FORMULATION AND QUALITY IMPROVEMENT OF WHEY BASED FRUIT DRINK

Abstract

Cheese whey nutritious by-product of cheese manufacture contains ail of the nutrients of milk except fat and casein, plus the vitamins developed during the cheese making. This by-product contains 90% of total milk input. Therefore study was carried out to develop whey based fruit drink with good consumer acceptability.Five treatments were given by changing the percentage level of whey powder as 40%, 60%, 70%, 80% and 100%, while keeping other ingredients constant. Samples were evaluated organoleptically by a group of experienced panelists using nine-point hedonic scale. Acidity and pH were monitored at 4 days intervals during the 4±1 °C,15±1 °C, and 25±1 °C storage for 40 days. Final product was analyzed for total solids,pH, acidity and Brix value. Yeast and mould count and Total plate count were also taken. Pectin, RecodanRs and Carboxy Methyl Cellulose (C.M.C) were tested as stabilizers. Whey based fruit drink prepared with 80% level of whey powder was rated as the best on the basis of sensory quality. No significant differences were found through out the 40 days of storage period for pH and acidity. Finish product specifications for the 80% level of whey powder fruit drink were 13.0% total solids, 4.0 pH, 0.20 acidity,12° Brix value with negative aerobic plate count and Yeast & mould count. The results indicated that the Carboxy Methyl Cellulose was the most suitable stabilizer to prevent the sedimentation in the final product. The final product specifications are within prescribed standards with a fair storage of 40 days at 4°C, 15°C, and 25°C with out any deterioration of quality parameters. The production cost of 1 Kg of whey based fruit drink also could be Rs. 12.57 and development of low cost whey based fruit drink is feasible. These experiments were shown clearly, that whey powder is an excellent starting point for beverage when it was added in ratio of 80%: 20% whey to skim milk powder respectively, with added fruit flavour. More than 40 days of storage life without any physical change could be achieved regardless of storage temperature when it was given UHT treatment.