Development and Storage Stability Analysis of Fortified RTS Beverage from Mahua (Madhuca indica) Flowers with Ginger and Mint Extract

Abstract

Mahua (Madhuca indica) flowers are rich in natural sugars, minerals, and bioactive compounds, yet remain underutilized in value-added beverage applications. Mahua tree has several chemical elements such as alkaloids, ethylcinnamate, sesquiterene alcohol, triterpenoids, b-carotene, xanthophylls, amino acids, fatty acids, carbohydrates, proteins, saponins, and tannins. The present study aimed to develop and optimise a non-fermented ready-to-serve (RTS) beverage from mahua flower extract fortified with ginger and mint at varying concentrations (5%, 7.5%, and 12%). Sensory evaluation using a 9-point hedonic scale revealed that 7.5% ginger and 12% mint incorporation resulted in significantly higher overall acceptability scores (7.02 and 7.35, respectively; p ≤ 0.05). The optimised formulations were subjected to storage stability assessment under ambient and refrigerated conditions for three months. Physicochemical parameters, including total sugars, pH, and total soluble solids (TSS), were analysed at monthly intervals. A gradual decline in total sugars, pH, and TSS was observed during storage, with significantly greater deterioration under ambient conditions. Two-way ANOVA (n=3) indicated significant effects of storage period, storage condition, and their interaction (p ≤ 0.05). Microbial analysis showed earlier contamination in ginger-blended RTS under ambient conditions, whereas mint-blended RTS exhibited extended microbial stability. All samples remained microbiologically safe under refrigerated storage throughout the study period. The results demonstrate that incorporation of mint at 12% enhances sensory quality and shelf-life stability of mahua RTS beverage compared to ginger fortification. Refrigerated storage significantly improved physicochemical retention and microbial safety. By reducing enzymatic and metabolic activity, low temperatures most likely inhibited the growth of microorganisms. Essential oils and phenolic components with established antibacterial qualities may be responsible for the increased microbiological stability of mint-fortified RTS. These substances impede enzymatic function and damage microbial cell membranes. The developed mahua-based RTS beverage offers potential for commercial exploitation and value addition of this underutilised forest resource.