Standardization of Protocol for Ready-to-Serve Dragon Fruit (Hylocereus polyrhizus L.) Beverages

Abstract

The experiment was conducted during 2022-2023 in the Processing Laboratory, Department of Horticulture, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Allahabad, to standardise a ready-to-serve (RTS) dragon fruit beverage. The experiment was laid out in a Completely Randomised Design with 12 treatments and three replications. Fresh dragon fruits obtained from a local market were examined for physio-morphological features and used to prepare RTS beverages with different combinations of fruit juice concentration, total soluble solids (TSS) and acidity. The beverages were stored at room temperature for 45 days, and quality and organoleptic changes were recorded at 15-day intervals. The results showed that treatment T12 (35% dragon fruit juice + 45°B TSS + 1% acidity) consistently recorded the highest TSS (14.91-15.53 °Brix), acidity (0.31-0.38%), ascorbic acid (12.93-9.29 mg/100 g), total sugar (12.68-14.42%), reducing sugar (4.86-5.68%), non-reducing sugar (7.82-8.74%) and overall acceptability (8.58-8.14) during storage. The TSS: acid ratio and sugar: acid ratio decreased during storage because acidity increased. Sensory attributes, including taste, aroma, colour, texture and overall acceptability, declined gradually over 45 days; however, T12 remained superior to the other treatments. Treatment T11 ranked second in sensory preference. Based on the treatments evaluated, T12 may be considered the most suitable formulation for preparing dragon fruit RTS beverage under the conditions of this study.