Value addition in pineapple

There is a great potential for commercialization of spiced RTS beverages as natural health drinks from major and under exploited fruits not only in domestic but also at the export front. The present study portrays the nutrient content and sensory evaluation of spiced pineapple ready-to-serve beverages during fresh and storage period. The pineapple RTS beverages were processed with extracts of ginger, green chillies, pepper, cardamom and nutmeg. The combined spices extracts such as ginger + pepper, ginger + cardamom and ginger + nutmeg were blended with pineapple juice and prepared the RTS beverages. The spiced pineapple RTS was standardized based on organoleptic evaluation. The nutrient content such as Total Soluble Solids (TSS), pH, acidity, reducing sugar, total sugar, tannin, ß-carotene, ascorbic acid and non enzymatic browning were analysed. The consumer acceptability score was found to be higher in pineapple juice blended with ginger and nutmeg followed by pineapple juice blended with ginger and pepper and pineapple juice blended with ginger.