Physical and chemical properties of boba beverages as a source of fiber made from red seaweed (Eucheuma cottonii)

Abstract

Abstract One-third of the global population is overweight or obese due to excessive calorie intake. A viable solution to addressing this issue involves boosting the consumption of high-fiber foods. This can lead to prolonged satiety, reducing the individuals of frequent food consumption. This study introduced a novel high-fiber food option: boba made from red seaweed (Eucheuma cottonii). The study investigated both the processing methodology of the red seaweed boba and its corresponding physical and chemical attributes. These included aspects such as color, viscosity, total phenol content, nutrient composition, shelf-life estimation, and microbial content analysis. These aspects were analyzed using the Folin-Ciocalteau method, a comparison of nutritional content with the Daily Dietary Recommendation, and microbiological tests. The total phenolic content of the developed boba was 79.8 mg.GAE/g, and it content high-fiber which contributing 36% of the recommended daily fiber intake for individuals aged 16-64 yo. Microbial content in the beverage is primarily responsible for its limited shelf-life (predicted at 26 hours). Nevertheless, the beverage could be well accepted as an alternative high-fiber food option.