Antioxidative properties of non-alcoholic beverages based on fruit juices and extracts of medicinal and aromatic plants

Glavni cilj istraživanja bio je proizvodnja bezalkoholnih pića na bazi jagodastog i koštičavog voća i lekovitog i aromatičnog bilja, sa visokim antioksidativnim kapacitetom i potencijalno fiziološki povoljnim delovanjem na ubrzanje metabolizma (što dovodi do smanjenja telesne težine), zaštitu kardiovaskularnog sistema i jačanje otpornosti organizma. Primenom tri različita tehnološka postupka proizvodnje proizvedeni su mutni voćni sokovi jagode, maline, kupine, višnje, borovnice, crvene i crne ribizle. Sadržaj različitih klasa polifenolnih jedinjenja, polifenolni profili i antioksidativni kapacitet ispitivanih uzoraka određeni su primenom različitih spektrofotometrijskih metoda i LC/MS analizom. Najviši antioksidativni kapacitet zabeležen je kod dobijenih sokova crne ribizle i borovnice. Postupak enzimiranja na povišenoj temperaturi uslovio je značajno povećanje antioksidativnosti voćnih sokova. Pasterizovani enzimirani sokovi pokazali su značajno višu antioksidativnost u odnosu na sokove od istog voća, dobijenih ceđenjem bez enzimskog tretmana. Mešanjem voćnih sokova i biljnih ekstrakata, sa ciljanim zdravstvenim efektima, dobijeni su finalni uzorci bezalkoholnih pića, koji su pokazali izuzetno visoke vrednosti antioksidativnog kapaciteta i ostalih ispitivanih parametara kvaliteta. Dobijene vrednosti pokazale su statistički značajan uticaj dodatih biljnih ekstrakata na sadržaj fenolnih jedinjenja i antioksidativnost u finalnim bezalkoholnim pićima, koji su bili bogati u sadržaju kvercetina, miricetina, rutina i hlorogenske kiseline. Senzornom analizom finalnih bezalkoholnih pića, uzorak sa potencijalno povoljnim dejstvom na ubrzanje metabolizma, koje dovodi do redukcije telesne težine, dobijen od enzimiranih sokova, najbolje je ocenjen, sa ukupnom ocenom 94% od maksimalno mogućeg kvaliteta.The main purpose of the research was the production of non-alcoholic beverages based on berry and drupe and medicinal and aromatic plants, with high antioxidant capacity and potentially favourable physiological effect on the boosting of metabolism (resulting in reduction of weight), protection of cardiovascular system and strenghtening the immunity of the body. Using three different technological methods, cloudy fruit juices of strawberry, raspberries, blackberries, cherries, blueberries, red and black currants were produced. The contents of various classes of polyphenol compounds, polyphenol profiles and antioxidant capacity of the examined samples were analyzed using different spectrophotometric methods and LC/MS analysis. The highest antioxidant capacity was found in the produced juices of black current and blueberry. The enzymatic treatment at elevated temperature resulted in the significant increase of antioxidativity of the fruit juices. Pasteurized and enzyme-treated juices showed significantly higher antioxidant capacity compared to the cold pressed juice samples of the same fruit. Mixing produced fruit juices and herbal extracts, with selected health effects, resulted in the final samples of non-alcoholic beverages which showed exceptionally high values of antioxidant capacity and other tested quality parameters. The obtained values showed statistically substantial impact of the added herbal extracts on contents of phenolic compounds and the antioxidant capacity in the produced non-alcoholic drinks, rich in quercetin, myricetin, rutin and chlorogenic acid. Using sensory evaluation of the final product, the sample with potentially favourable effect on the boosting of metabolism, resulting in the reduction of weight, made of enzyme-treated juices, was the best rated, with 94% overall score out of maximum possible quality