Vol. 11, Issue 11 (2022)

Nowadays, the functionalization of food products using natural health-promoting ingredients is of great interest. The consumption of gummy candy is widespread among people of different ages but mainly by children. The formulation of this product requires sugar that contributes to their flavour and consistency. The purpose of this study was to develop gummy candy by using pineapple and beetroot juice. This nutrient rich gummy candy with functional properties will provide consumers with unlimited nutrient advantages and high beta-carotene. For treatment T₁, gummy candy was standardized to 95% pineapple juice, beetroot juice 5%, agar-agar 5% and sugar 30%, and treatment T₂ was standardized to 90% pineapple juice, beetroot juice 10%, and treatment T₃ was standardized to 85% pineapple juice, beetroot juice 15%, and for control gummy candy was standardized to 100% pineapple juice, whereas the concentration of agar- agar and sugar was kept constant throughout the treatments. The physico-chemical analysis for prepared gummy candy samples from different treatments and control was performed as: beta- carotene, protein, fat, acidity, ascorbic acid, ash, carbohydrate, moisture and reducing sugar for estimating its nutritional content. Also, organoleptic characteristic like (colour & appearance, body & texture, flavour & taste, and overall acceptability) was scrutinized by trained panellist using 9-points Hedonic Scale. The treatment T₂ containing 10% beetroot juice scored the highest acceptability. Microbiological analysis was carried out to assess the shelf- life of the treatments which was checked via, SPC (Standard Plate count) and Coli form test. All treatments were replicated three times and the data obtained during investigation were statistically analyzed by using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and critical difference (C.D.) techniques.