Journal of Agricultural Engineering and Food Technology p-ISSN: 2350-0085; e-ISSN: 2350-0263; Volume 3, Issue 4; October-December, 2016, pp. 293-298 © Krishi Sanskriti Publications http://www.krishisanskriti.org/Publication.html Development of Functional RTS Beverage from Jamun (Syzygium cumini L.) and Melastoma malabathricum Nandita Barman 1 and Mridula Saikia Barooah 2 1 Department of Food Science and Technology, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, Assam, INDIA 2 Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, Assam, INDIA E-mail: 1 nanditabarman278@gmail.com, 2 msbarooah@gmail.com Abstract—Fruits of Melastoma malabathricum are rich in phytochemicals such as polyphenols, flavanoids and tannins which attribute to a strong free radical scavenging activity. The present study was designed to develop and standardize a blended RTS beverage from Jamun and M. malabathricum. The extracted juice of Jamun and M. malabathricum fruits were analyzed for its physico- chemical parameters and free radical scavenging activity. Six formulation of the beverages were prepared by blending the Jamun and M. malabathricum fruit juice (T 1 – 50% Jamun + 50%Melastoma, T 2 – 60%Jamun + 40%Melastoma, T 3 – 70%Jamun + 30%Melastoma, T 4 – 80%Jamun + 20%Melastoma, T 5 – 90%Jamun + 10%Melastoma, T 6 – 100%Jamun without Melastoma extract as control). The prepared RTS beverages were kept at an ambient temperature for a period of 3 months and analyzed for different physico-chemical parameters, free radical scavenging activity and subjected to sensory evaluation at an interval of 1 month. M. malabathricum fruit juice supplementation enhanced the bioactive composition of the beverages in terms of increased ascorbic acid and antioxidant activity. During storage period, the physico-chemical parameters like acidity, reducing sugars and total soluble sugars increased continuously, while TSS and pH decreased. Among the blends, T 2 having formulation of 60% Jamun and 40% Melastoma was found to be optimum for overall acceptability. Overall, it can be concluded that fruits of M. malabathricum can be used as a valuable ingredient for the development of functional RTS beverages with important bioactive compounds and the standardized RTS beverage can have an immense role in health benefactors. Keywords: Jamun; Melastoma malabathricum; RTS; Antioxidant; Sensory evaluation. 1. INTRODUCTION Beverages are consumed regularly around the world and therefore constitute an important pillar in the daily diet of humans. Their popularity is due mostly to the variety of pleasant taste and sensation, such as sweet, cool or refreshing [1] . However, beverages are also consumed for health reasons. Functional beverages are an excellent means for nutrient and bioactive compounds including vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, plant extracts, fibre, prebiotics and probiotics. Fruit and vegetable juices are predominately rich source of antioxidants. Apart from their role of health benefactors, antioxidants are added in foods to prevent or delay oxidation of food, initiated by free radicals formed during their exposure to environmental factors such as air, light and temperature [2]. Syzygium cumini (L.), commonly known as Jambul, Black Plum, Java Plum, Indian Blackberry, Jamblang, Jamun etc is an important medicinal plant. It showed considerable high antioxidant activity, which constitute anthocyanins, tannins and flavonols [3]. The ripe fruits are used for preparation of health drinks, making preserves, squashes, jellies, RTS and wine as it is effective in the treatment of diabetes mellitus, inflammation, ulcers and diarrhea [4]. Melastoma malabathricum Linn. is a shrub that belongs to the family Melastomataceae and it comes with beautiful pink or purple flowers. The fruits are encapsulated and contain many non-endospermous seeds with small embryos inside purplish pulps. The fruits of M. malabathricum are rich sources of several secondary metabolites such as flavonoid and phenolic compounds such as anthocyanins which possess antioxidant, phytoalexin, antibacterial activities and therapeutic activities such as anticancer which are used for the treatment of various human aliments. Besides being beneficial to health, the fruits also have potential as natural food colourant [5]. Hence, in the light of above research facts, the present investigation was under taken with objective to incorporate antioxidant rich fruit juice extracts of Melastoma malabathricum for the development of delicious and nutritious blended functional RTS beverage that could therapeutically help in improving the health of consumers and to study the physicochemical, free radical scavenging activity and sensory quality in storage period at an ambient temperatures.