Process development for stabilization of sugarcane juice using response surface methodology

Sugarcane juice is a very popular drink in India and other Asian countries, where sugarcane is an important crop. Since sugarcane juice spoils very quickly and there is a lack of research in this area, no commercialized sugarcane juices are available in India. Here, stabilized sugarcane juice was developed using response surface methodology. Total soluble solids, reducing sugar, total sugar, polyphenol oxidase activity, ascorbic acid, pH, optical density, transmittance, titrable acidity, microbiological properties, and sensory scores of the stabilized juice were evaluated using a Box–Behnken design. The composition was optimized and the sugarcane drink was further processed using blending and hot filling techniques. The processed juice was hot-filled into glass bottles under aseptic conditions. The predicted shelf life of the processed sugarcane juice was 3 months at 18 °C and 6 months at 10 °C.