Exploring the Nutritional and Antioxidant Potential of a Developed Fusion: Coconut Water and Orange Juice Beverage

Abstract

It is reported that coconut (Cocos nucifera Linn.) water possesses properties such as being refreshing, cardioprotective, digestive stimulant, and having therapeutic and nutritional benefits. In this study, an attempt has been made to make a therapeutic and nutritional beverage consisting of coconut water and orange (Citrus sinensis Linn.) juice. Different ratios of the blended beverage were tested, and the final composition with 80% coconut water and 20% orange juice was chosen. Proximate analysis, sensory evaluation, phenolic and flavonoid contents, and antioxidant activity were determined. Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) identified and quantified the beverage’s metabolites. Shelf-life evaluation was performed by assessing bacterial count and phenolic and flavonoid contents for up to 1 month. Further, network pharmacology analysis was performed to find out the tentative bimolecular relationship of identified metabolites in antioxidant potential. The results demonstrated that the blended beverage remained stable, including pH, °Brix, ash content, titratable acidity, total sugars, protein, and fat. The blended beverage exhibited strong antioxidant activity with significant contents of ascorbic acid, phenolic, and flavonoid levels. The content of gallic acid, hesperidin, and cinnamic acid in blended beverages was found to be 0.46%, 0.23%, and 0.31%, respectively. TLC–bioautography revealed that gallic acid is a predominant antioxidant compound in blended beverages. The network pharmacology analysis of identified metabolites with target proteins and genes plays a multimechanistic role in antioxidant potential. The study revealed that the beverage’s quality was maintained for the first month. The formulated beverage is rich in antioxidants and beneficial for human health.