Chapter-1

INTRODUCTION

Ready to Serve is a non-fermented beverage, produced from the dissolution of the

edible portion of the fruit and sugar in water, for direct consumption, and could be
added of acid, respecting the characteristics and compositions established for each
fruit, such as sensory attributes, juice content, soluble solids, total acidity and total
sugar (Brasil, 2003). Fruit blends present a series of advantages, such as the
possibility of combining different aromas and flavors, plus the sum of nutritionally
different components.
India is the largest producer of fruits in the world, 63.50 MT by the year
2009-10 out of an area 5.775 million hectare .The productivity of the fruits is 11
tonnes per hectare, but less than 2 per cent of the total produce is being utilized for
making processed fruits products.

Guava and papaya are two important crops grown over an area of 1, 31,625
hectares and 60,921 hectares with an annual production of approximately 15 and 13
million tonnes respectively (Negi et al. 1988).

Papaya (Carica papaya)

Papaya (Carica papaya, family- caricaceae) is one of the most important

fruit grown under tropical & sub tropical climate. Since, the papaya is known for its
delicious taste and health full values. It is not being utilized for processing on large
scale due to unacceptable aroma of the papaya fruit. Papaya seed industry is in the
verge of extinction because after the extraction of seed from the fruit the whole pulp
goes to waste which increases the cost of seed producer. Therefore, to utilize the
pulp, its value addition is need of hour.
 Papaya fruit is highly perishable; hence, conversion in to a value-added
product such as ready to serve will be useful. Pawpaw (Carica papaya) is a very
nutritious tropical fruit, rich in micronutrients such as vitamin A, ascorbic acid and
riboflavin (Muthukrishnan and Irulappan, 1990), but its marketing in international
trade is difficult due to its highly perishable nature. Production of pawpaw ready to
serve can alleviate this problem. Processed pawpaw fruit has a neutral taste that is
greatly improved by the addition of passion/guava fruit juice to make soft drinks,
jams, icecream flavoring and syrup (Muthukrishnan and Irulappan, 1990).
The juice is reported to be low in acidity and suitable for people with gastric
acidity problems, gout or arthritis (Richardson and Hyslop, 1992).
It is also reported to be an extremely rich source of vitamin A, potassium
and carotenoids including beta-carotene (Richardson and Hyslop, 1992). However,
mechanical pressing of pectin-rich fruits such as pawpaw leads to low juice yields,
due to the fact that mechanical crushing of the tissues gives juice that remains
bound to the pulp to form a jellified mass (Lanzarini and Pifferi, 1989).
Health Benefits of Papaya
Papaya / papaw contain a wide variety of vitamins and minerals necessary for well
being.
 Just one average slice (150g) provides more than twice your daily
requirement for vitamin C, plus vitamin A (essential for good growth and
vision), calcium, iron, carbohydrates and a wealth of protective antioxidant
carotenoids.
 It is low in sodium and kilojoules, papaya is also fat free.
 Papaya has a lower glycemic index for longer lasting energy.
 Including papaya in your diet can add a valuable source of fiber. Fiber helps
keep you regular.
  Papaya contains papain, a natural enzyme that helps with the break down of
proteins.
 The soft texture of the fruit and its rich quantity of vitamin C makes papaya
an ideal first fruit for babies.
A major problem in our diet today is that we only partially digest the protein
in the foods we consume. The proteolytic action of papain, (an active principal
enzyme found in papaya) can help break down the protein (carbohydrates and fats)
and help reduce lymphatic congestion. The papain in the mature green papaya or
papaw works to break down various protein foods so that individual amino acids
are produced and auto-intoxicating or other undesirable, undigested substances are
avoided, ultimately aiding quick absorption by the body. Since papain acts
impartially in acid, neutral and alkaline mediums, it is extremely valuable for
anyone who has weak or sensitive digestion due to enzyme deficiencies that have
developed over the years. Papain is harmless to living tissue and is a must for the
maintenance of a healthy intestinal tract.
Guava (Psidium guajava L.)
Guava belongs to the Myrtaceae family, is a native of tropical America and is
widespread throughout the tropical and subtropical areas (Chopda and Barrett,
2001).
Guava tree is very hardy and can grow to about 7-8 meters high with
characteristic smooth, pale mottled bark that peels off in thin flakes. The fruits vary
in size, shape and flavour depending on the variety. The better varieties are sweet
while others may be astringent. On average, the fruit contains 74–87% moisture,
13–26% dry matter, 0.5–1% ash, 0.4–0.7% fat and 0.8–1.5% protein (Chin and
Yong, 1980). It is rich in ascorbic acid (vitamin C), at levels far higher than most
imported and local fruits.
 The fruit, in particular the pink flesh cultivar, has a fair amount of vitamin A
(beta-carotene). Some vitamin B such as thiamin (B 1), riboflavin (B2), niacin and
pantothenic acid are also found in the fruit. In addition, it also contains a fair
amount of phosphorous, calcium, iron, potassium and sodium (Lim and Khoo,
1990). Guava, as in many other fruits and vegetables, is also rich in antioxidants
that help to reduce the incidence of degenerative diseases such as arthritis,
arteriosclerosis, cancer, heart disease, inflammation and brain disfunction.
In addition, antioxidants were reported to retard ageing (Feskanich et al.
(2000), Gordon (1996), Halliwell (1996) besides preventing or delaying oxidative
damage of lipids, proteins and nucleic acids caused by reactive oxygen species.
These include reactive free radicals such as superoxide, hydroxyl, peroxyl, alkoxyl
and non radicals such as hydrogen peroxide and hypochlorous acid. They scavenge
radicals by inhibiting initiation and breaking of chain reaction, suppressing
formation of free radicals by binding to the metal ions, reducing hydrogen
peroxide, quenching superoxide and singlet oxygen (Shi et al., 2001).
Among the most abundant antioxidants in fruits are polyphenols and ascorbic acid.
The polyphenols, most of which are flavonoids, are present mainly in ester and
glycoside forms (Fleuriet and Macheix, 2003). In the case of guava, free elagic
acid and glycosides of myricetin and apigenin are found to be present (Misra and
Seshadri, 1968; Koo and Mohamed, 2001).
Guava is consumed fresh or made into processed products such as juice,
nectar, puree, jam and jelly (Kashyap et al., 2001). Guava fruit not only has exotic
flavor but also is a rich source of relatively low methoxylated pectin (50%)
amounting to more than 10% of the dry weight. Therefore, guava juice has special
characteristics in its flavor and viscosity, which is popular in many tropical
countries (Yen and Lin, 1998).
 Commercial guava juice processing normally involves the use of pectinase
enzymes to increase juice yield from pressed guava peel and pulp (Alkorta et al.,
1998). Guava cake (peel, pulp and seeds) a by-product from juice production,
accounts for 30% of the guava fruit weight and is commonly used as animal feed
or fertilizer. However, very recent investigations indicate that guava peel and pulp
can also be used as a new source of dietary fiber (DF) and antioxidant phenolic
compounds (Jimenez-Escrig et al., 2001).
From a nutritional point of view, vitamin C is of vital importance in the
body.The main functions include: enhancement of the absorption of iron,
involvement in the metabolism of fat and cholesterol and antioxidant activity. The
current recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of vitamin C for adult nonsmoking
men is 90 mg/day for men and 75 mg/day for women. Recent scientific evidence
indicates that an increased intake of vitamin C is associated with a reduced risk of
chronic diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, and cataracts, probably
through antioxidant mechanisms. Humans have lost the ability to synthesise
vitamin C as a result of a mutation in the gene coding for L-gluconolactone
oxidase, an enzyme required for the biosynthesis of vitamin C. Thus, vitamin C
must be obtained through the diet. Deficiency of vitamin C leads to scurvy which
can be prevented with only 10 mg vitamin C/day, an amount easily obtained
through consumption of fresh fruits. Although guava is a rich source of ascorbic
acid, its level is subject to wide variations because of geographical location,
horticultural practices, season and cultivar However, because guavas are a highly
perishable fruit, they are often processed into juice, jam and jelly, to extend the
shelf-life and make the fruit available throughout the year. Generally, these
processed products are expected to have a lower vitamin C content compared to
fresh guava fruits as losses during processing are inevitable, because ascorbic acid
is highly heat labile and water soluble. Different processing techniques result in
different magnitudes of loss in ascorbic acid content. In addition, different
processing steps within the same processing technique reduce the ascorbic acid
content to different extents. Temperature, time, oxygen and light affect the stability
of ascorbic acid; the most critical factor in determining L-ascorbic acid stability is
storage temperature. From harvesting to storage, food products are subjected to
varying temperatures. The Arrhenius equation is the most acceptable expression to
account for the effect of temperature on the rate of ascorbic acid destruction in
food systems. The Arrhenius relationship for the temperature dependence for the
rate constant k is as follows:
K = A exp (−Ea/RT)
Where Ea = activation energy of the reaction, R = gas constant, T = absolute
temperature, and A = pre-exponential constant. It is generally assumed that the
degradation of vitamin C follows first-order kinetics. However, at higher storage
temperatures, departures from pure first order Reactions have been observed which
could be attributed to acceleration effects from many breakdown products of
vitamin C degradation at higher storage temperatures. In addition to processing
temperature and storage temperature, the longer the processing time and the longer
the storage time, the higher the increase in ascorbic acid loss. Several reports on
ascorbic acid suggest that the decomposition of this substance in stored juice
systems can also be zero order. This indicates that the kinetics of degradation of
ascorbic acid depend very strongly on the nature of the total system.
Health Benefit of Guava

 Guava is a very good source of vitamins, fibers as well as minerals.

 Being rich in Vitamin C; guava is effective in treating male infertility caused
by sperm clumping, adhesion and other abnormalities.
 Guava has been associated with healing of wounds, when applied externally.
 Guava has general haemostatic properties and can be used for treating
bleeding nose, gums and minor internal hemorrhaging.
 Guava helps cure dysentery, by inhibiting microbial growth and removing
extra mucus from the intestines.
 Guava helps the body in combating free radicals produced during
metabolism and aids in preventing age-related chronic diseases, such as
Alzheimer’s, cataract and rheumatoid arthritis.
 Guava is one of the richest sources of dietary fiber and thus, is good for
those suffering from constipation.
 Guava strengthens and tones up the digestive system and even disinfects the
same.
 Guava, having high content of roughage, no cholesterol & less digestible
carbohydrates, is good for those trying to lose weight.
 Guavas can improve the texture of skin and help avoid skin problems. For
the purpose, you can either eat it raw or make wash your skin with a
decoction of its immature fruits and leaves.
 Juice of raw and immature guavas or decoction of guava-leaves is known to
bring relief in cough and cold.
 Researches have shown that guava is pretty effective in preventing cancer
and even heart diseases in people.
 The presence of complex carbohydrates and dietary fibers in guava makes it
effective in lowering cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
 The presence of Vitamin C and other phyto-nutrients, such as caretenoids,
isoflavonoids and polyphenols, in guava has led to it being an effective
antioxidant. 
Indian gooseberry (Emblica officinalis Gaertn. Syn. Phyllanthus emblica L.)
Indian gooseberry fruit commonly known as aonla (amalaki) is one of the
oldest minor fruits of India. It belongs to the family Euphorbeaceae and is native of
India, Srilanka, Malaysia, and China.The genus Phyllanthus contains about 700
species and is found on all continents except Europe and Antarctica. It is hardy tree
and can be successfully grown in variable agroclimatic conditions. Indian
gooseberry fruit is well known for its medicinal and nutritional qualities. It is rich in
polyphenols, minerals and regarded as the richest source of vitamin C (200–900
mg/100 g of edible portion) among fruits except Barbados cherry. But owing to
highly acidic and astringent taste, low T.S.S. (total soluble solids), lack of flavor,
and poor color; it is not popular as table fruit. Earlier, workers have explored the
possibilities of utilizing aonla fruit for the preparation of juice and beverages.
Although, aonla fruit juice and beverages prepared there from have poor consumer
acceptance yet, could be utilized for vitamin C enrichment of other fruit juice based
beverages. These vitamin-C-rich natural drinks if given due publicity can replace
synthetic drinks and overcome the vitamin-C deficiency in people world over. This
experiment therefore, was designed to develop vitamin-C-rich R.T.S. beverages
prepared, from apple, lime, pomegranate, Perlette, and Pusa Navrang grape juice
fortified with aonla juice.
Health Benefits of Amla
 It is very helpful in skin diseases.
 It promotes glow on skin and delays wrinkles or loosening of skin.
 It stimulates hair follicles thus promoting hair growth and also improves
texture of the hair.
 It prevents premature graying of hairs and dandruff.
  Amla act as natural hair conditioner and provides good nourishment and also
helps in normalizing blood supply
 It acts as an effective natural cure for indigestion, acidity, constipation,
gastric troubles, and flatulence.
 It is helpful in improving liver function.
 It helps in lowering cholesterol and blood sugar level.
 It has very good results in chronic cough, child hood and allergic asthma and
tuberculosis.
 It provides nourishment to the nerves and is helpful in paralytic conditions.
 It also works as brain tonic and helps to alertness and memory
 It helps in improving quality of sperms due to its madhur (sweet) vipaka
property.
 It also acts as anti-inflammatory agent thereby suppresses pain and swelling.
 Amla finds great application in improving eyesight.

It also improves general health weakness and makes our body’s immune system
strong therefore help to fight diseases.

Blending of the pulp/ juice with two or more fruit juices and their beverages are
thought to be a convenient alternative for its utilization in order to have some value
added fruit drinks which are of high quality in respect of sensory and nutritional
aspects. In the present investigation the papaya pulp is blended with the Guava in
various proportions for the preparation of more palatable and nutritious RTS
beverages.

The blending of the fruit drinks could be an economic requisite to utilize

profitably some fruit varieties for processing which may not have otherwise
favorable characteristic like cost, for product preparation. Secondly, the objective
could be to supplement appearance, nutrition and flavor. Thirdly, one could simply
think of new product development through blending.

There has been considerable increase in the consumption of fruits and

vegetable juices in the world during the last few years. Contrary to this, the fruit
juice industry in our country is still is not in sound footing. Like in many countries
fruit juices beverages are not an integral part of the typical Indian diet. Fruit juices
beverages considered more as occasional drinks in our country. Bottled squashes,
nectars and others form of the fruit based beverages are looked upon as on
expensive indulgence. The consumers compare the cost of such items directly with
the cost incurred in making juice at home when the fruit is in season. In such a
market, RTS beverages containing 10-15 % juice with low price can become a
viable alternative to the bottled soft drinks with different brands acceptable to the
consumers. Fruits like guava, mango banana papaya, pineapple etc. are some of the
important fruits which are grown commercially in different part of the country due
the perishable nature of the fruits, they requires immediate processing to avoid post
harvest losses. More over unpleasant flavor and high acidity and such other factor
in some of the fruits, the utilization of these fruits for preparation of various
processed products become limited despite having their high nutritional values.
Therefore, blending of two or more fruit juices and their beverages are through to
be a convenient alternative for its utilization in order to have some value added fruit
drinks which are of high quality in respect of both sensory & nutritional aspects.