Litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.), also known as “Summer
Sweet,” is a single-seeded fruit. Litchi is a popular fruit
because of its delicious taste, fruity flavor combined with a
distinct acid, and marked astringency. The availability of
litchi fruit in India is only for a limited period. Precisely, it is
available during the months of May and June in India.
Therefore, there is an immense potential for conversion of
litchi pulp into preserve, juices, nectars and ready-to-serve
beverages. The major constraint associated with the production
of beverages from litchi fruit is the unstable turbidity,
which is largely due to the fine suspension of particulate
matter known as cloud (Klavons et al. 1991). Cloud is composed
of a complex mixture of proteins, pectins, lipids,
hemicellulose, cellulose and other minor components
(Klavons et al. 1991; Baker and Cameron 1999). During
storage, unstable turbid juices (freshly squeezed, concentrated
or preserved) result in a cloud loss (Basak and
Ramaswamy 1996). Cloud loss is objectionable to consumers
who generally consider the presence of insoluble matter
in clear beverages as an indicator of spoilage