Carrot Juice - A Refreshing Healthy Drink

Consumers today are more aware of how lifestyle and eating habits influence health and well-being. However, the fast pace of life deprives us of time to prepare a healthy diet, thus we tend to seek for functional or health foods prepared for convenience. Food manufacturers and product developers continue to respond to these needs through product innovations geared towards the development and commer-cialization of functional foods. Carrots are very good sources of beta carotene. Food processors have found the importance of beta carotene not only as a precursor of vitamin A but also as an agent that prevents cancer. Vitamin A and beta carotene are popularly known to fight cancer and increase the body's ability to ward off infection and recover quickly from illness.

Carrots have been commonly used as ingredients in viands, salads, cake, and sometimes as decoration to make the food more attractive. Carrots are now prepared into juice as a ready-to-drink product but does not appeal to majority of the consumers. The Food and Nutrition Research Institute, Department of Science and Technology (FNRI-DOST), has developed flavored carrot juice in combination with tropical fruits such as mango and pineapple. The fruit blend is more acceptable and appealing to consumers.

The Carrot-Mango juice is a blend of carrots, mango, and sugar, packed and processed in 375 mL glass bottles. One serving of 250 mL prepared juice provides 26% RDA for vitamin A of an adult reference man. The juice will provide the consumers with value added products, which promote health benefits.

S&T Media Release
FNRI Press Release for 2003