The development of functional beverages often requires a compromise between the palatability and high content of bio-active compounds. The purpose of this study was to elaborate on the fruit-herbal beverages with defined pro-health functions and evaluate their consumer acceptance. The beverages contained 80% of juices obtained from the fruits of aronia, rugosa rose, acerola, sea buckthorn, and cranberry. Each beverage was supplemented with different plant extracts which enhanced the designed functions of the beverage. The beverages were sweetened with sugar or with steviol glycosides, and were preserved by thermal pasteurization. The main groups of bio-active compounds and antioxidant capacity using ABTS, DPPH, and ORAC methods were analysed before and after pasteurization. The sensory acceptance was tested by 60 adult consumers who assessed the desirability of taste, odour, colour, and overall quality. Each beverage contained substantial amounts of polyphenols, including anthocyanins; rosehip-acerola and sea buckthorn beverages were also sources of vitamin C and carotenoids. All these components were stable under thermal treatment. Rosehip-acerola beverages had the highest antioxidant capacity, which was measured using all three methods exhibited. The highest level of consumer acceptance and willingness to purchase went to aronia beverages, while the sea buckthorn gained the lowest. There was no significant difference between the acceptance of beverages sweetened with sugar and stevia. Women and the 25- to 34-year-old consumer group rated the overall acceptability of the beverages slightly higher, although this was not reflected in their inclination to buy them. Attitude toward proper body mass and health had no influence on overall acceptance and willingness to complete the purchases. The main motivation for purchasing the functional beverages was their sensory acceptance, even if the consumers were informed of their potential health benefits.

The influence of high pressure homogenization (HPH) at 100-150 MPa performed by multiple passes below 35 °C on carrot juice quality and stability was studied. The highest reduction in microorganisms (by 2.47 log) was noted at 150 MPa with 5 passes of the juice through the homogenizer. The PPO and POD's residual activity increased after HPH; PG was at the same level, while PME activity increased or decreased depending on the process parameters used. HPH treatment resulted in a decrease in the apparent dynamic viscosity, turbidity and colour parameters. Five passes at 150 MPa caused an increase in the carotenoid content, especially 9-Z-β-carotene (by 154%) while the TPC did not change significantly. Carrot juice treatment at 150 MPa with 5 passes may extend its shelf-life by 3 days when stored at 4 °C.