Balancing Functionality and Quality in Beverages From Cocoa and Coffee By‐Products

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Abstract
Cocoa bean shell (CB) and coffee cherry husk (CH) are underutilized agro‐industrial by‐products with strong potential as sustainable ingredients for beverages. Despite their potential as functional ingredients, systematic studies evaluating how compositional variation in CB–CH beverages influences the balance between functionality and quality in milk‐free systems remain limited. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of CB–CH composition on the physicochemical, functional, and sensory characteristics of milk‐free beverages and their short‐term storage stability. The raw materials were assessed for heavy metal residues and microbiological quality, while the formulated beverages were evaluated for physicochemical properties, total phenolic and flavonoid contents, antioxidant activity, sensory acceptability, and short‐term storage stability. The raw materials met the heavy metal and microbiological criteria assessed in this study. Increasing the proportion of CH decreased pH (6.54–4.30) and increased total titratable acidity, soluble solids, viscosity, phenolic content (9.70–12.28 mg GAE/g), and antioxidant activity, whereas CB contributed to improved acceptability. Multivariate analysis revealed a clear compositional gradient linking CH with physicochemical characteristics and CB with consumer preference. CB50CH50 and CB75CH25 showed a balance between functional and sensory attributes and were therefore considered candidate formulations for further product development. During the storage assessment, refrigeration slowed phenolic degradation and quality deterioration, whereas ambient conditions accelerated these changes. These findings highlight the potential of CB and CH as sustainable ingredients for value‐added beverages with functional potential and provide useful information for future product development and utilization of agro‐industrial by‐products.
Funding Information
  • Universitas Padjadjaran (1977/UN6.3.1/PT.00/2024)

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