Proximate and Physicochemical Quality of Jelly Produced from Blends of Beetroot and Pineapple Juice

Fruit Jelly was produced from beetroot and pineapple fruits as a value-added product for addressing their gluts during its peak season. The fruits were cleaned and their juices were blended using the following beetroot: pineapple ratio; 50:50, 60:40, 70:30, 80:20, and 90:10. The fruit juice blends were then labeled I, R, O, H, and A, respectively, while the commercial jelly sample K, and beetroot jelly were used only as control. Proximate composition showed that the fruit jellies had a higher nutritional profile than the commercial jelly. The result revealed variation in moisture content (35.11 to 36.17%), Ash content (0.12 to 0.26 %), Carbohydrate content (61.22% to 63.74%), Energy value (257.26 KJ to 262.72 KJ) and protein content (0.88 to 1.77 %). The energy value (262.72 KJ) and carbohydrate content (63.74 %) of the commercial jelly were however significantly (p < 0.05) higher than in the beetroot - pineapple fruits jelly. The protein content of the jelly ranged from 1.52 to 1.76 %. Overall, increasing the blending ratio increased the fat, ash, protein, and moisture contents of the jellies. Besides, the jellies with the least amount of beetroot I (50 % beetroot and 50 % pineapple juice) had the highest carbohydrate content (62.69 %) thus providing the highest amount of energy 261.30 KJ. Physicochemical properties showed the following ranges total soluble solid content 63.84 to 64.89 °Brix, total sugar 43.23 to 43.94 %, reducing sugar 28.30 to 28.77 %, and non-reducing sugar 14.94 to 15.18 %. Titratable acidity and pH showed that an inverse relationship existed between them. The beetroot and pineapple jelly blends produced compared favourably with proximate composition and physicochemical properties of commercial jelly.