Development And Physicochemical Characterization Of An Ambient-Processed Tender Coconut-Banana Chewable Confectionery

Abstract

Soft confectionery formulations traditionally rely on gelatin or pectin with plain water as the primary hydration medium, limiting bioactive retention and requiring heat processing that degrades natural electrolytes. This study developed a coconut-banana chewable confectionery using tender coconut water as the sole hydrating medium for gum arabic. Five formulations were optimized using a heat-free process: tender coconut water (7.35 g) exclusively hydrated gum arabic (8.16 g) at room temperature for 20 minutes, followed by incorporation of edible glue (7.33 g), banana powder (10.88 g), coconut milk powder (7.45 g), icing sugar (47.62-54.42 g), and triple mint encapsulation (peppermint extract 0.21 g, mint mojito 0.29 g, blue food colour 0.014 g). The resulting dough was hand-shaped into 2-3 g chewable pieces and ambient-dried. Treatment T3 demonstrated optimal characteristics: moisture content 3.36% [IS 7874 (Part 1): 1975], pH 4.19 [GTL/SOP/FR-001], absent yeast/mold (<10 CFU/g) [FSSAI 2021], and superior sensory scores (8.1-8.2/9 hedonic scale for texture, taste, color). Effectiveness index analysis confirmed T3's superiority (total score 0.87) over other treatments. The heat-free process may help retain the natural characteristics of tender coconut water, producing a stable confectionery and achieving FSSAI-compliant microbiological safety and commercial-grade sensory appeal. Edible glue cohesion provided textural stability for low-sugar hydrocolloid candies. T3 formulation offers a scalable, preservative-free product suitable for MSME-level production with potential functional hydration benefits.