Development, Characterization, and Storage Stability of Freeze-Dried Bottle Gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) Juice Powder from Enzyme-Assisted Extracted Juice

This study developed and characterized freeze-dried bottle gourd juice powder from juice extracted with pectinase and cellulase (EBGJP), compared it with a control powder (BGJP) made without enzymes, and evaluated its storage stability at 10 and 30 °C for 90 days. Enzymatic extraction increased juice yield from 54.3% to 80.09% and DPPH activity from 52.1% to 84.04% (p < 0.05). Compared with BGJP, EBGJP had higher powder recovery (10.62 vs 7.85%), lower water activity (0.22 vs 0.31), higher solubility (95.72 vs 89.34%) and shorter reconstitution time (42.18 vs 56.21 s) (p < 0.001). After 90 days at 30 °C vs 10 °C, moisture (7.91 vs 5.82%), Thiobarbituric acid (TBA) value (1.46 vs 0.65 mg MDA/kg) and Hydroxymethyl furfural (HMF) were higher, and Total phenol content (TPC) and DPPH activity lower (p < 0.01). Chilled storage with moisture-barrier packaging is recommended for this nutrient-concentrated powder. Pectinase and cellulase-assisted extraction increased juice recovery and promoted the release of soluble solids and bioactive substances before freeze-drying. The obtained powder had a low moisture content, good functional characteristics, and a porous amorphous microstructure suitable for reconstitution. Processing significantly affected the physicochemical and antioxidant properties of bottle gourd juice. Storage experiments showed that refrigeration was superior to ambient storage in maintaining the quality of the product, as higher temperatures increased moisture uptake, lipid oxidation, non-enzymatic browning, and microbiological development. The results showed that antioxidant activity and bioactive substances decreased during storage, with accelerated losses under ambient settings. Overall, enzyme-assisted extraction followed by freeze-drying resulted in a nutrient-concentrated powder with good functional properties; during 90 days of storage in LDPE pouches, quality loss was markedly greater at 30 °C than at 10 °C.