The efficiency of natural plant extracts in improving storage stability, antioxidant activity, sensory evaluation, and physicochemical properties of date juice-based energy drink

Abstract

Energy drinks (EDs) are a type of sweetened and non-alcoholic beverage with high content of caffeine. EDs were prepared from date juice enriched with different concentrations of ginger rhizomes extract, moringa leaf extract, and caffeine. Physicochemical properties (pH, TSS, and color parameters), total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant activity, microbiological quality, and sensory characteristics were evaluated for freshly prepared EDs and during storage. The results showed that freshly prepared EDs from date juice and natural extracts revealed lower pH, higher TSS, and lower color parameters than the control. The inclusion of date juice and natural extracts improved the TPC, antioxidant activity, and microbiological quality of freshly prepared EDs. Storage studies exhibited that EDs containing date juice and natural extracts were more stable during storage in terms of all quality parameters estimated. However, the ED made from date juice, ginger extract, moringa extract, and caffeine was the best in terms of all parameters evaluated with higher stability during 3 months of storage at room temperature. In general, by date juice and natural plant extracts addition, a desirable ED can be prepared.