Fermented beverages of natural herbs: Cymbopogon citratus, Zingiber officinale, Moringa oleifera, Mentha, and Curcuma longa

Herbal beverages have gained popularity as a hydrating drink among health-conscious consumers, and any scientifically supported health benefits will be a unique marketing niche for food enterprises. In recent years, there have been increased trends in well-being beverages and herbal blends with a prominent flavour or aroma characteristic. Although herbs are commonly used in foods as flavour enhancers, there has been limited research on fermenting herbs for beverages. This study aimed to develop herbal fermented beverages using raw and fresh Cymbopogon citratus, Zingiber officinale, Moringa oleifera, Mentha, and Curcuma longa. The focus was on characterising the physicochemical attributes, proximate composition, and antioxidant activity during the fermentation process using Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast. The investigation demonstrated considerable phytochemical alterations throughout the duration of fermentation. The pH declined from 5.03 to 4.11, the soluble solids decreased from 12.22 to 6.15 °Brix, and the density decreased from 1.050 to 1.011 g/cm³. The electrical conductivity increased to a range of 213–283 μS/cm. Protein and ash levels decreased notably, while moisture, fat, and total titratable acidity (TTA) increased. The DPPH scavenging activity varied between 37.15% and 92.37%, whereas the total flavonoid content ranged from 9.91 to 55.21 μg QE/ml. The variability of total phenolic content was from 104.7 to 237.2 μg GAE/ml. The data demonstrated that the fermenting period of t = 36 to t = 72 h resulted in significant improvements in the flavour and phytochemical content of the herbal beverages. These characteristics highlight the favourable prospects of herbal fermentation for the beverage industry. [Display omitted] •Fermented beverages were formulated from lemongrass, ginger, moringa, mint, and turmeric with S. cerevisiae.•Herbal fermented beverages display unique favourable physicochemical and antioxidant traits.•Phytochemical compounds act as an integral bioactive component of the fermented beverages.