Characterization of market samples of milk beverage: Thandai

Abstract

Thandai is a well-known region specific traditional milk-based beverage popular in Rajasthan and certain other Northern states of India. It is served in summer and relished as a delicacy during festive season in India. This drink is prepared with combination of nuts including almond and seeds of watermelon, muskmelon, pumpkin and cucumber along with certain flavoring additives such as saffron and cardamom. Thandai is easily digestible, highly refreshing, thirst quenching, appetizing and nutritionally far superior to many synthetic and aerated drinks. Besides fulfilling satiety value, the ingredients used in preparation of this beverage have also been medicinally proven. Being a traditional Indian drink, International and national level research work and the literature pertaining to the same is not available. Thus, the present study was undertaken to investigate and characterize the quality of commercially available thandai in terms of sensory, physico-chemical and microbiological attributes. Significant (p