Evaluating The Health Benefits and Consumer Acceptance of Taste-Neutral Herbal Extract-Enriched Water

Abstract

This study evaluates the bioactivity, organoleptic neutrality, and consumer acceptance of functional drinking water enriched with taste-neutralized herbal extracts. While functional beverages fortified with adaptogenic and antioxidant botanical extracts offer health rejuvenation, their raw formulations often introduce bitter, astringent off-flavors that degrade pure water palatability. Utilizing spray-drying microencapsulation with maltodextrin and low-temperature aqueous extraction, a taste-neutralized multi-herbal complex (Withania somnifera, Centella asiatica, and Emblica officinalis) was formulated and infused into purified drinking water. Primary data was gathered from a stratified sample of 400 urban consumers across Chennai City, Tamil Nadu. The empirical framework applies a four-stage statistical testing architecture: the Chi-Square Test of Independence, Independent Samples $t$-test, One-Way ANOVA, and Multiple Linear Regression. The empirical results demonstrate that sensory-neutral encapsulation preserves baseline water palatability while significantly enhancing cellular antioxidant markers and reducing perceived fatigue. The paper concludes with targeted formulation and commercial guidelines for integrating microencapsulated botanical extracts into packaged functional water without compromising consumer taste preferences.