SURVEY ON HEALTH PROTECTIVE BEVERAGE FORMULATIONS FROM Ehretia asperula Zollinger et Moritzi

Abstract

Currently, beverage products, especially alcoholic drinks and those containing large amounts of artificial sweeteners, are widely available on the market. The consumption of these beverages raises concerns about public health due to their easy accessibility and high potential for overuse. Therefore, consumer demand is shifting towards naturally sourced products that are beneficial to health and minimize the use of synthetic additives. Ehretia asperula Zollinger et Moritzi is a widely used medicinal plant with many valuable properties. However, there have been relatively few studies focusing on processing this plant into convenient products. This study was conducted to provide a database for developing nutritious beverages by investigating formulation methods. The experiments involved supplementing additional ingredients, including rock sugar (2,5%-8,5%) combined with Cordyceps militaris (0%-0,3%), and cane sugar (6,5%-0,5%) combined with Stevia rebaudiana (0%-6,5%), while maintaining a constant concentration of 0,5% E. asperula in each treatment. The aim was to determine suitable formulations that could enhance biological activity. The survey results showed that the formulation with 6,5% rock sugar, 0,3% Cordyceps militaris, and 0,5% E. asperula received the highest sensory evaluation scores, approaching the maximum in four criteria (color 4,8; aroma 4,9; taste 4,9; clarity 4,9), whereas formulation DC6 achieved only moderate scores (2,5-3,9). This research provides a foundation for applying the findings to beverage production on a larger scale, beyond pilot-scale experiments.