Optimization of Chayote–Mandarin Blended Beverage

Abstract

Chayote is an underutilized fruit with bland flavour and is available abundantly in Sikkim. To minimize post–harvest losses through value addition, an investigation was conducted to produce refreshing RTS beverage. The blending of mandarin juice was done to make it flavourful and one of the healthy alternatives for the consumers. The full factorial experimental design was followed to optimize chayote juice to mandarin juice and level of juice contents. The optimum composition from 15 experiments were decided based on quality of the juice i.e., colour, TSS, pH, titratable acidity, ascorbic acid, and sensory attributes. An ANOVA results confirmed that the process variables produced significant changes in TSS, pH, titratable acidity, and ascorbic acid. However, the highest values of dependent variables like TSS (16.27°Brix) were found for treatment T₄, pH (4.40) for treatment T₄, titratable acidity (1.08%) for treatment T₁₂, ascorbic acid (14.91mg/100g) for treatment T₉. The DMRT analysis also showed that treatments with different letters are significantly different. The sensory indices and ranking proved that the likeliness of beverage prepared in different treatment were different and no specific treatment had overall highest rating. Therefore, treatment with consistent perception for all attributes and high on ranking was considered the better. The treatment T₂, was therefore considered as optimum and was also confirmed with colour, TSS, pH, titratable acidity, and ascorbic acid values as well. Treatment T₂ was prepared by blending chayote with mandarin at 1:1 ratio and 10% juice content.