Comparative Study of Seaweed-Based Functional Beverage Powders Formulated with Dragon Fruit Peel and Citrus Fruits:...

This study aimed to develop and compare functional beverage powders based on seaweed (Kappaphycus alvarezii) formulated with dragon fruit peel (Hylocereus polyrhizus) and sweet orange (Citrus sinensis), focusing on physicochemical properties, phytochemical composition, antioxidant activity, sensory characteristics, heavy metal safety, and shelf-life stability.

Beverage powders were prepared from seaweed combined with dragon fruit peel or sweet orange at ratios of 3:1, 1:1, and 1:3 (w/w). The formulations were evaluated for solubility, moisture content, ash content, phytochemical composition, antioxidant activity using the DPPH radical scavenging assay, and sensory characteristics. Vitamin C and heavy metal analyses (Pb, Cu, and As) were conducted on F3 and F6, as these formulations exhibited the highest antioxidant activities within the seaweed-dragon fruit peel and seaweed-sweet orange formulation series, respectively. Shelf-life stability was predicted using the Accelerated Shelf-Life Testing (ASLT) method based on the Arrhenius model at 10, 27, and 35 °C.

Increasing the fruit proportion improved antioxidant activity and sensory quality. Among the seaweed-dragon fruit peel formulations, F3 (1:3) exhibited the highest antioxidant activity, whereas F6 (seaweed-sweet orange, 1:3) showed the highest overall antioxidant activity and vitamin C content. In addition, F6 exhibited favorable sensory acceptance and heavy metal concentrations within the limits established by food safety standards. Shelf-life prediction using the Arrhenius model demonstrated that storage temperature significantly influenced product stability.

The F6 formulation was identified as the optimal seaweed-based functional beverage powder, exhibiting enhanced antioxidant potential, acceptable quality characteristics, and compliance with food safety requirements. The developed formulation may serve as a potential functional beverage formulation; however, further preclinical and clinical studies are required to validate its biological relevance.