Assessment of Physicochemical and Sensory Characteristics of Stevia Sweetened, Low-Caloric Orange Drink

Abstract

G lobally oranges contribute to more than half of the citrus production and account for 40% of the total export making it a significant contributor to the agricultural landscape (FAO, 2021). Citrus fruits generally and oranges are renowned for their mineral and ascorbic acid content, endowing them Abstract | Excessive consumption of food products laden with sugar pose threat to health of consumers generally and diabetes patients particularly. Moreover, some low-calorie products did not meet sensory preferences of consumers. Therefore, this research was conducted to evaluate the quality and acceptability of a low-caloric orange drink by incorporating various concentrations of stevia powder and storing it within a temperature range of 20±0.4°C. The investigated treatments included: Orange Drink (OD)0