Sustainable shelf-life extension of date palm–bael–jujube beverages through HTST pasteurization and protective packaging

Abstract

The impacts of packaging (transparent glass bottle vs. amber-colored glass bottle) and pasteurization (LTLT vs. HTST) as viable options for preserving ready-to-drink beverages made from date palm extract mixed with bael fruit and jujube (date palm extract 70%: bael fruit juice 15%: jujube juice 15%) were investigated in this study. Physico–chemical properties and microbiological counts were also investigated during storage at 4 °C. Pasteurization and packaging type significantly affected the preservation of bioactives and antioxidant activity of products during cold storage (p ≤ 0.05). At the end of the storage period (9 weeks), the HTST-pasteurized samples in amber-colored glass bottles exhibited the highest total phenolic compound (586.33 mg GAE/100 mL), total carotenoid content (3.25 mg β-CE/100 mL), and antioxidant activity (DPPH: 763.54 mM Trolox/100 mL; FRAP: 786.21 mM Trolox/100 mL). During storage, total soluble solids (ranging from 6.6 to 7.2 °Brix) showed no significant changes (p > 0.05). HTST pasteurization caused the least color change (ΔE) in amber-colored glass bottles during storage. No microbial, yeast, or mold counts were detected in HTST-pasteurized samples stored in amber-colored glass bottles until the 6th and 7th weeks of storage, respectively. Based on maximum antioxidant activity retention and microbiological safety, the shelf life of HTST-pasteurized samples in amber-colored glass bottles was calculated to be 7 weeks. Finally, the use of HTST pasteurization together with amber-colored glass packaging may represent a practical approach for improving the preservation of ready-to-drink beverages.