QUALITY EVALUATION OF SMOOTHIE FROM SOURSOP, BANANA, CARROT AND GINGER

ABSTRACT This study investigated the quality characteristics of smoothies produced from blends of carrot (Daucus carota), banana (Musa spp.), soursop (Annona muricata), and ginger (Zingiber officinale). The aim was to develop a nutrient-enriched and microbiologically safe functional beverage using locally available crops. Five smoothie formulations were prepared with varying proportions of the ingredients: 100% soursop (control), 90% soursop + 5% banana + 5% ginger, 80% soursop + 10% banana + 5% ginger + 5% carrot, 70% soursop + 15% banana + 5% ginger + 10% carrot, and 60% soursop + 20% banana + 5% ginger + 15% carrot. The results showed that ash content ranged from 0.19% to 0.33%, moisture from 88.66% to 90.26%, pH from 3.36 to 3.62, °Brix from 5.45 to 6.15, and titratable acidity from 0.056% to 0.133%. The microbial load decreased progressively with increased carrot and banana inclusion, with total viable bacterial count ranging from 1.1 × 10³ to 1.8 × 10³ CFU/mL, total coliform count from 4.1 × 10¹ to 3.4 × 10² CFU/mL, and total fungal count from 4.1 × 10¹ to 5.3 × 10² CFU/mL. Sensory evaluation revealed that the smoothies were all acceptable, with appearance scores ranging from 7.60 to 8.07, aroma from 7.67 to 8.00, taste from 7.33 to 8.20, and overall acceptability from 7.53 to 8.20. The control (100% soursop) and sample B (90% soursop + 5% banana + 5% ginger) received the highest consumer ratings. The study concluded that the incorporation of carrot and ginger enhanced the nutritional, sensory, and microbiological quality of soursop-based smoothies. Samples B was found most suitable for large scale production based on their balanced physicochemical composition, microbial safety, and sensory appeal. The study recommends further evaluation of storage stability and nutrient retention to optimize the product for commercial and functional food applications.