Application of mixture design methodology for development of high antioxidant fruity functional beverage

Three red color fruit juice (pomegranate (PJ), barberry (BJ), and grape juice (GJ)) and three plant extracts (cardamom essential oil (CE), ginger extract (GE), and hibiscus solution (HS)) were used for the development of different functional beverages. Organoleptic analysis was done to detect the most acceptable fruit juice blend. The physicochemical properties of the samples including total phenols, DPPH inhibition percent, anthocyanin, flavonoid, and vitamin C content of optimum beverage (60% PJ/ 20 % BJ/ 20 % GJ) was 121.57 µg GAE/ml, 80.28 %, 4.03 mg/ L, 64.87 mg/ 100ml, 51.10 mg/ 100ml, respectively. To determine the optimum level of extracts and essential oil (GE, CE, and HS) in fruit juice blends, the mixture design method was used and fourteen runs (formulations) were obtained. The statistical analysis indicated that the sample containing 0.5 CE/ 0.5 GE/ 1 HS (ml/ 100 ml) had the optimum content of antioxidant components.