Author(s): Adedeji TO
Diabetes mellitus is a chronic degenerative disease characterized by high blood glucose concentration due to low insulin secretion, insensitivity or both. Antioxidants acts as free radical scavengers inhibit lipid peroxidation and other free radical mediated process. The research study was designed to explore the potentials of functional drinks in prevention and diet therapy of such diseases using red sorghum bran, roselle calyx and avocado leaf blend with the following ratio; HBT: (Commercial herbal tea drink); RSB (100% Red sorghum bran drink), AVL: (100% Avocado leaf drink), ZCA: (100% zobo calyx drink), DCE: (50% Red sorghum bran+45% zobo calyx+5% Avocado leaf) drink, HBR: (50% Red sorghum bran+42.5% zobo calyx+7.5% Avocado leaf) drink; VLY: (50% Red sorghum bran+40% zobo calyx+10% Avocado leaf) drink by Design expert. The results of physico-chemical analysis of the infused drinks (DCE, HBR and VLY) revealed that titratable acidity ranged from 1.608 to 1.768% lactic acid while pH from 4.76-4.94, total soluble solids (brix level) ranged between 0.795-0.855 brix, total solid varied significantly from 0.685%-0.745%, vitamin C contents ranged from 11.974 mg/100 ml-12.535 mg/100 ml while specific gravity remained constant. Samples subjected to phytochemical properties revealed that there were no significant difference at (p<0.05) among the infused samples (DCE, HBR, VLY) with respect to the mineral molar ratio: phy/Ca, phy/Zn, phy/Fe and phy (Ca/Zn) which were within the safe levels for human consumption. Findings of mineral composition also revealed that the infused drinks (DCE, HBR, VLY) were very high in Ca 118.406 mg/100 ml-120.618 mg/100 ml, P 63.867 mg/100 ml-65.733 mg/100 ml and K 265.695 mg/100 ml-267.853 mg/100 ml, but low in Na 24.29 mg/100 ml-24.67 mg/100 ml with high monomeric anthocyanin 75.304%-76.287%. The antioxidant activity showed that the Fe-chelation of the infused drinks ranged from 50.88 mg/ml to 51.16 mg/ml while the OH-radical ranged from 57.01% to 57.70% which were significantly higher than the commercial reference sample (HBT). From the result of sensory assessments, the formulated infused sample coded DCE was found to be superior in colour, flavor, taste and overall acceptability among other samples. Therefore, consumption of the enriched drink with high anthocyanin, antioxidant properties will protect human body from several diseases attributed to the reactions of free radicals. From the above result, it showed that the infused drinks could provide the bioactive components to mitigate cardiovascular diseases.
