Chufa Drink: Developing a New Plant-Based Beverages with Different Flavours

Abstract

HUFA has well-known health and nutritional benefits. This study aimed to produce innovative chufa milk with fruit juices or other flavour materials fortified with whey protein concentrate (WPC). Six chufa milk beverages were prepared as follows: plain chufa milk (CM), chufa milk supplemented with orange juice (CO) or strawberry juice (CS), chufa milk flavoured with cocoa (CC), instant coffee (CF) or cinnamon extract (CN), in addition to buffalo milk fortified with WPC, which served as a control (CT). The results showed that CM beverage had higher fat, protein, sucrose contents and viscosity value than CT beverage, while the control had higher ash, lactose content and pH value than chufa milk beverages. The highest fat content was found in CC beverage. Furthermore, CC and CF beverages had higher protein content than the other flavoured chufa milk beverages, while CS beverage exhibited the highest viscosity value. The minerals content showed significant differences between the control and chufa milk beverages. The control beverage had the highest Ca content compared to the chufa milk beverages, while CC beverage contained higher K and Fe values than CT and the other chufa milk beverages. The highest Na and Mg contents were found in CF and CC beverages, while CF contained the highest P value. Chufa milk beverages flavoured with cocoa and coffee were preferred over all beverages, whereas CM gained the lowest sensory attributes.