Physicochemical, antioxidant, mineral, and sensory evaluation of low-caloric jamun (Syzygium cumini) squash
Sustainable Food Technology, 2026 (ESCI, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.1039/d6fb00153j
- Dergi Adı: Sustainable Food Technology
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI), Scopus
- Sivas Cumhuriyet Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Jamun (Syzygium cumini), known for its distinctive flavor and vibrant color, is widely consumed as a refreshing fruit in raw and processed forms. Despite the growing interest in low-calorie functional beverages, no study to date has systematically compared single and blended formulations of stevia and polysucralose in jamun squash. This study was conducted to formulate low-calorie jamun squash using natural and artificial non-caloric sweeteners and to evaluate its physicochemical properties, antioxidant activity, mineral content, and sensory characteristics. Six formulations (control with sugar, 100% stevia, 100% polysucralose, 50% stevia + 50% polysucralose, 75% stevia + 25% polysucralose, and 25% stevia + 75% polysucralose) were prepared. The physicochemical properties of jamun with 100% stevia showed enhanced antioxidants, including total phenolic content (4.64 ± 0.02 mg GAE/100 mL), total flavonoid content (28.89 ± 0.03 mg QE/100 mL), DPPH (74.64 ± 0.02%), total anthocyanin content (40.83 ± 0.02 mg/100 mL), and FRAP content (161.72 ± 0.02 µmol Fe/100 mL). Mineral analysis indicated calcium and potassium levels of 28.89 ± 0.02 mg/100 mL and 83.90 ± 0.02 mg/100 mL, respectively. Sensory evaluation confirmed that 100% stevia exhibited the highest overall acceptability on the nine-point hedonic scale. A jamun squash formulation with 100% stevia (natural sweetener) can serve as a palatable, functional, and low-calorie beverage alternative. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) confirmed a clear separation between treatments, with antioxidant markers clustering independently from TSS and viscosity. The results conclude that 100% stevia-sweetened jamun squash is a viable, high-quality, and sensory-acceptable functional beverage. This formulation not only reduces post-harvest losses of jamun but also provides a reduced-sugar, lower-calorie option for health-conscious consumers; its potential glycemic benefit is inferred from sugar reduction rather than being demonstrated clinically, and therefore warrants dedicated glycemic and clinical validation.