Effect of variations of beta vulgaris extracts on masking the bitter taste of momordica charantia extract syrup

Objective: This study aimed to obtain a formula with an optimal sweetener concentration of beet extract that can cover the bitter taste of bitter melon and confer optimal physical properties on the syrup. Methods: The syrups were prepared by mixing bitter melon extract, sucrose, beet extract, sorbitol, sodium benzoate, strawberry essence, and demineralized water. The control formula and formulas 1, 2, and 3 contained beet extract at concentrations of 0% and 10%, 15%, and 20%, respectively. All formulas were evaluated to determine their physical properties, stability, and bitterness. The bitterness was tested on 30 respondents, with data being analyzed using Wilcoxon’s test on SPSS software. Results and Conclusion: Formula 3 with 20% beet extract was identified as the best formula for masking bitter taste because it had a significantly better average value than the other formulas (p<0.05) and the highest bitterless taste percentage (86.67%), with physical properties of a brownish-black color, odor of mixture of strawberry and dominant beet, a sweet and dominant beet taste, pH 5.46, and specific gravity of 1.228 g/mL.