been increasingly used on the popular markets to produce functional drinks. However, turmeric drinks have a strong earthy and spicy taste profile and are not always perceived well by the consumers, which greatly limit their marketability at higher concentrations. Pineapple, on the other hand, is one of the most popular crops in Hawaii with high yield. The objectives of this study were to develop a turmeric-fortified functional drink based on pineapple juice, and to evaluate its physical, chemical, sensory, and functional properties. The positive outcomes of this study provide greater market potential for turmeric and expand the health benefit of pineapple juice.

Technical Abstract: We developed beverage mixtures based on pineapple (Ananas comosus) and turmeric (Curcuma longa) juice as a ready-to-drink product, and evaluated its physicochemical, nutritional, and sensory properties. Four different concentrations of turmeric juice (5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% (v/v)) were added to pineapple juice to make turmeric-fortified pineapple juice samples. Pineapple juice without turmeric was the control. The L*, a*, b*, titratable acidity (TA), total antioxidant capacity, and % DPPH scavenging values, as well as the concentration of the phenolic compounds curcumin and desmethoxycurcumin, were significantly increased with increasing turmeric concentration. While the antioxidant activity of the juice samples increased with increasing turmeric concentration, the 10% of turmeric pineapple juice showed the highest overall preference by panelists. Greater concentrations of turmeric were associated with decreased palatability due to reduced mouthfeel and sweetness, and increased aftertaste and sourness. These results suggest that pineapple juice fortified with 10% of turmeric juice could be developed into a commercial functional beverage as it increases the overall flavor and nutritional quality of the juice.