Recent trends in soft beverages edited by L Jagan Mohan Rao and K Ramalakshmi, Woodhead Publishing India Pvt. Ltd.,New Delhi

Abstract

Though there are many voluminous books on coffee, tea and soft beverages, this book is unique in providing updated information on tea, coffee and soft fruit drinks in one volume. It is a reader’s delight and has three main parts. Part I deals with coffee, which is the most fascinating beverage throughout the world. This part is in four chapters comprising introduction, health benefits, recent trends in value addition and value added by-products. Coffee is one of the internationally well accepted beverages and is the second largest traded in the world next to crude oil. First section describes a brief historical perspective of beverage, botany, processing of green to roasted coffee, chemical composition and tasting of coffee. Effect of roasting on chemical composition, physical and chemical changes during roasting and their significance in nutritional quality and physiological impact on quality is also discussed in detail. Second section describes the health benefits of coffee and coffee beverage. The positive and negative biological activities of coffee are correlated with central nervous system, reproductive system, bone system and cardiovascular system. Third section deals with recent value-added coffee products. This section details about the variety of speciality coffee beverages, canned coffee, ready mix coffee, coffee jelly, fortified coffees, honeyed coffee, coffee tablets, variety of flavoured coffee, coffee wine, coffee candy, germinated coffee, coffee cookies, pizza with coffee colorant, carbonated coffee, decaffeinated coffee, instant coffee, monsoon coffee and coffee paste. The fourth section describes the utilization of by-products of coffee. Part II describes tea, which is the second most widely consumed beverage in the world next to water. This part is in chapters 5–9, viz., introduction to tea, types of tea and processing, chemical composition, pharmacological and medical properties of tea, high impact value added products of tea and tea by-products. Considerable interest has developed in the past decade in unravelling the beneficial health effects of tea, in particular, polyphenolic components and its antioxidant activity. The origin and history, various types of tea are discussed in the fifth and sixth section respectively. Chemical composition and medicinal and pharmacological properties of tea are explained in the seventh section. Eighth section entitled “High impact value-added products” describes relevant fine points about tea bags, instant tea, iced tea, herbal tea, tea concentrate, carbonated tea, various flavoured teas, decaffeinated tea, different fortified teas, tonic tea, tea cider and vinegar, tea kombucha, toyama kurocha, canned tea and instant tea granules. Detailed description about “Soft drinks” is described Part III, which is presented in chapters 10–17. Introduction to drinks and the beverage consumption pattern is depicted in chapters 10 and 11, respectively. The term ‘soft drinks’ includes all types of non-alcoholic liquid and powder beverages, although it is generally used to signify carbonated beverages. Soft drinks includes ready to drink, concentrated soft drinks and other categories are well explained in 12th chapter. The 13th chapter entitled, “Ingredients of soft drinks” deals the essential components of the soft drinks namely water, sweeteners, acidulants, colors, flavors and clouding agents. Advances in technology have improved all aspects of the soft drink industry. Chapter 14 includes the major processing technologies of soft drinks such as handling raw material, pulping and extraction, clarification, concentration, syrup preparation, blending, pasteurization and carbonation. Clean-in-place system, which is one of the major issues during manufacturing of soft drinks, is also included. Quality control and packaging aspect are well explained in chapters 15 and 16. Future trends presented in chapter 17 includes healthy carbonated drinks, functional drinks, mixed fruit juice beverages and carbonated beverages from waste of fruits. This is a well documented book in a precise manner without missing any of the aspects relevant to the subject. As a very useful ready reckoner, the book gives the latest information on coffee, tea and soft carbonated fruit drinks. The editors have taken utmost care in providing main aspects of chemistry, technology and quality control with respect to raw material as well as finished product. The information on value addition and marketing aspects are dwelt very well. One doesn’t find many books by Indian authors on coffee, tea and soft drinks and the effort by the editors is praiseworthy and the editors need to be complimented for the excellent work. The information provided is highly useful for researchers, teachers, students and industry personnel who are interested in the beverages such as coffee, tea and carbonated beverages.