Aloe vera gel, well known for its nutraceutical potential, is being explored as a functional ingredient in a wide array of health foods and drinks. Processing of exotic fruits and herbal botanicals into functional beverage is an emerging sector in food industry. The present study was undertaken to develop a spiced functional RTS beverage blend using Aloe gel (AG) and papaya. Aloe gel (30%), papaya pulp (15%), spice extract (5%), and citric acid (0.1%) were mixed in given proportion to prepare the blend with TSS of 15 °Brix. The product was bottled, pasteurized, and stored at room temperature. The quality characteristics and storage stability of the spiced beverage blend (SAGPB) were compared with spiced papaya RTS beverage (SPB). Periodic analysis was carried out up to five months for various physicochemical parameters, sugar profile, bioactive compounds, microbial quality, instrumental color, and sensory acceptability. The SAGPB exhibited superior quality characteristics compared to SPB both in fresh and in stored samples. The SPB was acceptable up to four months and SAGPB for five months. The results indicate that nutraceutical rich AG could be successfully utilized to develop functional fruit beverages with improved quality and shelf life. 1. Introduction Fruits and vegetables have always had an elite status among the health foods. However, due to their short shelf life, processing into preserved products becomes essential. Fruit juices and beverages are one such processed product which is convenient to use and also help meet the daily requirement of fruits and vegetables in the diet. Healthy beverages, particularly those that offer functional ingredients such as botanicals, minerals, and antioxidants, are increasing in demand. New product introductions in the health drink and fruit juice categories were found to reach over 700 new offerings in year 2003, up 40% over 2002 [1]. Functional beverage sector has been reported to be the fastest growing segment [2]. Fruit based functional beverages with refreshing flavors and tastes are being preferred over aerated drinks by the health-conscious consumers, in particular. Further value enhancement is feasible with addition of nutraceuticals. Nutraceuticals from botanical origin have a great scope to offer varied health benefits such as improved antioxidant profile and protection against various chronic metabolic diseases. Papaya is one of the main tropical fruits produced in India. India was reported to be the largest papaya producer (2.7？MT) in the world in 2008 [3]. Apart from its luscious taste and
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