Development of smoothies from selected fruit pulps/juices

Smoothies with improved sensory characteristics were developed by blending selected tropical Indian fruit pulps/juices. Fruit pulps from mango, papaya, sapota, banana; juices from green grapes and pineapple were blended at various proportions (10-60%) by considering their individual properties such as pulpy, juicy, sweetness, sourness and colour to yield palatable smoothies without addition of external sugar and acidulant. The selected smoothies with optimized quantities of fruit pulp/grape juice were prepared in bulk and preserved in glass bottles by thermal processing. They were analysed for physico-chemical and organoleptic properties during the storage period of six months. Significant increase in reducing sugars and total polyphenols was observed whereas, acidity and total carotenoids decreased significantly (P 0.05) in smoothies after six months of storage. Smoothies containing sapota, pineapple and pomegranate showed the highest polyphenol content of 158 mg/100 g on the day of preparation, which increased to 164 mg/100 g after six months storage period. The palatability of smoothies not only depended on the brix:acid ratio but also the fruits selected. Smoothies containing papaya, mango and phalsa tasted acidic whereas sapota and grape yielded sweeter products. The overall sensory score for smoothies containing i) papaya, mango and pineapple pulps/juice and ii) grape juice and mango pulp was very good (8.1) during six month storage period.