Quality Evaluation of Soft Drink from Fouz Factory at Different Conditions

Abstract

This study was designed to evaluate the quality of cherry soft drink product which is produced by Fouz Soft Drinks Factory. To evaluate the quality of cherry product which is produced by Fouz Soft Drink Factory during shelf-life period, cherry product which is packed in500mL PET bottles was collected from the factory after production and then stored under different conditions (refrigeration, room temperature and direct sun light for 6 months. All samples were investigated for their physico-chemical analysis, microbial load and sensory evaluation immediately after production, first month, third month, fourth, month, fifth month and sixth month and the results were statistically evaluated. The results obtained revealed that the sugar percentage (°Brix) of the product immediately after production was 13.3 and under refrigeration, was found to be13.2, 13.2, 13.2, 13.1 and 13.0 °Brix during the five storage periods respectively. Where it was 13.2, 13.2, 13.0, 13.0 and 12.9°Brix respectively during the five storage periods, at room temperature and 13.0, 12.8, 12.7, 12.7 and 12.5°Brix respectively during the five storage periods under direct sun light. The CO2 volume was found to be 2.5 after production and 2.4, 2.3, 2.2, 2.1 and 2.0 volume during the five storage periods under refrigerator respectively where it was 2.3, 2.2, 2.1, 2.0 and 1.8 volume respectively, during storage periods at room temperature, and 2.0, 1.8, 1.6, 1.5 and 1.3 volume respectively during five storage periods under direct sun light. The titerable acidity of the product was found to be 0.1%after production and during the five storage periods under refrigeration, XI were it was 0.1, 0.09, 0.09, 0.09 and 0.07% respectively under room temperature and 0.01, 0.01, 0.09, 0.05and 0.05 respectively under direct sun light. The pH value was found to be 3.3 after production and 3.2, 3.2, 3.1, 3.0 and 2.8 respectively during the five storage periods under refrigeration and 3.2, 3.1, 3.0, 2.9 and 2.7 respectively at room temperature and 3.0, 2.9, 2.8 ,2.8 and 2.6 respectively during the five storage periods under direct sun light. The benzoic acid concentration was found to be 0.01% after production and during five storage periods under refrigeration as well as 0.01, 0.009, 0.006, 0.006 and 0.003 respectively at room temperature and 0.009, 0.007, 0.007, 0.007 and 0.002 respectively during five storage periods under direct sun light. The results showed that there was no significant difference (P≥0.05) in sugar percentage, CO2 volume ,pH, titerable acidity and benzoic acid between the five storage periods under refrigeration while the CO2 volume, pH, titerable acidity and benzoic acid were significantly different (P≤0.05) during five storage periods at room temperature and highly significantly different under direct sun light. The cherry product under the three conditions of storage was found to be free from yeasts and molds during the five storage periods. The total bacterial counts of the product during the five storage periods under refrigeration were found to be9, 20, 50, 40 and 40cfu/ml respectively, while in the product stored at room temperature were found to be 20, 20, 80, 70 and 100 cfu/ml. respectively during the five storage periods and 10, 25, 50, 60, 9×102 and 5×103 cfu/ml respectively under direct sun light during the five storage periods. XII The sensory evaluation results obtained revealed that the appearance of the product stored under refrigeration scored 8, 8, 8, 8, and 7 points respectively during the five storage periods and 8, 8, 6, 5 and 5 points respectively during five storage periods at room temperature where the results of appearance of the product stored under direct sun light were found to be 7,5,3,2 and 1 points respectively during the five storage periods. The color of the product stored under refrigeration scored 8 points while the results at room temperature were found to be 8, 6, 6, 6, and 5 respectively during five storage periods but the color scores of the product stored under direct sun light were found to be 7,6,4,3 and 1 points respectively during the five storage periods. The scores for taste of the product during the five storage periods under refrigeration was found to be 8, 7, 7, 6 and 6 respectively while at room temperature was found to be 8, 6, 6, 6 and 5 points but the taste scores of cherry product stored under direct sun light was 7, 6, 4, 3, and 2 respectively during the five storage periods. The result showed that there were no significant differences (p≥0.05) in appearance, color and taste of the product during five storage periods under refrigeration, while there was a slight significant difference in appearance, taste and color at room temperature and a highly significant difference in taste, appearance and color in the product during five storage periods under direct sun light.