Development of Ready to Serve Abutilon indicum (Thuthi Leaf) Herbal Shots

Herbal beverages have gained increasing attention due to their potential health benefits and natural origin. The goal of the current study was to develop and assess a functional ready-to-serve (RTS) herbal beverage using Abutilon indicum, also known as Thuthi leaf, a medicinal plant with a rich phytochemical composition and therapeutic qualities. Initially, several pre-treatment techniques for Abutilon indicum leaves were standardized, including crushing, water blanching, steam blanching and hot water extraction. Steam blanching was found to be the most agreeable technique which retained the bitterness and retained colour of the extract. The herbal shots were formulated by blending Thuthi leaf extract in different proportions (5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%) with ash gourd juice, ginger extract, and honey and subjected to sensory evaluation by nine - point hedonic scale. The formulation containing 10 per cent Thuthi leaf extract (Variation II) demonstrated the highest overall acceptability in terms of colour, flavour, taste, consistency, and overall quality, according to sensory evaluation using a 9-point hedonic scale. Overall, the study finds that addition of Abutilon indicum to RTS herbal shots greatly improves consumer acceptance, making them a promising functional beverage with potential commercial and health benefits.