Black plum peel syrup as a potential health-promoting beverage for the elderly: optimization of physicochemical properties via Response Surface Methodology (RSM)

Morshedi, Afsaneh; Mohammadi-Moghaddam, Toktam

Black plum peel syrup as a potential health-promoting beverage for the elderly: optimization of physicochemical properties via Response Surface Methodology (RSM)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Afsaneh Morshedi ¹

Toktam Mohammadi-Moghaddam ² ^{, 3}

¹ Facultad de Ciencias de Gastronómicos y Turismo, Universidad UTE, Quito, Ecuador

² Workplace Health Research Center, Neyshabur University of Medical Sciences, Neyshabur, Iran

³ Noncommunicable Diseases Research Center, Neyshabur University of Medical Sciences, Neyshabur, Iran

Abstract

ABSTRACT
Background: Plum peel, the major by-product of plum processing, is a valuable source of vitamins, minerals and antioxidant activity. Using this material, a nutrient-rich syrup as a potential healthy food for older adults can be produced. This study aimed to optimize the formulation of black plum peel syrup with black plum peel puree (40–60%) and pectin (0–0.5%) using response surface methodology (RSM).
Methods: Mixture of black plum peel was prepared from plum processing factories and different formulations of black plum peel syrup were produced. Optimization of the formulation was done using RSM based on chemical composition, antioxidant activity, phenolic compounds and rheological behavior of the products.
Results: Increasing the proportion of black plum peel puree increased antioxidant activity and total phenolic compounds. Higher pectin concentration was associated with reduced acidity and increased total phenolic compounds. Increasing black plum peel puree up to 50% decreased acidity, flow behavior index, and apparent viscosity, whereas further increases (50-60%) cause increasing values of these parameters. When the pectin increased up to 0.3%, antioxidant activity and viscosity increased and reduced when pectin was increased from 0.3% to 0.4%. Overall, black plum puree had the strongest effect on physicochemical properties of syrup. The optimal formulation consisted of 40.62% black plum peel puree and 0.2% pectin.
Conclusions: Using black plum peel to produce syrup as a food with high nutritional value can be a good way to reduce environmental pollution. This product can be suitable for the older adults due to its nutritional, antioxidant activity, and useful texture and flavor.

Keywords

Black plum peel

By-product

Optimization

Syrup

Antioxidant activity

Rheology