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Correspondence to Author:  Sahar Dandachy, 

Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Public Health, Lebanese University, Tripoli 1300, Lebanon

Abstract:

Developing foods with boosted functionality to minimize the potential side effects of oxidative/nitrosative stress and support the immune system while responding to consumers’ needs and preferences is a challenging trend in the food industry. The use of Moringa oleifera leaves, characterized by their high nutritional value and multiple pharmacological properties, is emerging in food applications. The present study aimed at developing a functional ready-to-serve apple based juice fortified with an aqueous extract of freeze-dried Moringa oleifera leaves (A.F.D.MO), studying the antioxidant, physicochemical, and nutritional properties, estimating the sensory shelf-life for 14 days, and evaluating the consumer acceptance. Apple juice, aqueous extract of freeze-dried Moringa oleifera, orange juice, and lemon juice were added in the following proportions (58:20:20:2) and pasteurized at 90 °C for 30 seconds. The newly developed fruit blend appeared to have a pH of 3.5 and total soluble solids of 10%, with a high antioxidant activity at 1 mg/ml concentration and recorded to be 90.4%. A.F.D.MO was found to be microbiologically safe and retained its sensory attributes during 14-day storage at refrigeration and even at ambient temperature. The sensory evaluation of the apple-based juice fortified with 20 % aqueous extract of freeze-dried Moringa oleifera leaves portrayed a highly accepted fruit juice blend by potential Lebanese consumers owing to its taste. Freeze-dried Moringa oleifera leaf extract was found to be a suitable natural preservative and a functional component with health-promoting properties that could support the body’s immune system.

Keywords:

Freeze-dried Moringa oleifera leaves, Apple-based juice, Immune system, Functional foods, Antioxidant activity

Citation:

Sahar Dandachy. A highly antioxidant functional apple-based juice fortified with aqueous extract of freeze-dried Moringa oleifera leaves: study of physicochemical, nutritional and sensory properties. Journal of Nutrition and Food Science Research 2024.