Extracts of moringa seed and leaf (Moringa oleifera); lemon (Citrus limon) and ginger (Zingiber officinale) were added to fresh sugarcane juice in different combinations and evaluated on storage at 2, 4 and 30C. Combination of moringa seed extract with lemon and ginger showed high antimicrobial activity when compared with sodium benzoate (as chemical preservative), at the permitted level. Lemon lowered the pH of sugarcane juice to 3.01 and inhibited the growth of microorganisms during storage. Further, phytochemical analysis of methanol extract of moringa seeds and leaves revealed polyphenols, flavonoids, tannins and terpenoid compounds. It was revealed that good quality sugarcane juice (100 mL) with satisfactory storage stability at refrigeration could be prepared from heat‐treated juice (72C for 15 sec) before addition of lemon (3 mL) as a combination of flavor, color enhancer and source of citric acid (antioxidant); moringa (10 mL); ginger (0.6 mL) as flavor enhancer. Practical Applications Sugarcane juice is popularly consumed in India. But large‐scale production by mechanizing the manufacturing process is not carried out. Preserving raw sugarcane juice is a challenging problem because it spoils within hours of extraction. The manufacturers rely on the chemical preservatives for extending the shelf‐life of sugarcane juice, which restricts its production. The research work was carried out to remove the chemical‐dependent constraint with an aim to optimize the shelf‐life conditions of sugarcane juice with natural preservatives. A combination of natural preservatives and low temperature storage was found as an effective way of preservation for more than a month with satisfactory sensory qualities. The findings will pave way for the marketability of sugarcane juice.

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