Food Science and Technology 6(1): 20-27, 2018 http://www.hrpub.org DOI: 10.13189/fst.2018.060103 Authenticity Testing of Coconut Toddy Samples (Palm Wine) Using Sulfated Ash Content Gowri Ramanah*, Samantha Wimalasena, Vajira Senadipathi, Eranthi Seniviratne, Kulali Suntharalingam Government Analyst’s Department, Sri Lanka Copyright©2018 by authors, all rights reserved. Authors agree that this article remains permanently open access under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0 International License Abstract Coconut toddy (palm wine) is an unopened inflorescence of the coconut palm, is the major effervescence beverage tapped from young inflorescence raw material used in the manufacture of alcoholic of coconut tree (Cocos nucifera). The sap contains various beverages in Sri Lanka. The sap is a brownish clear liquid, nutrients, and it undergoes natural fermentative changes containing 14 to18 percent (w/v) sugars mostly in the form when it is stored. Toddy is a traditional alcoholic drink in of sucrose. [1] Sri Lanka. In Sri Lanka artificial fermented liquor is made Toddy is a sweetish, milky white, vigorously out from the fermentation of sugar solution. There have effervescent alcoholic beverage consumed as mildly been several complaints with respect to adulteration of alcoholic beverage similar to beer which is collected from toddy by artificial fermented liquor. Ash values are used to palm tree. [2] find out quality, authenticity and purity of substances and During ancient period, people drank palm wine in early these values are important quantitative standards. Hence morning in empty stomach before breakfast for health this study mainly focused on identifying authenticity of benefits.[2] It is made from the fermented sap of tropical toddy using the sulfated ash content. Genuine toddy plants of palmate family, such as the coconut palm (Cocos samples were collected from different areas and artificial nucifera), oil palm (Elaeis guineesis), date palm, nipa palm, fermented liquor samples were made in the laboratory kithul palm and raffia palm (Raphia hookeri).[2] using sugar solution (16%) and inoculum of genuine toddy The coconut sap oozing out of the treated inflorescence samples. Different ratios of genuine toddy and artificial is traditionally collected in earthenware pots and allowed to fermented liquor mixtures were prepared. Sulfated ash ferment in open pots for varying lengths of time. During content of genuine toddy samples, artificial fermented this period, microorganisms from the atmosphere liquor samples and different ratios of genuine and artificial contaminate, multiply in the sugary liquid, and finally fermented liquor were determined by using muffle furnace. transform the raw material into various products, mainly Linear regression was obtained with sulfated ash content vs alcohol. The resulting solution containing about 7 percent different ratios of genuine toddy samples. Sulfated ash (v/v) ethyl alcohol is either consumed directly as toddy or content of genuine toddy varied from 0.44 to 0.54 distilled to obtain the sprit, arrack. [1] gram/100ml. Distilleries in Sri Lanka usually obtain toddy from contractors in Sri Lanka and they are paid on the content of Keywords Genuine Toddy, Artificial Toddy, Sulfated pure toddy. There have been several complaints with Ash, Fermentation respect to adulterated toddy which is artificially made fermented liquor prepared from sugar solution to the natural toddy. Therefore, the problem of adulterated toddy has to be 1. Introduction solved and necessary steps have to be taken to prevent such substandard toddy entering the market. There have been Coconut Palm (Cocos nucifera) is an important member many research studies about toddy, but none of these of the monocotyledons. This tree mainly grows in tropical studies focused on adulteration of artificial fermented coastal areas in Sri Lanka. Coconut is one of the major liquor prepared from sugar solution. plantation crops in Sri Lanka which accounts for Many researchers have studied the chemical or approximately 12% of all agricultural produce in Sri Lanka. microbiological compounds of fresh inflorescence coconut The coconut sap, an exudate obtained by “tapping” the sap (FICS) and natural fermented coconut inflorescence Food Science and Technology 6(1): 20-27, 2018 21 sap (NCIS). The chemical composition of the volatiles 2. Material and Methods from FICS and NCIS which were fermented for 24 h at 30 ± 20C; 21 compounds making up more than 98 % of the 2.1. Samples volatiles in FCIS, and 12 compounds representing more This Study involved 90 toddy samples in which than 95 % of the volatiles in NCIS, were characterized[3]. fermentation was arrested by adding salicylic acid, The distribution of microorganisms and changes of received from excise department for quality control physical and chemical contents during the natural purpose and courts for legal action. fermentation of coconut inflorescence sap and 166 isolates Further artificially fermented liquor and 05 mixtures of of yeasts and 39 isolates of bacteria were identified, while artificial and natural toddy were prepared in the laboratory. 17 species of yeasts belonging to eight genera were 3 samples of genuine toddy directly collected from recorded [7]. The Chemical composition changes of the tapper in 2014 denoted G1* post-harvest coconut inflorescence sap (PCIS) during 4 samples of genuine toddy directly collected from natural fermentation. Ethanol content increased the tapper in 2015 denoted G2* significantly from 1 to 5 days of fermentation and achieved 74 samples of market toddy received from excise maximum on the seventh day, but decreased later. After department in 2015 denoted MMT five days total acidity rose sharply and amino acid contents 8 Samples of toddy received from Courts denoted decreased [3]. In “Toddy Authentic or adulterated - How CL do we Know?” it is explained, as how to identify the starch Artificial Toddy denoted A* which is not a component of toddy. The samples were 5 Mixtures of toddy and artificial toddy denoted tested with iodine (I2)/ potassium iodide (KI) reagent and M* the colour development was compared using analytical grade starch as the control. The microorganisms have the 2.2. Method of Preparation of Artificial Fermented potential of producing many chemical compounds in Liquor (Artificial Toddy) addition of ethanol. Therefore, there is tendency of giving 2.2.a. Preparations of 16% Sugar Solution various colours such as reddish purple and light blue with the presence of amylopectin and amylose, respectively. 160 g of sugar was dissolved in 1 l tap water in ambient Light blue colour of the toddy sample was solely due to the temperature. presence of the microorganisms introduced from the 2.2.b. Inoculum environment. The samples were tested microscopically to 750 ml of Suspended toddy i.e. toddy found in the confirm the results. It can be concluded that an adulterated bottom part of tappers pot was collected with the help of toddy sample gives a deep blue colour with I2/KI reagent excise department. due to the presence of starch [1]. However there have been no reports about the adulterated toddy due to presence of 2.2.c. NPK as Nutrient sugar. 0.5 g of KH2PO4, 0.5 g of NH4CO3 We studied chemical parameters such as alcohol content, acidity, total solids, sulfated ash, brix value; conductivity 2.2.d. Anti-bacterial Agent and original extract in 4 fresh coconut sap samples which 0.5 g of Na2S2O5 were allowed to spontaneous fermentation and their 2.2.e. Preparation of Artificial Fermented Liquor fermentation were arrested in different time interval. While (Artificial Toddy). sulfated ash content remains constant, rest of the chemical parameters were changed with the time during the 70 ml of toddy inoculum, NPK nutrients and fermentation processes. Results of sulfated ash content Antibacterial agent were added to the 16 % 1000ml Sugar showed in Appendix 2 solution in 2.5 l conical flask. Flask was plugged with Hence this study mainly focused on identifying cotton wool and left for fermentation. At the eighth day authenticity of toddy using the sulfated ash content. Ash maximum alcohol content was obtained. On that day values are used to find out quality, authenticity and purity different mixtures of natural and artificial toddy were prepared as shown in table 1. of substances and these values are important quantitative standards. It provides a measure of the total amount of Table 1. Mixture % of natural and artificial toddy minerals within a food. Sulfuric acid is added prior to Sample no Toddy % (G) Artificial toddy % (A) heating to facilitate the destruction of organic matter and to M1 100 - fix certain metals as their sulfate salts to prevent M2 75 25 volatilization. When sulfuric acid is used, the resulting M3 50 50 material is known as sulfated ash. M4 25 75 M5 - 100 22 Authenticity Testing of Coconut Toddy Samples (Palm Wine) Using Sulfated Ash Content 2.3. Sulfated Ash chromatogram were obtained. Gas chromatograms showed in Appendix 3 Ten (10) ml of samples were pipetted out in a silica dish, Five (5) drops of con H2SO4 were added to the samples and kept for drying on a water bath and heated until they were carbonized by the burner. They were placed in a muffle 3. Results and Discussion 0 0 furnace at 500 C± 25 C. Three (3) drops of con H2SO4 was LOD 0.015 g/ml, LOQ 0.023 g/ml, RSD 9.6% added to the samples again and after drying, they were placed in the muffle furnace. Ash weight was determined. Table 2. Mean Sulfated ash content of the Genuine/artificial toddy * This process was carried out three times for each Description % w/v sample. Sulfated ash content unfermented sap6 0.48 0.47±0.02 (n=3) Mean of Sulfated ash content of G toddy 2014 2.4. Determination of Limit of Detection (LOD) and 1 (0.46-0.50) 0.50±0.01(n=12) Limit of Quantitation (LOQ) Mean of sulfated ash content of G toddy 2015 2 (0.48-0.52) 0.13±0.04(n=3) LOD and LOQ were determined based on the standard Mean of sulfated ash content of artificial toddy A deviation of the blank.