Journal of Agriculture and Food Research 15 (2024) 100971

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Journal of Agriculture and Food Research

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Phytochemicals and antioxidant properties of bael (Aegle marmelos L.) pulp

powder and its products
Md. Tajminur Rahman , Md. Abdul Halim , N.H.M. Rubel Mozumder , Towkir Ahmed Ove ,
Anwara Akter Khatun *
Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Dinajpur, 5200, Bangladesh

A R T I C L E I N F O A B S T R A C T

Keywords: Aegle marmelos, a fruit often known as Bael in South Asia, is a useful medicinal plant due to its high concentration
Aegle marmelos of phytochemicals and antioxidant activity. It is an attractive color, pleasant flavor, and sweet taste that can be
Phytochemicals consumed raw or in the form of various formulations. This research aimed to quantify the phytochemicals and
Antioxidants
antioxidant activities of Bael powder and its product. Bael fruits were divided into three groups: Sample I (pulp,
Product development
seed, and gum), Sample II (pulp and gum), and Sample III (pulp). These samples were dried to produce fine
powder and Jam I (pulp) and Jam II (pulp with lemon juice) were prepared from Sample III. The phytochemical
analysis was conducted using methanol and ethanol extracts, revealing that methanolic extracts contained
significantly higher amounts of total phenol, flavonoid, and tannin compared to ethanolic extracts, except for
antioxidant activities. Sample III exhibited higher phenol and flavonoid quantities for both extracts, while Jam II
showed higher flavonoid content. The maximum ABTS scavenging activity was observed in Sample II and Jam II
for both methanolic and ethanolic extracts. Total sugar was found at the highest amount in sample I and jam II.
Jam I sample was preferred by the panelist. These findings underscore Bael powder as a rich source of bioactive
compounds, potentially addressing malnutrition and hidden hunger.

1. Introduction characteristics of many underutilized plants. Because of this, a variety of

The golden apple (Aegle marmelos L.), commonly known as ‘Bael’ in
Bangladesh, is a tropical fruit that is abundantly grown in most of the
South-Asia and Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand, Pakistan,
Bangladesh, Srilanka, India, and Malaysia [1–6]. Bael is an important
medicinal plant. It is a medium-sized deciduous tree belonging to the
family Rutaceae. The Bael (Aegle marmelos) is an important and indig­
enous fruit of Bangladesh. In addition to being regarded as a remedial
plant, Bael fruits have a high moisture content (nearly 61 %) but are rich
in nutrients because they contain minerals (phosphorus, potassium,
calcium, magnesium, iron, copper, zinc, chromium), fat, fiber (hemi­
cellulose, cellulose, lignin, pectin), protein, carbohydrate, vitamins (B1,
B2, B3, C), amino acids (threonine, valine, methionine, isoleucine,
leucine, lysine), and fatty acids [7–9].
The consumption of functional foods and nutraceuticals has received
attention due to the increased understanding among health-conscious
consumers of the impact of nutrition on human well-being. This
awareness has prompted researchers to look at the functional
fruits with nutritional and therapeutic benefits have been made avail­
able as ideal components for the food processing sector [10,11]. There
are many health benefits associated with the presence of polyphenols,
carotenoids, terpenoids, flavonoids, alkaloids, and coumarins in the
plant, including antimicrobial, antioxidant, antidiarrheal, antidiabetic,
anti-ulcerative, cardioprotective, anticancer, gastroprotective, and
hepatoprotective effects [12–14].
Bael is still an underutilized fruit with a lot of potential for appli­
cation in the functional food industry, despite its excellent flavor and
beneficial nutritional and therapeutic qualities. Due to its seasonality,
Bael cannot be consumed all year round. When fruit slices or pulp and
juice are dried and ground, a pure, concentrated form of fruit pulp
referred to as powder is produced. One of the most affordable ways to
preserve fruit pulp for an extended period without significantly
degrading the nutritional components is to use a powdered form of
preservation [14]. As a result, it has the potential to be turned into a
variety of goods, including tea, juice, candy, and beverages [10,13].
Although, several researches have already been performed regarding

* Corresponding author.
E-mail address: anwaraak@hstu.ac.bd (A.A. Khatun).

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jafr.2024.100971
Received 9 November 2023; Received in revised form 18 December 2023; Accepted 4 January 2024
Available online 4 January 2024
2666-1543/© 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-
nc-nd/4.0/).
 Md.T. Rahman et al.
the phytochemical properties and antioxidant capacities of Bael in its
raw form a few in powdered form. However, to the best of our knowl­
edge, no detailed study has been performed on Bael fruit powder which
is categorized on its pulp, seed, and gum constituents concerning phy­
tochemicals and antioxidant capacities. As a result, the present study
was designed to evaluate the phytochemical properties and antioxidant
capacities of Bael fruit powder and its products on two distinct solvents.
2. Materials and methods
2.1. Chemical and reagents
The following analytical grade reagents were collected for different
experiments, e.g. Gallic acid, Folin-Ciocalteau reagent (FCR), Sodium
Carbonate (Na2CO3), Sodium nitrite (NaNO2), Aluminum chloride
(A1C13), Sodium hydroxide (NaOH), Vanillin, Hydrochloric Acid (HCl),
DPPH (1, 1-diphenyl-2-picry1hydrazyl), ABTS (2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethyl­
benzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid)), Disodium hydrogen phosphate
dehydrate (Na2PO4), Sodium dihydrogen phosphate dehydrate (NaH2
PO4.2H2O), Potassium ferricyanide K3[Fe(CN)6], Trichloroacetic acid
(TCA), Ferric chloride (FeC13), Ferrous Sulfate Heptahydrate (FeS­
O4.7H2O), Sulfuric Acid (H2SO4), Sodium Potassium Tartrate, 3,5-Dini­
trosalicylic acid, Phenol, Methanol, Ethanol, Acetone, and Hexane.
2.2. Collection of raw sample
Bael fruits were purchased from a vendor at a local market in
Dinajpur, Bangladesh, and were found to be fully mature, ripe,
yellowish, and of acceptable quality. Until they were used, these fruits
were kept at a defect-free ambient (25 ± 5 ◦ C) storage temperature.
2.3. Preparation of bael pulp powder
The rigid exocarps of the fruits were cautiously broken. Subse­
quently, the pulp was separated from the shell and transferred into a
Fig. 1. Process flow diagram of jam preparation Bael pulp was taken (Sample III).
2
­
Journal of Agriculture and Food Research 15 (2024) 100971
clean stainless-steel container. The samples were classified into three
distinct categories. Sample I refer to the pulp of this particular group,
which consists of gum and seeds. In a similar vein, Sample II is
comprised of gum while simultaneously excluding seeds. On the other
hand, Sample-III is characterized by pulp devoid of seeds and gum. The
samples were afterward subjected to drying in a hot air oven (Universal
Oven UN55, Memmert GmbH + Co. KG, Büchenbach, Germany) at a
temperature of 60 ± 5 ◦ C. Soon after, the desiccated specimens were
carefully blended (JP1009, Jaipan Industries Ltd., Maharashtra, India)
and sieved using a mesh aperture of 1 mm (sieve no. 18). To facilitate
future investigations, the powder was hermetically enclosed within a
glass container and also preserved under ambient conditions at a tem­
perature of 25 ± 5 ◦ C.
2.4. Preparation of product (jam)
All three of the Bael powder samples were used to make jam. The
developed jams’ organoleptic qualities were then evaluated by several
semi-trained panelists. The panelists rejected the jams made from sam­
ples I and II because of their strong flavor and astringency, which they
attributed to the gum components and seeds. Islam et al. [15] reported
that the Bael fruit’s gum and seeds taste harsh. Thus, sample III was used
to prepare Jam for additional analysis. The steps of jam preparation are
given bellow (Fig. 1):
2.5. Preparation of sample extract
Halim et al. [16] approach was used to extract phenolic compounds
from several samples of Beal, with moderate modification. One gram of
each sample was combined with 19 mL of 100 % methanol and ethanol
(v/v). The mixture was stirred at room temperature for 1 h at 100 rpm
using a magnetic stirrer (VS-130 SH, Korea). The resulting slurries were
passed through a Whatman filter paper (No.41) and stored at − 4 ◦ C
temperature for further analyses.
Md.T. Rahman et al.
2.6. Total phenolic content
The total phenolic content (TPC) of the sample extracts was deter­
mined using the spectrophotometric method with some modifications by
applying Folin-Ciocalteu reagent as an oxidizing agent and Gallic acid as
standard [17]. For the standard curve, a volume of 0.5 ml of
Folin-Ciocalteau reagent and 1.0 ml of 7.5 % Na2CO3 solution was added
to 0.5 ml of gallic acid solution in a falcon tube and mixed properly.
After that, 8 ml of distilled water was added to the mixture and vortexed
for 20 s. Then, the mixture was allowed for 35 min at room temperature
in dark condition followed by centrifugation for 10 min at 4000 rpm.
Finally, the absorbance was measured at 725 nm.
2.7. Total flavonoid content
Total flavonoid content was measured by colorimetric method as
described by Bertolino et al. [18] with slight modification. 1 ml of
extracted sample was taken in a falcon tube and diluted with 4 ml
distilled water. Then 0.3 ml of 5 % NaNO2 was added to it and mixed
properly. After 5 min, the sample mixture was allowed to react with 0.3
ml of 10 % AlCl3 and stand for 1 min at room temperature. Then 2 ml of
1 M NaOH and 2.4 ml of distilled water were added to the sample
mixture and vortexed for 20 s. After that, the mixture was centrifuged at
4000 rpm for 5 min and kept in the dark for 15 min at room temperature.
Finally, the absorbance of the supernatant was taken at 510 nm using a
spectrophotometer (UV/VIS, UV-1800). The total flavonoid content was
expressed as mg/100g of sample.
2.8. Total tannin content
The assay was performed according to the method described by Price
et al. [19] with slight modifications. At first, 1 ml of sample extract was
taken in a falcon tube. Then 5 ml of 0.5 % vanillin-HCl reagent (0.5 %,
w/v vanillin in 4 % concentrated HCl in methanol) was added and mixed
properly. After that, the mixture was kept at rest for 20 min at room
temperature. Finally, the absorbance was read at 500 nm using a spec­
trophotometer (UV/VIS, UV-1800). The total tannin content was
expressed as mg/100g of sample.
2.9. DPPH radical scavenging assay
The free radical scavenging activity of the sample extracts on the
stable radical 1, 1- diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) was measured
spectrophotometrically following the modified standard method
described by Madhujith and Shahidi [20] with some modifications. A
volume of 100 μl or 0.1 ml of sample extract was mixed with 1.9 ml of
DPPH (0.3 mM) solution. Then, the solution was mixed thoroughly and
kept in a dark place for 30 min at room temperature. After that, the
absorbance was read at 517 nm using a spectrophotometer (UV/VIS,
UV-1800). The DPPH scavenging activity was expressed as micromoles
per gram of sample.
2.10. ABTS scavenging activity
The ABTS Scavenging capacity was evaluated by using the method
described by Zanh et al. [21] with slight modification. A volume of 30 μl
or 0.03 ml of sample extract was mixed with 3.0 ml of ABTS stock so­
lution. Then, the solution was mixed thoroughly and kept for 5 min at
room temperature. After that, the absorbance was recorded at 734 nm
using a spectrophotometer (UV/VIS, UV-1800). All the analyses were
performed in triplicate form to get better results. The ABTS scavenging
activity was expressed as micromoles per gram of sample.
2.11. Ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay
The reducing power assay was carried out as per the protocol
3
Journal of Agriculture and Food Research 15 (2024) 100971
described by Oyaizu [22] with slight modifications. At first, 0.5 ml
extract sample was mixed properly with 2.5 ml phosphate buffer (0.2 M,
pH 6.6) and 2.5 ml potassium ferricyanide (1 %) in a test tube, followed
by incubating in a water bath at 50 ◦ C for 20 min. After incubation, 2.5
ml trichloroacetic acid (10 % w/v) was added into the tube and the
solution was centrifuged at 1750 rpm for 10 min. Then, 2.5 ml super­
natant was diluted with 2.5 ml distilled water and 0.5 ml ferric chloride
(0.1 % w/v) was added. The mixture was mixed thoroughly and its
absorbance was measured at 700 nm using a spectrophotometer
(UV/VIS, UV-1800). The result was expressed as millimoles per gram of
sample.
2.12. Determination of total sugar content
The total soluble sugar content of the selected sample was deter­
mined by using the method of Dubois [23]. At first 500 mg of sample was
taken in a 50 ml beaker. Afterward, 10 ml of 80 % ethanol solution was
added to it and homogenized. Then, the solution was centrifuged at
2000 rpm for 20 min. From that, 1 ml of supernatant was taken in
another test tube and mixed with 1 ml of 5 % phenol solution. Subse­
quently, 5 ml of 95.5 % sulfuric acid was added to the sample. Then, the
test tube was allowed to stand for 10 min and vortexed for 30 s. After
that, the test tube was kept in a water bath at room temperature for 20
min for color development. Finally, the absorbance was recorded using a
spectrophotometer (UV/VIS, UV-1800) at a wavelength of 490 nm. The
standard curve for the total soluble sugar determination was constructed
by using glucose solutions and expressed as mg/100g of sample.
2.13. Determination of reducing sugar content
The reduced sugar content of the experimented samples was
analyzed by the following method suggested by Miller [24]. In a test
tube, 0.5 ml of sample extract was mixed with 0.5 ml DNS solution.
Then, the mixture was boiled for 10 min and cooled by immersing the
sample containing the test tube in cold water. After that, 5 ml of distilled
water was then added to the test tube and mixed well. Finally, the
absorbance was recorded using a spectrophotometer (UV/VIS,
UV-1800) at a wavelength of 540 nm. The standard curve was con­
structed by using glucose solutions and expressed as mg/100g of sample.
2.14. Determination of non-reducing sugar content
The non-reducing sugar content of the selected samples was deter­
mined by subtracting the reducing sugar content from the total soluble
sugar content by using the following formula:
Non-reducing sugar (mg/100g) = Total soluble sugar - Reducing sugar content
2.15. Sensory evaluation
The prepared jams were assessed based on their sensory qualities
using the hedonic rating test. The study was carried out at the Hajee
Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University’s Faculty of
Engineering with a group of panelists who had undergone some training.
The panelists were given instructions to assign points based on
appearance, flavor, and overall acceptance.
2.16. Statistical analysis
All measurements were carried out in triplicate for each of the
samples. Data were statistically analyzed (SPSS for Windows version
22.0) by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and paired t-test. Mean
comparisons were performed using Duncan’s multiple range tests
(DMRT) for significant effect at p ≤ 0.05.
Md.T. Rahman et al. Journal of Agriculture and Food Research 15 (2024) 100971

3. Result and discussion the Bael. The maximal DPPH free radical scavenging activity of the
aqueous extract of Bael fruit pulp from the vicinity of Chennai was found
3.1. Phytochemical properties of Beal powder to be 60.70 % by Sharma et al. [7]. The ferric ion reduction activities of
ethanolic extracts (0.027 m AAE/gw) of Bael fruit are higher than those
The total phenol, flavonoid, and tannin content for the methanol and of methanolic extracts (0.026 m AAE/gw), according to research by
ethanol solvent extracts of the Bael powder samples are displayed in Vikas et al. [26]. The results of this study show that Bael powder can be a
Table 1. The table shows that phenol, flavonoids, and tannin were pre­ good source of antioxidants.
sent in higher concentrations in the methanolic extract of Bael powder in
comparison to the ethanolic extract in various instances. Total phenol 3.3. Sugar content of Beal powder
(604.20 ± 13.96 mg/100g) and flavonoids (178.69 ± 3.32 mg/100g)
were most abundant in sample III’s powder extract. Nonetheless, sample The significant range in the Bael powder samples’ total sugar con­
II exhibited the maximum tannin (0.76 ± 0.06 mg/100g) concentration centration can be observed in Table 3. The overall amount of sugar in the
among all samples, and there was a statistically significant difference (p sample ranged from 2.90 ± 0.19 g/100 g to 4.57 ± 0.79 g/100 g.
≤ 0.05) between the two solvent extractions. Because the solvents Following samples II and III, sample I exhibited the highest concentra­
remove various hydrophobic or hydrophilic phenolic compounds from tion of total sugar. This is because these three samples have different
the sample, their polarity variations might be responsible for these compositions. Bael seeds also included a considerable amount of sugar.
variances [25]. The total soluble sugar content of the Bael seed sample was estimated to
It was also found by Vikas et al. [26] that for all samples in the be 13.2 0Brix by Lakht-e-Zehra et al. [34]. While Sing et al. [35] found
current study, the total phenolic content of the methanolic extract that the total soluble sugar content of the Beal seed had been 6.6 g/100g.
produced relatively higher values than the ethanolic extract. Because The current results were closely comparable to those of who found that
methanol evaporates more easily than water and can suppress the the total sugar content of Beal fruit ranges from 3.08 to 6.94 % [36].
enzyme polyphenol oxidase, which causes polyphenols to oxidize, it has Based on the available data, sample II had (0.56 g/100g) higher
been claimed to be the best solvent for extracting polyphenolic sub­ reducing sugar than sample III (0.32 g/100 g) and sample I (0.17 g/100
stances from plant tissue [27]. According to earlier studies [28,29] the g). Additionally, the sample I had non-reducing sugar value that was
total phenolic content of Bael fruit pulp is 15.588 mg/g and 22.02 mg/g greater than samples II and III, corresponding to these existing results;
respectively. These results are lower than the current values. The present however, the difference was statistically significant at p ≤ 0.05. A study
study’s total phenol, flavonoid, and tannin potential values may differ that evaluated the proximate composition of Bael fruit pulp revealed
from those reported in previous research. This might be the result of that the overall soluble sugar content was 7.6 g/100 g, with reducing
research into variations in the components under study, the solvent sugars causing the majority of the contribution (6.2 g/100 g) and
used, the extraction techniques used, and drying conditions all of which non-reducing sugars (1.4 g/100 g) making up a smaller portion [7]. Our
could change the concentration of phytochemicals which are important results differ slightly from previous study because of the analyzed
for beneficial activities—in them [30–32]. samples were in raw form. The maturation periods impact the sugar
content. Mature Bael fruit pulp had a high sugar concentration, but
premature Bael pulp had a low amount. Fruit pulp with a high sugar
3.2. Antioxidant activity of Beal powder
content aged due to alterations in organic acid conversion to sugar [8].
The fruit pulp processing (drying), varietal variations, differences in
As methods for evaluating the antioxidants’ capacity to scavenge free
growing and climatic circumstances, and the duration of the analysis
radicals, DPPH and FRAP assays are commonly used [30]. On the other
period could all be contributing factors to the discrepancies in the
hand, the fundamental ability to convert Fe3+ to Fe2+ was used to
results.
measure FRAP’s antioxidant activity [16]. The powder sample extracts’
ability to FRAP and ABTS was significantly different (p ≤ 0.05) from that
3.4. Phytochemical properties of prepared product (Jam)
of DPPH. The ethanol extracts in sample I had the highest DPPH
(1499.08 ± 17.36 μmol/g), but the methanol extract in sample II had the
As indicated by Table 4, the methanolic extract of Jam-II has the
highest ABTS (0.0931 μmol/g) and FRAP (49.95 ± 1.01 μmol/g)
most significant concentrations of total phenols (256.68 ± 4.33 mg/g)
(Table 2). Since the methyl radical in methanol is shorter than the ethyl
and total flavonoids (79.04 ± 1.80 mg/g). However, compared to the
radical in ethanol, it has less solvation than antioxidant molecules,
ethanolic extract, the methanolic extract provides a relatively higher
which would be the cause of the decrease in ferric ions [33]. According
tannin content jam-I. Because polyphenol oxidase is active in methanol,
to Dhanda et al. [29], in acetone extracts, fruit exhibited the highest
it has been demonstrated in a report by Anokwuru et al. [27] to be the
DPPH free radical scavenging activity (6.8 %) among the various parts of
most effective solvent for the extraction of polyphenolic chemicals from
plant tissue. The results of the study revealed that the product samples’
Table 1 overall content of phenolic compounds was lower than the powder
Phytochemical properties of Beal powder.
sample. A substantial decrease in the total phenolic content of the
Sample Phenol (mg/100g) Flavonoid (mg/100g) Tannin (mg/100g) guava-papaya jam was observed by Kumar et al. [36] after processing.
Methanol Ethanol Methanol Ethanol Methanol Ethanol Lafarga et al. [37] also reported that blueberry jam had a decrease in its
I 337.91 187.72 89.45 ± 92.26 0.59 ± 0.53 ±
total phenolic content. The reduction in total phenolics during fruit
± 6.87c ± 9.01e 1.77d ± 0.10b 0.04b processing may be caused by changes in cell structure as a result
11.46d phenolic component of fruits became more prone to non-enzymatic
II 509.34 304.87 115.18 93.54 0.76 ± 0.37 ± oxidation [38–40].
± 18.63b ± ± 3.58c ± 3.56d 0.06a 0.03c
10.62d
III 604.20 338.29 178.69 148.16 0.72 ± 0.49 ± 3.5. Antioxidant activity of prepared products (Jam)
± 13.96a ± ± 3.32a ± 7.93b 0.01a 0.05b
13.95c Table 5 shows the considerably different (p ≤ 0.05) DPPH radical
Note: Values are mean ± SD of three replicates; I: Bael powder (pulp+gum+­ scavenging activity ferric reducing antioxidant power prepared jam
seed); II: Bael powder (pulp+gum); III: Bael powder (only pulp); a-eDifferent sample. The manufactured jam samples J-I and J-II both have radical
superscript letters indicate Duncan’s multiple range test (DMRT) at p ≤ 0.05 scavenging capacities ranging from 889.89 to 997.93 μmol/g respec­
among the powdered samples. tively. The ferric-reducing antioxidant power of tm samples ranged from

4
Md.T. Rahman et al. Journal of Agriculture and Food Research 15 (2024) 100971

Table 2
Antioxidant activity of Beal powder.
Sample DPPH (μmole/g) ABTS (μmole/g) FRAP (μmole/g)

Methanol Ethanol Methanol Ethanol Methanol Ethanol

I 1404.83 ± 6.89b 1499.08 ± 17.36a 0.0678 ± 0.00c 0.0970 ± 0.00a 48.88 ± 3.32b 76.13 ± 2.94a
II 1411.72 ± 41.95b 1485.29 ± 3.98a 0.0931 ± 0.00b 0.0971 ± 0.00a 49.95 ± 1.01b 71.33 ± 12.49a
III 1400.23 ± 10.53b 1489.89 ± 10.53a 0.0927 ± 0.00b 0.0968 ± 0.00a 32.29 ± 6.43c 74.39 ± 11.15a
a-d
Note: Values are mean ± SD of three replicates; I: Bael powder (pulp+gum+seed); II: Bael powder (pulp+gum); III: Bael powder (only pulp); ifferent superscript
letters indicate Duncan’s multiple range test (DMRT) at p ≤ 0.05 among the powdered samples.

thermal processing of fruit pulps for making jam contributed to the

Table 3
degradation of bioactive chemicals [42].
Total sugar, reducing sugar, and non-reducing sugar of Bael powder.
Sample Total Sugar (g/ Reducing sugar (g/ Non-reducing sugar(g/
100g) 100g) 100g) 3.6. The sugar content product’s the prepared product (Jam)
a c a
I 4.57 ± 0.79 0.17 ± 0.010 4.39 ± 0.788
II 3.72 ± 0.36ab 0.56 ± 0.034a 3.16 ± 0.384b Table 6 shows the total sugar amount of the jam samples, which did
III 2.90 ± 0.19b 0.32 ± 0.011b 2.58 ± 0.193b not considerably vary. J-I and J-II samples had total sugar contents of
7.27 g/100 g and 7.41 g/100 g, respectively with outcome study’s
Note: Values are mean ± SD of three replicates; I: Bael powder (pulp+gum+­
seed); II: Bael powder (pulp+gum); III: Bael powder (only pulp); a-b Different
outcomes, sample J-I had a higher concentration of reducing sugar
superscript letters indicate Duncan’s multiple range test (DMRT) at p ≤ 0.05 (0.093 g/100g) than sample J-II (0.079g/100g). The table showed that
among the powdered samples. samples J-I and J-II had non-reducing sugar contents of 7.17 g/100 g and
7.33 g/100 g, respectively. There was no significant difference in the
values (p ≤ 0.05) between the values displayed in the table. The sugar
Table 4 contents of the product samples were comparatively much higher than
Phytochemical prepared products prepared product (Jam). the powder samples which were stated earlier in powder sample. The
Sample Phenol (mg/100g) Flavonoid (mg/100g) Tannin (mg/100g) addition of supplied sugar during product processing and the high TSS
value were the causes of the high total sugar content for product sam­
Methanol Ethanol Methanol Ethanol Methanol Ethanol
ples. According to Giraldo et al. [43] the increase in sucrose solution
J-I 256.68 176.29 69.45 ± 75.29 0.39 ± 0.16 ±
concentration caused the mango’s sugar content to increase during the
± 4.33b ± 7.31c 3.60b ± 0.06a 0.02c
3.38ab process of osmotic dehydration.
J-II 267.91 176.01 79.04 ± 70.39 0.28 ± 0.24 ±
± 0.76a ± 5.38c 1.80a ± 4.05b 0.01b 0.005b
3.7. Sensory evaluation
Note: Values are mean ± SD of three replicates; J-I: Jam (Bael powder); J-II: Jam
(Bael powder and lemon juice); a-c Different superscript letters indicate Duncan Sensory attributes score for color, flavor, consistency, taste and
Multiple Range Test (DMRT) at p ≤ 0.05 among the jam samples; Paired t-test (p) overall acceptability of prepared jams were demonstrated in Table 7.
was done for the comparison of the extraction values within groups of the
The scores were taken from 25 number of semi-trained panelists ac­
samples.
cording to hedonic scale rating.

41.62 ± 4.30 to 63.23 ± 1.02 μmol/g extracts. The ABTS scavenging
activity of the sample J-I showed 0.068 and 0.069 μmol/g for meth­
anolic and ethanolic extract respectively. Again, sample J-II showed
0.068and 0.070 μmol/g respectively. In the Table 5, it was clear that the
ethanolic extract had more scavenging potential than methanolic
extract. The product samples’ DPPH, FRAP, and ABTS activities were
much less than the scavenging activities of the powder sample. The re­
sults may vary as a result of heating, thermal processing, and sample
extraction techniques. The factors that led to this variance were dis­
cussed in various prior studies. Compared to fresh fruits, jam processing
lowered the bioactive components and antioxidative properties of
several fruits [40]. According to Wicklund et al. [41] jam preparation
decreased the antioxidant activity and anthocyanin levels. Again, the
greater soluble solids, temperature, pH, and oxidation during the
3.7.1. Color
A consumer’s initial criterion for product quality when deciding
whether to buy something is its color. According to Table 7, J-I and J-II
have respective color scores of 7.88 ± 0.83 and 7.76 ± 0.88. At a 95 %
level of confidence, the scores did not substantially differ (p ≤ 0.05). The
panelists chose sample J-I slightly more frequently than sample J-II, as
evidenced by the mean color scores in the table. Ullikashi et al. [44]
reported color scores of 7.8 for the control group and 7.3 for sample I,
respectively, which are quite similar to the results of the current study.
The characteristics of the reported sample were almost identical to those
of the current.
3.7.2. Flavor
Flavor is an important sensory phenomenon that is used to describe

Table 5
Antioxidant activity of prepared products (Jam).
Sample DPPH (μ mol/g) ABTS(μ mol/g) FRAP(μ mol/g)

Methanol Ethanol Methanol Ethanol Methanol Ethanol

J-I 924.37 ± 3.98c 997.93 ± 18.25a 0.068 ± 0.00a 0.0694 ± 0.00a 45.68 ± 2.49b 60.31 ± 3.67a
J-II 889.89 ± 14.36d 968.05 ± 17.36b 0.068 ± 0.00a 0.0702 ± 0.00a 41.62 ± 4.30b 63.23 ± 1.02a
t- statistics − 33.571 − 48.946 − 45.476 − 31.952 − 4.205 0.052
p (2-tailed) 0.001 0.000 0.000 0.001 − 8.642 0.013

Note: Values are mean ± SD of three replicates; J-I: Jam (Bel powder); J-II: Jam (Bael powder and lemon juice); a-c Different superscript letters indicate Duncan
Multiple Range Test (DMRT) at p ≤ 0.05 among the jam samples. Paired t-test (p) was done for the comparison of the extraction values within groups of the sugar
samples.

5
Md.T. Rahman et al. Journal of Agriculture and Food Research 15 (2024) 100971

Table 6
Sugar content of prepared product (Jam).
Sample Total Sugar (g/100g) Reducing sugar (g/100g) Non-reducing sugar (g/100g)

J-I 7.27 ± 0.707 0.093 ± 0.021 7.17 ± 0.704

J-II 7.41 ± 0.124 0.079 ± 0.001 7.33 ± 0.124
t- statistics − 0.326 1.143 − 0.357
p (2-tailed) 0.775 0.371 0.755

Note: Values are mean ± SD of three replicates; J-I: Jam (bael powder); J-II: Jam (Bael powder and lemon juice); Paired t-test (p) indicates the statistically significant
differences (p ≤ 0.05) in the column of the samples.

score of 7.5 for control (similar to J-I) rather than 7.0 for sample 1
Table 7
(similar to J-II). The reported phenomenon was similar to the present
Sensory attributes profile of prepared product (Jam).
findings.
Sensory Parameters Sample t- statistics p (2-tailed)

J-I J-II 4. Conclusion

Color 7.88 ± 0.83 7.76 ± 0.88 0.531 0.600
Flavor 7.36 ± 0.49 7.28 ± 0.98 0.371 0.714
Consistency 7.48 ± 0.71 7.64 ± 0.49 − 1.000 0.327
Taste 7.64 ± 0.99 7.92 ± 1.12 − 0.893 0.381
Overall Acceptability 7.32 ± 0.56 7.20 ± 0.58 0.721 0.478
Note: Values are mean ± SD of the panelist scores; the Paired t-test (p) indicates
the comparison of sensory attributes of the samples at p ≤ 0.05.
odor, taste, and mouthfeel experiences. Flavoring substances are aro­
matic compounds that are sensed by the mouth and nose as a combi­
nation of taste and odor [45]. The scores of flavors in the present study
were 7.36 ± 0.49 and 7.28 ± 0.98 for J-I and J-II respectively which
were not significantly varied (p ≤ 0.05). Again, sample J-I obtained a
comparatively higher score of flavors than sample J-II which is similar to
the reported value of previous study [44].
3.7.3. Consistency
Consistency is the sensory manifestation that is perceived by a
combination of senses such as touch, mouthfeel, and sight. It is one of
the most imperative quality features of a food (liquid or semi-solid) [46].
Table 7 shows that sample J-II has higher scores (7.64 ± 0.49) than
sample J-I (7.48 ± 0.71). It’s because lemon juice improves the consis­
tency of sample J-II. Pectin in fruit gives a good set to jam and Lemon
juice is added to set pectin [47,48].
3.7.4. Taste
The most important sensory characteristic that assesses a product’s
value is its flavor, which has a significant impact on how well the
product will sell in the market. According to Sharif et al. (2017), the
consequential discernments can be broken down into five different taste
qualities: sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami [47]. Table 7 provides the
mean taste ratings for prepared products (Jam). There was no discern­
ible difference between the two samples, as the table demonstrated.
Sample J-II obtained the highest taste ratings (7.92 ± 1.12), followed by
sample J-I (7.64 ± 0.99). Assessment taste and flavor to all the addition
of lemon juice treatment preferred by the panelists, it can be concluded
the addition of lemon can improve the taste of Beal jam [49].
3.7.5. Overall acceptability
The overall acceptability is one of the most essential sensory attri­
butes because of its linkage to the food’s textural and sensory aspects. As
a customer decision criterion, good sensory features remain a top
concern (Rustagi, 2020). The mean scores of overall acceptability which
were not significantly varied (p ≤ 0.05) were presented in Table 7. The
overall acceptability scores for samples J-I and J-II were obtained at 7.32
± 0.56 and 7.20 ± 0.58 respectively. The table demonstrated that
sample J-I obtained comparatively higher acceptance scores, although
sample J-II had higher scores in consistency and taste. The contradiction
of choices could be using lemon juice in sample J-II resulting in sourness
slightly. Ullikashi et al. (2017) reported a higher overall acceptability
To determine the fruit’s potential in the future, the current study
tried to investigate the phytochemicals and other qualities of Bael fruit
pulp. As a consequence of this investigation, it became clear that total
phenol, flavonoid, tannin, and other phytochemicals can be found in
significant amounts in the powdered fruit pulp of Bael (Aegle marmelos
L.). Furthermore, it is a good source of antioxidants, which are partic­
ularly effective at stopping detrimental events like the oxidation of lipids
brought on by oxidative stress. Nowadays, hidden hunger (lack of vi­
tamins and minerals) is a common problem in Bangladesh. The results of
this study can add to the scientific literature and useful application of
Bael fruit for producers and consumers to be aware of the importance
and utilization of this useful resource. Hence, the outcome of this
research will suggest that Bael fruit along with its incorporated product
has nutritional potential and is also regarded as an excellent food source
to meet the recommended dietary allowance.
Consent to participate
All authors have expressed their authorization to engage in this
publication.
Funding
This research did not receive any specific funding.
CRediT authorship contribution statement
Md. Tajminur Rahman: Data curation, Writing – original draft. Md.
Abdul Halim: Data curation, Formal analysis, Writing – original draft.
N.H.M. Rubel Mozumder: Writing – review & editing. Towkir Ahmed
Ove: Formal analysis, Software. Anwara Akter Khatun: Conceptuali­
zation, Data curation, Supervision, Writing – review & editing.
Declaration of competing interest
The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose that are
compatible with the subject matter of this article.
Data availability
Data will be made available on request.
Acknowledgments
The authors are indebted to Food Science and Nutrition along with
the Food Processing and Preservation.
Laboratory for providing the laboratory facility.

6
Md.T. Rahman et al. Journal of Agriculture and Food Research 15 (2024) 100971

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