Rajan et al Int. J. Pure App. Biosci. 7 (1): 463-468 (2019) ISSN: 2320 – 7051 Available online at www.ijpab.com DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.18782/2320-7051.7564 ISSN: 2320 – 7051 Int. J. Pure App. Biosci. 7 (1): 463-468 (2019) Research Article Effect of Microwave Treatment on Physico-Chemical Quality of Coconut Neera Rajan Anbarasan1, Anandakumar S.2*, Gowri Sree V.2 and Loganathan M.1 1Indian Institute of Food Processing Technology (IIFPT), Thanjavur 2Division of High Voltage Engineering, Dept. of Electrical and Electronics Engg., College of Engineering Guindy, Anna University. Chennai. 25 *Corresponding Author E-mail: [email protected] Received: 5.01.2019 | Revised: 8.02.2019 | Accepted: 14.02.2019 ABSTRACT Coconut neera has many nutritional and medicinal values also rich in sugar content. It is highly susceptible to natural fermentation by Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Fermented neera is known as toddy which is an alcoholic beverage and produces off flavour and taste. In order to stop the fermentation, it is required to control the microbial growth in fresh neera. Among the different preservation methods microwave heat treatment has advantages of volumetric heating and higher penetration depth. Hence the present study was aimed to investigate the effect of microwave treatment at three different power levels of 520W, 720W and 900W and exposure time 3, 6 and 9 min on physico chemical parameters such as Weight loss, colour, pH, acidity, TSS, browning index, total phenolic content and reducing sugar. One way Anova was performed to identify the significant differences among the treatments. Higher power levels and exposure times significantly affect the quality of neera (p<0.05). All of the coconut neera samples of high power level and shorter exposure time had a low changes in the quality parameters. Key words: Coconut Neera, Microwave, Preservation, Physico-chemical, Fermentation and Quality. INTRODUCTION tropical countries since it contains essential In India Coconut (Cocos nucifera) cultivation micro minerals and nutrients which are was started before 1200 BC14. As per Ministry important to human health5. Coconut sap of Agriculture & Farmer Welfare report, the (neera) is a healthy drink which is obtained by total area of coconut production in India’s is cutting the unopened spadix of the coconut 20, 97,000 hectares in 2017-2018. Kerala, tree. Neera collection usually happens just Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are the top three before sun rise3. The coconut sap or neera coconut cultivating states in terms of area6. collected from cut end of inflorescence. Where Coconut is cultivated for nutritional and the coconut sap begins to ooze out1. medicinal values. It is used as a food in Cite this article: Rajan, A., Anandakumar, S., Gowri Sree, V., Loganathan, M., Effect of Microwave Treatment on Physico-Chemical Quality of Coconut Neera, Int. J. Pure App. Biosci. 7(1): 463-468 (2019). doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.18782/2320-7051.7564 Copyright © Jan.-Feb., 2019; IJPAB 463 Rajan et al Int. J. Pure App. Biosci. 7 (1): 463-468 (2019) ISSN: 2320 – 7051 Earthen pots or sometimes were used to collect direct heating and reduces heat dissipation to the neera from the tree. Then vessel Neera is the environment. It provides immediate brought down from the top of the tree. Then it heating and improved temperature control16. will be filtered by wire mesh and stored in Hence, this research is focuses on microwave chilled condition22. Now a day’s thermal heating of coconut neera to reduce the insulation boxes are used to collect the microbial load and evaluate the characteristics coconut sap from the tree10. Apart from fresh neera due to thermal treatments. neera the products obtained from neera also highly nutritive and valuable. Coconut jiggery, MATERIAL AND METHODS coconut palm sugar, coconut flower syrup are 2.1 Neera collection some of the product obtained from it4. Coconut neera sample was collected in daily Minerals, salts, high protein and acids like basis in the morning and evening (before ascorbic acid, nicotinic acid & riboflavin sunrise and after sunset) at Indian Institute of presents in neera makes it as high nutritive Food Processing Technology, Thanjavur. After drink18. As per coconut development board of cutting the spadix end of coconut inflorescence India, it is estimated that from one hectare of a High Density Poly Ethylene (HDPE 51µm) land neera alone gives the return of 2.7- 8.1 cover was tied on it to collect the neera. lakhs earning for every three months to the During the collection the HDPE cover was farmer based on the condition of the trees4. kept in a thermal insulated box maintained a Neera is a highly profitable drink for coconut chilling effect (3±1oC) to preserve the nutritive formers. However, neera is highly susceptible value and reduce the microbial load of neera. to spontaneous fermentation particularly 2.2 Microwave treatment caused by Saccharomyces cerevisiae17. This A microwave oven (Model: IFB-25BC4) with high sugar content (10-15%) under goes the power output of 900W was used to treat fermentation very rapidly when the neera the freshly collected neera sample at different collection procedures are unhygienic. This power levels such as 540W, 720W and 900W initial fermentation gives alcohol (5-8%) due with different time intervals 3, 6 and 9 to sugar conversion and produces toddy12. If minutes. All the treatments were indicated the fermentation process continues further it with symbols T1, T2, T3, S1, S2, S3, B1, B2, B3 produces coconut vinegar as a result of acetic were alphabets T, S and B represents power fermentation. Thus, leads to the formation of levels 540W, 720W and 900W and subscript 4-7% acetic in the fermented product. Nutrient 1, 2 and 3 indicates treatment times 3, 6 and 9 content, composition and quality of neera minutes respectively. Fresh neera was kept as varies depend upon location, neera tapping control which was denoted here as C. At the time and duration. As fermentation rate end of each treatment, temperature of the increases an unpleasant aroma and taste will sample was measured using an IR temperature be produced. This ultimately affects the sensor (Model: TESTO 868). The treatments quality and that leads to the preservation were performed in triplicates namely R1, R2, issues. High fermentable nature of neera leads R3 and the average values were taken for to unpleasant aroma and taste, which poses analysis. preservation issues. Preservation of neera by 2.3 Physico-chemical properties pasteurization was studied by many Weight loss, Colour, pH and TSS of fresh researcher19,2,15. Microwave pasteurization of neera and microwave treated neera values liquid foods were studied by many were measured directly by Hunter colour researchers9,8; and11. Penetration depth and meter (Model: Colour Quest XE, USA), pH higher heating rate of microwave treatment are meter (INFRA DIGI – digital micro controller the important factors to adapt this technology pH meter) and refractometer (ATAGO Model- for food preservation23. Some of the PAL 1, range 0~53oB) respectively as per advantages of microwave treatment are, it is standard procedure. For each microwave Copyright © Jan.-Feb., 2019; IJPAB 464 Rajan et al Int. J. Pure App. Biosci. 7 (1): 463-468 (2019) ISSN: 2320 – 7051 treatment 150ml of fresh neera was taken. The neera. The initial and final volume was water loss was observed at different measured in order to calculate the water loss in microwave power levels and exposure time of percentage. (2.1) Total colour change was calculated by the following Equation (2.1) and it was denoted by ΔE24. √( ) ( ) ( ) (2.2) Where, L*, a*, b* are the colour values of neera at initial time. , , are the colour values of neera at time Browning index was measured by the 2.4 Statistical Analysis difference between the absorbance of sample Statistical analysis was performed at five per at 420nm and 700nm with respect to distilled cent confidence to analyze the significance of water21 and turbidity was measured at the the treatments. When P ≤ 0.05 the null absorbance value of 610nm13 by UV hypothesis was rejected. So, there was spectrophotometer (Thermo scientific- significant difference between the treatments. Evolution 201). If the P > 0.05, then there was no significant Acidity was determined by titration difference between the treatments. method using 0.1N NaOH with phenolphthalein as indicator and expressed as RESULTS AND DISCUSSION citric acid equivalent (g Citric acid/lit). Total The results on effect of microwave treatments phenol content was measured by spectrometric on the physical and biochemical characteristics method. Test sample (200 μl) was mixed with of coconut neera is given in the following 9.8ml of distilled water, 2.5 ml of 10 fold heading. diluted Folin- Ciocalteu’s reagent and 2.0 ml 3.1 Effect of microwave treatment on of 7.5% Na2CO3. Then it was incubated at physical parameters of neera room temperature for 30 minutes. Finally, The effect of microwave treatment on physical absorbance was determined at 760 nm. The parameter of coconut neera is shown in Fig. total phenol concentration was calculated from 3.1. from the figure it is observed that the the Gallic acid (50–500μl/ml) standard curve colour (ΔE) values are varying from 2.061 to equation and the results were expressed in mg 3.89. Among the treatments the changes in the Gallic acid equivalents per ml sample (mg colour value was observed less in T1, S1 and GAE/ml). Similar test was carried out for all B1 treatment samples and found high in T3, the samples. For reducing sugar modified DNS S3 and B3. This changes are due to higher method of Marisa Garriga et al.7 was used. power levels and exposure time of treatments.