Development of value-added beverages from blends of Amla and Ginger juice

Abstract:

Amla (Emblica officinalis) and ginger (Zingiber officinale) have been valued in South Asian traditional food systems for centuries, yet their combined potential as a ready-to-serve functional beverage remains under-explored in modern food processing. This research developed blended beverages from amla and ginger juice at four ratios (90:10, 80:20, 70:30, 60:40 v/v), evaluated their physicochemical, nutritional, and sensory attributes, and monitored shelf stability during 28 days of refrigerated storage (4±1 °C). The work was carried out during September-December 2023 at the Department of Fruit, Agriculture and Forestry University, Rampur, Chitwan. The 80:20 (amla:ginger) blend scored highest in sensory evaluation (8.0/9), retained 168.7 mg/100 mL vitamin C at day 0, and maintained acceptable pH (3.84) and total soluble solids (14.2 °Brix) through 28 days. Total phenolic content declined by 22.8% over storage, yet the day-28 value (264 mg GAE/100 mL) remained nutritionally meaningful. Increasing ginger proportion raised pungency and sourness but reduced overall acceptability beyond the 30% level. The 80:20 blend offers a viable, shelf-stable, nutrient-dense alternative to synthetic-flavoured soft drinks.