Improving Tomato Juice Preservation: The Role of Ginger, Garlic, and Lemon Extracts

Tomato juice was successfully produced and treated with 3 different plant extracts and their combinations. The study had 9 samples, Sample TJ being the control (without preservative), and sample TSB (with sodium benzoate). The remaining samples were treated with 1 % of the extracts and their combinations as follows: TZ (1 % Ginger), TA (1 % Garlic), TC (1 %Lemon), TZA (1 % Ginger+Garlic), TZC (1 % Ginger+Lemon), TAC (1 % Garlic+Lemon) and TZAC (1 % Ginger+Garlic+Lemon). The samples were analyzed for phytochemical and antioxidant activity and also subjected to storage studies, during which pH, TTA, TSS, and microbial counts were evaluated. The total phenolic content ranged from 1.50 to 2.80 mgGAE / 100 ml, the total flavonoid content ranged from 1.02 to 1.22 mgQE / 100 ml, and the FRAP values ranged from 1.23 to 4.76 mgAAE / 100 ml. For storage studies, pH and TSS decreased with storage time while TTA and microbial load increased accordingly. However, the microbial load of the samples was within the limits recommended by ICMSF. It can be concluded that tomato juice can be conveniently preserved with natural plant extracts which give the juice improved nutrients, antioxidant activity, and a relatively stable shelf life.