Functional Beverage Formulation: Vitamins, Fibre, Taste and Product Stability (2026 Guide)

Key Takeaways

• Dose inside FSSAI limits. Voluntary fortification of processed foods is capped at 15 to 30% of the recommended dietary allowance (FSSAI media archive). Nutraceuticals generally cannot exceed one RDA.
• Start with the claim, not the ingredients. FSSAI's Advertising and Claims Regulations, 2018 bar claims that a food prevents, treats or cures a disease unless specifically permitted (Business Standard). Your claim decides which actives you can use and at what dose.
• Plan for vitamin loss with a permitted overage. Commercial juices lost 37 to 68% of their vitamin C over nine months at room temperature (AUT thesis). FSSAI allows overages so the label stays true to the expiry date (FSSAI FAQ).
• Storage temperature and light change shelf life. Pasteurised apple juice kept over 85% of its vitamin C after 60 days at 4°C but under 40% at 35°C (Scientific Papers Series D, 2025). Sunlight sped up losses five-fold compared with darkness (AUT).
• Processing itself costs nutrients. Pasteurisation alone caused up to 7% vitamin C loss in one commercial juice study (AUT thesis). Add sensitive actives as late in the process as you safely can.