Use of concentrated fruit juice extracts to improve the antioxidant properties in a soft drink formulation

Three juices obtained respectively from pomegranate, prickly pear and orange fruit were separately6 concentrated using an innovative technique, that allow to obtain a final product with high content of7 bioactive compounds and elevate antioxidant activity. The concentrated juices were employed in8 the formulation of a soft drink to improve its bioactive properties. Despite a low amount of each9 concentrated juice was used, the experimental soft drink obtained evidenced a high content of total10 polyphenols. The antioxidant activity detected was similar to that of tea commonly considered a11 healthy beverage with strong radical scavenging activity. The sensory analysis of the soft drink12 showed a consumers' liking score potentially promising for market acceptance. In addition, the13 experimental drink produced was evaluated for its stability by simulating domestic storage and from14 the results obtained is possible to assess that a good antioxidant activity was maintained even after 515 days of conservation. Therefore, the present work, stimulates the use of high-quality concentrated16 juices as food ingredient in order to improve the functional properties of soft drinks.