Chemical compositions and sensory characteristics of sports drinks formulated from Salacca sumatrana (Becc.) fruit

Prolonged exercise causes excessive fluid loss through sweat which could cause fatigue and reduced performance. Athletes need to restore this fluid loss orally, either from water or carbohydrate-electrolyte drinks. Carbohydrate-electrolyte drinks could be formulated from fruits, such as salak, also known as snake fruit, for instance. This study aimed to develop a sports drink formulated from Sidimpuan salak (Salacca sumatrana (Becc.)) fruit. The formulation of Sidimpuan salak Sports Drink (SSSD) included salak fruit, water, salt and glucose syrup. Salak was blended with a slow juicer to obtain the extract, and mixed with water, salt, and glucose syrup. The SSSD formulation consisted of three formulas, SSSD1, SSSD2, and SSSD3 which differ in the amount of extract added, 250, 200, and 150 mL, respectively. Sensory analysis showed that the panellists enjoyed the sports drink formulation by giving an average rating of 3.4 for colour, 3.4 for aroma, 5.4 for taste and 5.4 for texture. The SSSD1 formulation which was most preferred by the panelists was found to have ash content of 0.33 g/100 mL, total fat of 0.31 g/100 mL, protein of 0.52 g/100 mL, carbohydrate of 13.88 g/100 mL, and total energy of 60.42 g/100 mL. The carbohydrate content and total calories of SDSS1 were significantly different from the other two formulations. From the results obtained, the SSSDs have potential to be developed as a more affordable sports drink, especially among locals.