EFFECTS OF PENNYWORT: WATER RATIO, STABILIZER AND PASTEURIZATION CONDITIONS ON QUALITY OF PENNYWORT (Centella asiatica) JUICE

Abstract

Pennywort beverage is a popular product in Vietnam, known for its high nutritional value and distinct color and flavor. However, the pennywort juice currently consumed is mainly in an unprocessed form, which does not guarantee food safety and sanitation standards. Therefore, this study was conducted to develop a high-quality and safe pennywort juice product. Effects of the following factors on product quality were investigated: pennywort-to-water ratio (1:0.5; 1:1; 1:1.5; 1:2), carboxymethylcellulose percentage (0%; 0.05%; 0.1%), pasteurization temperature (80℃, 85℃, 90℃), and time (5 min, 8 min, 10 min). The results showed that a raw material-to-water ratio of 1:1, a stabilizer ratio of 0.05%, and pasteurization at 85℃ for 10 minutes produced the best-quality product. The research results lay the foundation for the practical development of pennywort beverage products.