The study is aiming at preparation of low-calorie fruit nectars for diabetes and
weight maintaining approaches as well as consumer satisfaction. Therefore, twenty
low-calorie fruit-based formulated nectars were prepared mainly from orange, pomegranate,
guava and mango pulps which sweetened with sucrose or sucrose—
replaced at 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% using stevioside. Primitively, the yield of fresh
fruits had been calculated. Consequently, nutritional, chemical and organoleptical
characteristics of prepared fruit nectars have been determined. Results indicated that
total solids content was in range of 5.57% - 13.20%, 9.90% - 14.37%, 8.25% - 13.27%
and 8.25% - 16.50% for orange, pomegranate, guava and mango nectars, respectively.
Dependently, caloric value resulted 21.57 to 51.08, 38.31 to 55.62, 31.93 to 51.37 and
31.93 to 63.86 kcal 100 g−1 fw for orange, pomegranate, guava and mango nectars,
respectively. Total phenols content [TPC, mg GAE 100 g−1 dw] ranged from 665.12
to 747.41, 1180.42 to 1319.47, 742.54 to 848.27 and 418.01 to 472.42 for orange, pomegranate,
guava and mango nectars, respectively. The antioxidant capacity by
DPPH method [μmol TE g−1 dw] ranged from (20.79 to 26.51), (47.13 to 56.56),
(60.68 to 69.25) and (8.39 to 13.32) for orange, pomegranate, guava and mango nectars,
respectively. Total carotenoids [mg 100 g−1 dw] were the highest in mango nectars
ranged from (102.99 to 110.52) in mango nectar with 100% sugar and mango
nectar with 100% stevioside, respectively. Anthocyanins content recorded 6.14 mg
100 g−1 dw in pomegranate nectar with 100% sugar, while increased to be 9.01 mg 00
g−1 dw in pomegranate nectar with 100% stevioside. Ascorbic acid [mg 100 g fw]
ranged from 23.41 to 27.53, 15.73 to 18.32, 25.72 to 30.87 and 18.07 to 20.98 for
orange, pomegranate, guava and mango nectars, respectively. The results of organoleptical
attributes showed no effect of sugar substituting by stevioside on color, odor
and mouth feel. The most dramatic effect of sugar substituting had been observed on
taste, bitter after taste and the overall acceptability of prepared nectars with high substitution levels. Practically, using stevioside to produce low-calorie nectars was
shown to be satisfactory up to 50% - 75% substituting level, resulting low-calorie nectars and could be applied commercially. |
