Determination of Bioactive Compounds, Antioxidant, and Sensory Properties of Beverages from Mulberry, Yacon, and Lemon Fruits Produced by Natural Fermentation

The increased consumption of functional foods has been linked with the management and control of non-communicable diseases. There is limited information on the effects of the biochemical and sensory properties of beverages from the natural fermentation of mulberry, yacon, and lemon fruit beverages. This study aimed to determine the bioactive, antioxidant, and sensory properties of mulberry, yacon, and lemon fruit beverages taken at various stages of natural fermentation. The samples were made from a combination of mulberry fruits, yac¯ on root, and lemon fruits in the ratios T0 (90:0:10), T1 (60:30:10), and T2 (30:60:10), respectively. The samples were fermented and checked for the different parameters on different days, which include: 0, 5, 10, and 21 days. The bioactive compounds (flavonoids and phenolics) were measured using the Aluminium chloride colorimetric method and the Folin-Ciocalteau method, respectively. The antioxidant (FRAP and DPPH) was done with the ferric reducing antioxidant power assay and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging assay, respectively. The sensory properties were assessed by panelists and were evaluated using the 9-point hedonic scale. The results indicated that total flavonoid concentration (TFC) ranged from 73.12 mg/LQE to 222.30 mg/LQE and the total phenolic concentration ranged from 193.94 mg/L GE to 297.27 mg/L GE. The DPPH ranged from 49.94% to 81.26% and the FRAP ranged from 35.77 AAE to 42.89 AAE. There was no significant difference between the different formulations, but a significant difference was observed between the different days of fermentation. The sensory properties showed variations between the different formulations, with treatment T0 giving significantly higher levels for most attributes than the other treatments. In conclusion, a combination of fruits with optimum fermentation enhances bioactive and antioxidant properties that make it a suitable functional food.