Development and quality evaluation of antioxidant-rich soft candy formulated with Mangifera pajang Kosterm. (bambangan) juice

Aim: The limited utilisation of underexploited tropical fruits such as Mangifera pajang Kosterm. (bambangan) in confectionery products highlights the need for alternative formulations. This study aimed to develop and optimise a soft candy formulated with M. pajang juice and to evaluate its sensory, proximate, physical, and chemical characteristics, particularly its antioxidant potential and relevance to oxidative quality in confectionery systems. Methods: Four formulations and one control were prepared and assessed through sensory evaluation involving 50 untrained panellists using a nine-point hedonic scale to identify the optimal formulation. Proximate composition, physical characteristics including colour and texture, total phenolic content (TPC), and antioxidant activity using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging assays were subsequently evaluated for the selected formulation to determine its potential role in enhancing oxidative quality. Results: Sensory evaluation involving all formulations, including the control, identified formulation F2 as the most preferred. Subsequent analyses comparing formulation F2 with the control showed that F2, containing 3.90% sugar and 1.00% pectin, exhibited acceptable proximate composition, favourable physical characteristics including colour and texture, and high TPC (8.58 ± 1.05 mg GAE/mL). In addition, formulation F2 demonstrated strong antioxidant activity based on DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging assays, indicating its potential contribution to antioxidant functionality in the confectionery matrix. Conclusions: Soft candy formulated with M. pajang juice showed favourable sensory acceptance, acceptable quality characteristics, and enhanced antioxidant potential, supporting its value-added utilisation and potential contribution to oxidative quality attributes in confectionery applications.