Influence of storage on the physicochemical, microbiological and sensory properties of heat and chemically treated melon-banana beverage

Abstract

Melon seed milk and banana puree supernatant were prepared from melon (Colocynthis citrullus) seed and banana (Musa sapientum) fruit, respectively. Banana puree supernatant (16%, v/v) was used to replace melon seed milk to obtain a melon-banana beverage. Some portions of the beverage were processed at 85 °C, 100 °C and 121 °C for 15 min, respectively while others were treated with citric acid, sodium benzoate and sodium benzoate with pasteurization (85 °C, 15 min). Physicochemical, nicrobiological and sensory changes in the beverages stored at 30 ± 2 °C for 50 days were determined. Acceptability of the melonbanana beverage was not adversely affected by the process conditions employed. No microbial growth was observed in beverages treated with sodium benzoate, and sodium benzoate with pasteurization. Plate counts on 121 °C−15 min treated beverages were less than 50 cfu/ml during the 50 days storage period. Vitamin C, soluble solids, titratable acidity and pH of beverages treated with sodium benzoate, and sodium benzoate with pasteurization showed no significant changes (p > 0.05) with storage. A combination of sodium benzoate and heat treatment maintained acceptability of the beverage for 35 days. The 121 °C−15 min treated beverage remained acceptable up to 12 days.