Exotic drink from jellyfish and lemon developed by Russian biotechnologists

Scientists from the Far East Federal University have worked out a powder mixture from jellyfish and lemon to prepare a healthy drink with exotic flavour.

Main ingredients of the exotic cocktail are Pacific jellyfish Rhopilema esculentum Kishinouye and lemon or orange extract. The concentrate diluted in water looks like ordinary fruit juice, but has a high content of amino sugars, vitamins, flavonoids, minerals and antioxidant properties.

To get the additive from jellyfish the scientists process its tissues with the help of the enzyme preparation chymotrypsin. One kilogram of jellyfish gives 1.8 grams of powder, the dry mixture contains 7-15% of the jellyfish additive, and the drink itself has 1.5-3% of it. The rest of the mixture is made of citrus supplements, a sweetener with glucose content and a flavoring. The energy value of one 200ml portion of drink is about 80 kilocalories.

Biotechnologists say that the new product has several advantages. The additive from jellyfish contains aminosugars that perform specific functions in the body, regulate blood coagulation and help treat some infectious diseases. When the components of the animal (additive from jellyfish) and plant (citrus extract) origin are used together, their antiradical and antioxidant activity turns out to be 10 times higher than the action of these components separately and is equal to the activity of ascorbic acid.

One more advantage is that powdered beverages are resistant to microbiological spoilage, because they have low water activity, which prevents the rapid development of microorganisms.