Development and characterization of a ready-to-serve functional drink of pumpkin-mango juice blend enriched with defatted pomegranate seed extract

• Development of a novel ready-to-serve functional beverage from pumpkin and mango, targeting the growing need for nutritious beverages. • The pumpkin and mango were selected because of their nutritional profile, health benefits, flavor, and aroma. • The effect of different concentrations (2–10 %) of defatted pomegranate seed extract on the properties of the drink was evaluated. • The beverage formulations enriched with seed extract demonstrated good physicochemical, sensory, and antimicrobial properties. The demand for functional beverages derived from plant-based sources, such as fruits, vegetables, and medicinal plants, is rapidly increasing due to their health benefits and consumer preference for natural ingredients rich beverages over synthetic formulations. However, limited research has explored the utilization of natural functional ingredients from agro-food waste in beverage formulation. This study addresses this gap by developing a ready-to-serve (RTS) functional drink by blending pumpkin and mango juice in specific concentrations with the addition of defatted pomegranate seed extract (DPSE) as agro-food waste based functional ingredient to enhance the drink's nutritional, bioactive, sensory, and antimicrobial properties, as well as for effective agro-food waste valorization. Various RTS functional drink formulations were prepared by adding DPSE in concentrations ranging from 2 % to 10 % in the juice blend. The investigation revealed that the 10 % DPSE (F5) formulation exhibited the most promising results. This formulation contained 0.91 % fat, 2.64 % fiber, 3.76 % protein, 0.94 % ash content, and 3.92 % carbohydrates. Moreover, the sample exhibited a total phenolic content of 6.11 mg GAE/mL and a total flavonoid content of 3.08 mg QE/mL, indicative of significant antioxidant capacity. Furthermore, it demonstrated elevated mineral content and notable antimicrobial activity. Sensory analysis of all formulations revealed a consistent increase in aroma, flavor, and overall acceptability scores with rising DPSE concentrations, peaking at 6 % before declining. However, appearance and mouthfeel scores showed a continuous decline as DPSE levels increased. The study underscores the viability of incorporating nutrient rich by-products into functional beverages, offering a promising approach to improving health benefits while promoting environmental sustainability.