The bitter gourd, Momordica charantia L. (MC), is used to prepare a ready-to-serve (RTS) drink. The objective is to evaluate the sensory characteristics of the drink according to consumer acceptability and to investigate its microbial shelf life when prepared using untreated and boiled water and stored at different temperatures. MC was used to prepare five concentrations of RTS drink (0.58, 0.70, 0.80, 0.90 and 1.00 g/mL) by water extraction of juice added with selected ingredients. The samples were given to 40 untrained panellists and is rated on a 7-point Hedonic scale. Total plate count, enumeration of yeasts and moulds, coliform count and detection of Escherichia coli were used in assessing the microbial quality. From the sensory evaluation, the most accepted concentration of the RTS drink is 0.80 g/mL with an average score of 4.09. High amount of microbial growth exceeding 4 log CFU/mL was found after 24 hours when stored at 28±2˚C. Mould growth was visible when stored at 28±2˚C after 48 hours. E. coli was found present in the sample but not in water used for preparation. This formulation of RTS drink can be beneficial for targeted consumers and ensuring the microbial safety through proper production and storage.
Key words: sensory evaluation, shelf life, microbial quality, ready-to-serve, Momordica charantia L., bitter gourd
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