Studies on development of pomegranate beverage by incorporation of Quinoa extract

Abstract

Pomegranateis an excellent source of anthocyanins (delphinidin, pelargonidin and cyanidin) and additional phenolic compounds (including hydrolyzable tannins such as punicalin, punicalagin, pedunculagin, gallicand ellagic acid), organic acids and antioxidant activity. Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Wild.) is a crop used by pre-Columbian cultures in South America for centuries. Quinoa contains higher protein content and incredible balance of essential amino acids, resulting in excellent protein value similar to casein in milk. Majority of the stored proteins in quinoa are composed of albumin (35%) and globulin (37%). Main carbohydrate in quinoa is starch (52% - 69%) and it is gluten free with low glycemic index. The main flavonoids in quinoa are kaempferol and quercetin both are strong antioxidants and free-radical scavengers. In the present study, synergetic effect of pomegranate beverage with the incorporation of quinoa extract showed noticeable differences among the treatments. Among different treatments, the highest phenol, antioxidant and flavonoid content were noticed in T4 (80% Pomegranate juice+ 20% quinoa extract+ Sugar- 15˚Brix) with 463.33 mg GAE/100 mL, 463.56 mg AAE/100 mL and 54.00 mg QE/100 mL, respectively.