Superfruit Smoothie

The beverage craze continues to attract consumers looking for energy, hydration, vitamins and minerals, or just people looking for a feel-good beverage that delivers all of the above. Consumers are looking for better beverage alternatives with real nutritional benefits for day-to-day consumption.

They’re also looking for good options to provide to their children. Current health concerns, including obesity, are prompting parents to look for healthier alternatives to soda and high-sugar beverages. Liquid snacks, like fortified smoothies, can help deliver the recommended amount of servings of fruit and vegetables suggested by the USDA Dietary Guidelines, as well as a healthy dose of vitamins and minerals for better immunity and overall health.

Convenience is still key, so these drinks must be mobile—to fit into a handbag or pocket for consumption literally anywhere. Look anywhere in a public area and you’ll see all sorts of designer beverage bottles.

The original smoothie recipe includes widely available natural fruits and fruit juices and has a tropical profile. While the blend was interesting, we sought to reach better nutritional outcomes, offer a new and exciting taste, and be consistent and more emulsified with better mouthfeel in the manufactured product.

The first step was to tweak the formulation to introduce increased functional benefits that will take this beverage to next level by adding açaí to the mix to create a “superfruit” smoothie fortified with natural antioxidants, vitamins and fiber. The popular açaí berry has an appealing flavor of blueberry and chocolate and the highest level of antioxidants of any known fruit. It also contributes a plethora of vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, C and E, as well as fiber, calcium and iron (Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry; 2006, 54 (22):8,598- 8,603). No wonder açaí is considered a superfruit!

We also fortified the smoothie with a small amount of A and B vitamins to make it a more-complete immune booster; we used a low level of fortification since many of these nutrients naturally occur in a variety of foods. In addition, we added all-natural gum acacia, which not only kept particulates suspended and increased mouthfeel, but increased fiber levels, as well.

We decided to keep a tropical profile with similar flavors as the original smoothie, but made it a little more interesting with less-used tangerine juice in lieu of orange juice. We also replaced the honey with the up-and-coming blue agave nectar, a sweetener similar to honey but with low glycemic impact. Agave is also suitable for vegans and diabetics, which makes this beverage available to a whole new class of consumers.

We simplified processing by using readily available, all-natural fruit purées. The beverage is flash pasteurized and cooled, and then bottled in an aseptic plastic container, labeled, and sold as a refrigerated product with a three-month shelf life.

Recipe:
Ingredients

1/4 cup apple juice
1/4 cup orange juice
1 banana
1/2 mango
1/3 cup pineapple, chopped
1 teaspoon honey

Procedure: Place all ingredients in a blender. Blend on medium high until smooth. Strain through fine-mesh strainer. Chill and serve. Serving suggestion: Serve with fresh fruit garnishes, such as strawberry, mango or pineapple. For a little something extra, garnish with edible flowers. Portion: 8 fl. oz.

Procedure: In a ribbon blender with a cover, mix the açaí pulp, acacia gum and vitamin A and B complex supplement together until evenly distributed. In a high-shear in-line mixer connected to a flash pasteurizer, mix remaining ingredients until evenly distributed. Add the açaí, acacia and vitamin mix and blend until adequate suspension is obtained. Ultra pasteurize at 160° to 165°F for 15 to 30 seconds and cool juice blend in flash pasteurizer; pump to an aseptic filler. Pump into aseptic 12-oz. plastic bottles and convey to labeling and boxing area. Serving size: 8 fl. oz. (1.5 servings per bottle).