Development and Quality Assessment of a Natural Pineapple-based Isotonic Drink

Abstract

The increasing demand for natural isotonic beverages has driven the utilisation of fruit-based raw materials with added functional benefits. The study developed and evaluated five pineapple-based isotonic beverage formulations containing pineapple (Ananas comosus) juice, sucrose, coconut water, citric acid, carboxymethyl cellulose, and controlled levels of colourant, flavour, and sodium metabisulfite. Osmolality, antioxidant capacity, total phenolic content, and sensory acceptability were assessed. Samples were analysed in triplicate for osmolality and antioxidant-related measurements, and sensory responses were obtained using a 9-point hedonic scale. Osmolality ranged from 268.00 to 596.00 mOsm/kg. F1 recorded 272.50 ± 13.44 mOsm/kg, while F3 recorded 268.00 ± 13.44 mOsm/kg, slightly below the manuscript’s stated target range; F2 and F5 exceeded that range, and F4 was at its upper limit. F1 and F3 each showed DPPH radical scavenging activity of 82.08 ± 0.24%, FRAP values of 110.40 ± 0.85 mg FeSO₄ equivalents/100 g, and total phenolic content of 147.43 ± 1.59 mg GAE/100 g. F4 and F5 showed higher FRAP and total phenolic content values but also had higher osmolality. Sensory evaluation with 40 semi-trained panellists indicated that F5 received the highest scores for colour, aroma, taste, carbonation perception, and overall acceptability, although it also had the highest osmolality. These findings show a formulation-dependent trade-off between physicochemical suitability, measured antioxidant characteristics, and sensory acceptance. Under the conditions of this study, F1 and F3 provided the most favourable combination of lower osmolality and antioxidant activity, while sensory preference alone favoured F5.