Determination of the properties of lemonade drink produced by adding whey and whey powder

Industrial production of lemonade, which has traditionally been made at homes in Turkey, began in 2007. Lemonade, a natural and alternative product to carbonated beverages, has gained significant prominence in the fruit drink market, particularly during the summer months. Industrial production of lemonade and similar lemon-flavored beverages can result in changes in quality parameters and flavor characteristics over time. Industrially produced lemonade and similar lemon-flavored beverages have an artificial composition due to the production recipes and ingredients used. The aim is to create a functional beverage by incorporating whey, a by-product of the dairy industry that is rich in nutrients, as a raw material in the production of artificial composition-based industrial lemonade and similar lemon-flavored beverages. This study intends to evaluate the utilization of whey or whey powder, which is significant for the dairy industry and rich in nutritional content, in the production of lemonade, thereby introducing a new functional and non-alcoholic beverage to the literature and fruit juice industry. For this purpose, beverage formulations were prepared using demineralized whey and demineralized whey powder (at 50% and 80% concentrations). The prepared formulations' physical, chemical, and sensory analyses were conducted on the 0th, 15th, 30th, 45th, 60th, and 90th days to determine their characteristic properties. Additionally, the aim is to reduce environmental pollution caused by the disposal of whey into nature to some extent and to achieve economic benefits by utilizing whey without any processing.