Comparative Analysis of Antioxidant Enzymes, Pigments, Phytochemicals, and Sensory Attributes in Different Phalsa ( Grewia asiatica L.) Syrup Recipes

ABSTRACT The limited shelf life and short harvest season of phalsa ( Grewia asiatica L.) present challenges in the marketing of this valuable fruit, and this has prompted the focus on processing, value addition, and the exploration of alternative methods of consumption. The objective of this study was to develop two distinct recipes of phalsa syrup and compare them in terms of nutritional profile and sensory quality. The recipe 1 (500 g of fresh phalsa fruit boiled in 2 L water) and recipe 2 (750 g phalsa fruit boiled in 1 L water) were cooled, blended, strained and re‐boiled for 1 h. The ingredients of recipe 1 included 400 g sugar, 0.4 g sodium bicarbonate, and 30 mL of synthetic white vinegar while recipe 2 had 300 g sugar, 2.84 g black salt and 2 drops of synthetic red food color. The prepared syrups were cooled to room temperature, preserved in airtight bottles and stored at 5°C with 80%–85% RH for quality assessments. Both syrup types had very significant nutritional value and antioxidative properties. The activities of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzymes were greater in recipe 1 (17.23 and 13.77 U mg −1 respectively). The higher levels of pigments (0.57 mg 100 g −1 anthocyanins and 2.63 μg g −1 carotenoids), were detected in recipe 2. Regarding the phytochemical content, total soluble solids (TSS) were higher in recipe 2 (60.6 °Brix), while the recipe 1 had higher (191.7 mg L −1 ) total dissolved solids (TDS). The sensory evaluation indicated better color rating (7.9) for the recipe 2 with similar aroma, flavor and overall acceptability for both recipes. The color assessment indicated similar luminosity ( L *) values (31.20 for recipe 1 and 32.38 for recipe 2), and positive a * and b * in both recipes with higher a * (redness) in recipe 2 (3.44) and more b * yellowness in recipe 1 (2.59). Overall, it was found that the higher pulp content in the phalsa fruit syrup improves the peroxidase activity, soluble solids and natural pigments; and the formulation differences affects biochemical and sensory quality of phalsa syrup.