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Despite the rather unsuccessful merger of fruit and carbonated drinks by cola majors in India, the market has, of late, seen the bold new union of fruit and whey in the form of mango lassi. However, the sale of mango lassi was hindered by its short shelf life, post acidification process and whey syneresis. Now, the Karnal-based National Dairy Research Institute NDRI, under the aegis of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, has developed ingredients for mango lassi with extended shelf life by using bio-preservatives.

While fruit pulp and juices are rich in vitamins, minerals, digestible carbohydrates and organic acids that stimulate appetite and help in proper digestion, milk-based products like lassi are extremely nutritious with all essential and non-essential amino acids. These drinks are light, healthy and less acidic than fruit juices and offer good profit margins.

Which perhaps explains the merger of dairy products and fruit beverage markets with the introduction of 8220;juiceuticals8221; that include hybrid products like fruit-based, cultured milk beverages, a blend of fruit, calcium and whey proteins.

The inclusion of mango pulp in lassi not only helps in value addition but also reduces the post-harvest mango losses. The shelf life of mango can be extended by up to 50 days at refrigeration temperature using bacteriocin. The new technology for making mango lassi with a better shelf life also has the potential to facilitate commercialisation.