Vitamin and Antioxidant Properties of Kunuaya Produced with Supplemented Water Melon Juice

Abstract

Assessing the nutritional, antioxidant, and sensory properties of a ready-to-serve beverage prepared from blends of watermelon and tiger nut juice was the aim of the current study. Tiger nut and watermelon juices were made separately and combined in the following ratios: 50:50, 60:40, 70:30, 80:20, 90:10, 100:0, and 0:100. After being separately pasteurized for 15 minutes at 72°C, the mixed juices were cooled, put into sterile glass bottles, labelled, and kept at 4°C before being exposed to different analyses. The findings show that all blends are high in vitamins and antioxidants, with vitamin C levels ranging from 1,63 to 4,67 mg/g, DPPH percentages from 3.85 to 27,15, and FRAP levels from 1.22 to 3.04 mg/g. Each blend's vitamin content is raised by adding more water melon juice. The findings of the sensory evaluation show that while the blend as a whole is acceptable in terms of taste, colour, consistency, and flavours and is safe to consume, the 50:50% blends are the most valued and well accepted. According to the results, water melon has very high vitamin C content. It is added to each mix in a varied ratio, which raises the vitamin C content in each blend. It is advised that additional research be done on the beverage's therapeutic qualities, antioxidant content, and storage stability in order to ascertain its shelf life.