ABSTRACT

Nutritional quality of market samples of some fruit drinks were assessed through laboratory analysis. The assessment covered the determination of quality parameters of six brands of fruits drinks which include California brands of orange and pineapple drinks, orange and pineapple fruta drinks and 5 – alive orange and pineapple drinks. The assessment indices included the determination of proximate compositions, mineral composition and vitamin composition of the drinks. From the results obtained, protein content, fat content, fiber and ash content were low while moisture was very high in tall to them. Protein was in the range of 0.557% to 0.820%. fat 0.18% to 0.353%, ash 0.467% to 0.573% and the fiber 0.307% to 0.413%. for t he different fruit drinks. Vitamins A1 B1 B2 C and E were detected in all the fruit drinks but at different concentrations. Vitamin A was in the range of 122.260Iu/100g to 135.13 Iu/100g while vitamin C varied between 31.093mg/100ml and 46.347mg/100ml. vitamin B1 and B2 were in the range of 6.147mg/100ml to 9.820mg/100. Vitamin B1and B2 were in the ranges of 0.043mg/100ml to 0.063mg/100ml and 0.23 to 0.042 mg/100ml respectively. Variations were also recorded in the mineral content of the fruit drinks. Calcium was highest in 5-alive orange drink (23.38mg/100ml) and least in pineapple fruta (17.36mg/100) while magnesium was highest (14.400mg/100ml (5-alive pineapple) to 170.667mg/100ml (califonia orange drink) iron and zinc were present in small concentrations ranging from 0.027mg/100ml respectively. Some variations in their concentrations were found to be significant (p