Title of Invention

A COCONUT SAP SPREAD AND ITS PROCESS OF PREPARATION

Abstract

The invention relates to a coconut sap spread and its process of preparation. The process, in particular, describes the process of preparation of coconut sap spread from clarified coconut sap. The process deals with the use of clarified coconut sap in place of cane sugar in the preparation of 'spread' by converting it into a free flowing product by concentration under vacuum while retaining its nutrients and processing with acidulant, gelling agent, colourant and flavouring agent such as spice oleoresin.

Full Text

Field of invention: This present invention relates to a process for the preparation of coconut sap spread. The process, in particular, describes the process of preparation of coconut sap spread from clarified coconut sap. Background and prior art of the invention: Coconut palm botanically known as Cocos nucifera L. belongs to the natural order Arecaceae (Palmoe) an important member of monocotyledons. A sugar containing juice or sap is obtained by tapping the unopened spadix of the coconut palm. The tapping involves the extraction of exuded sap from the inflorescence that yields sweet sap. The tapping methods vary from country to country and even within the country. In India and Sri Lanka, the spadix is considered ready for tapping when the mature one is burst or just about to do so. The female flowers within the unopened spathe cause a swelling at the base and its appearance is an indication of the appropriate stage for tapping. The tapping is usually continued for a period of six months and there may be 3 spathes on the same tree being tapped at the same time. The maximum yield of coconut sap is usually obtained in the third month after the commencement of tapping. The yield of coconut sap is highly variable. It varies considerably from day to day, season to season, spadix to spadix and tree to tree. The average yield of coconut sap is about 1.5 litres per palm per day. The fresh coconut sap is rich in carbohydrates with sucrose as its main constituent. There is no knowledge / information regarding its use in the preparation of a jam or 'spread' like product. There are a number of patents relating to the preparation of fruit jams / spreads but none of them relate to coconut sap spread. Reference may be made to a process for the preparation of pumpkin fruit spread (Kraener Lothar, DE 19854800, June 2000) in which a fruit based spread was prepared from pumpkin fruit flesh and pumpkin seed components. However, the present invention is different from the above patent with respect to the starting material which is a liquid sap and not fruit pulp. Reference may also be made to the preparation of reduced calorie fruit spread (Sharp SE and Antenucci RN, US 5270071, December 1993) by mixing fruit or fruit flavouring with sucralose, methoxy pectin or carrageenan, carboxy methyl cellulose, guar gum and locust bean gum. This patent is entirely different from the present invention since the former involves use of an intense sweetener and the product is dietetic in nature. The present invention is based on use of a natural sap that is sweet. One more reference may be made to a method of the preparation of banana spread in which banana puree was incorporated with sodium meta-bis-ulphite, and other ingredients. The mixture was cooked to a thick consistency, poured into sterilized bottles and processed for 30 minutes [Adeva LV, Gopez, MD and Payumo, EM, 1968, Studies on the preparation of banana spread, Philippine J. Nutri, 21(4); 234-40]. The major drawback of this method is the long processing time (30 min) after the preparation of spread. This will result in a substantial loss of banana flavour. Reference may be made to an article on microbiology and biochemistry of natural fermentation of coconut sap [Atputharajah et al, Food Microbiology, 3 (4), 273-280,1986] wherein various microbiological, physical and chemical changes occurring during the entire period of natural fermentation were carefully studied. But no solution was provided for arresting the fermentation and preserving the coconut sap. Reference may be made to a patent titled ' A novel coconut sap {neera) concentrate' (Borse B.B., Ramalakshmi K., Ramesh M.N. and Raghavan B., 458/DEL/2004) wherein clarified coconut sap {neera) is concentrated under vacuum at low temperature thereby retaining the nutrients. The coconut sap {neera) concentrate (65-75° brix) is preserved and used as starting material for preparation of coconut sap spread by replacing sugar as herein described in the present invention. Objects of the invention: The present invention provides a process for preparation of flavoured coconut sap spread replacing the use of cane sugar completely. Summary of the invention: The present invention deals with a process for the preparation of flavoured coconut sap spread wherein the novelty of the invention lies in the use of clarified coconut sap in place of cane sugar in the preparation of 'spread' by converting it into a free flowing product by concentration under vacuum while retaining its nutrients and processing with acidulant, gelling agent, colourant and flavouring such as spice oleoresin. Detailed description of the invention: Accordingly the present invention provides a formulation for coconut sap spread which comprises the following ingredients to prepare 100 g coconut sap spread on processing, i. Clarified coconut sap concentrate (68° degree brix) 85 -95 g% ii. Pectin 0.05 -0.1g% iii. Citric acid 0.01 - 0.05g% iv. Ginger oleoresin 0.1 -0.5g% v. Erythrosine 0.1-0.8g% vi. Mixed fruit pulp(30 ° degree brix, optional) 04 -50-g% and a process comprising the steps such as; a. preparing the clarified coconut sap concentrate as per the pending patent to obtain a consistency of 65-75°Brix, b. adding citric acid at 0.01-1.0%, c. incorporating the pulp obtained from different fruits such as pineapple, apple and papaya with pectin at a concentration range of 0. 1 to 5%, d. heating the mixture for 6-15 minto 90-98 °C to achieve setting, e. adding erythrosine at a concentration of 0.1 -lg%, f. adding ginger oleoresin at a concentration range of 0.1 - 0.6 g% followed by stirring before setting, In an embodiment of the present invention, the acidification (citric acid, 0.01-0.05 %), gelling (pectin, 0.1-1.0%) and addition of colour (erythrosine, 0.1 -lg%) are carried out with minimal heat processing. In another embodiment of the present invention, the concentrate is incorporated with natural thickeners such as pulp of pineapple, apple, and papaya either singly or in combination. In yet another embodiment of the present invention, a natural food flavour such as ginger oleoresin is used at a specific concentration range of 0.1-0.4 g%. The steps involved in the preparation of coconut sap spread are illustrated in the following flow chart: Flow chart for preparation of coconut sap spread (Figure Removed) The novelty of the invention lies in the use of clarified coconut sap in place of cane sugar in the preparation of 'spread' by converting it into a free flowing product by concentration under vacuum while retaining its nutrients and processing with acidulant, gelling agent, colourant and flavouring such as spice oleoresin and fruit pulp. The following examples are given by way of illustration of the present invention and therefore should not be construed to limit the scope of the present invention. Example 1 Twenty litres of clarified and deodorized coconut sap (pH 7, TSS 15°Brix) was fed into the concentrating chamber of thin film evaporator. The coconut sap was evaporated at a temperature of 40°C under vacuum of 24" of Hg. The steam pressure was maintained at 1.5kg cm2. The sap was concentrated for a period of 40 min. The concentrate (2.3kg) obtained was heated (80°C) and added citric acid (0.02 %) and pectin (0.5%) along with stirring. The fruit pulp containing pineapple (625g), apple (375 g) and papaya (800g) was added to the mixture and heated (96± 2 °C). The setting point was determined using plate test and T.S.S. was kept at 71°Brix. The oleoresin ginger (0.25 %) and erythrosine (20 ppm) was added at the end of processing followed by stirring. The spreadability of the resultant product was optimum. The product was poured in clean, dry glass bottles and cooled to ambient temperature and bottles were capped. Example 2 Thirty litres of clarified and deodorized coconut sap (pH 4.55, TSS 15°Brix) was concentrated in a thin film evaporator. The sap was evaporated at a temperature of 45 °C under vacuum of 20" of Hg. and at a steam pressure of 1.5kg cm2. The sap was concentrated for a period of 45 min. The concentrate (2.9kg) was heated (80°C) and added citric acid (0.03 %) and pectin (1.7%) along with stirring. The mixture was heated to (96± 2 °C). The setting point was determined using plate test and T.S.S. was kept at 73°Brix. The spreadability of the resultant product was optimum. The product was poured in clean, dry glass bottles and cooled to ambient temperature and bottles were capped. Advantages: A coconut sap spread is healthy value added product of Neera which is presently not available in the market. There is no addition of cane sugar and the sweetness is rendered completely by the natural sweetness of Neera which is having many health benefits. We claim: 1. A coconut sap spread comprising: i. Clarified coconut sap concentrate 60 -95 % ii. Pectin 0.3-2.0% iii. Citric acid 0.02 - 0.5% iv. Ginger oleoresin 0.1 -0.5% v. Erythrosine 15-25 ppm vi. Mixed fruit pulp as herein described (71 ° brix, optional) 0.0-50% 2. A process for preparing Coconut sap spread as claimed in claim 1, comprising : I. providing clarified coconut sap concentrate of 65-75°Brix concentration, II. adding citric acid in the range of 0.02 - 0.5% to the sap obtained in step I, III. adding fruit pulp selected from the group consisting of pineapple, apple and papaya to the product obtained in step II, IV. adding pectin at a concentration range of 0. 3 to 2% to the product obtained in step III, V. heating the mixture obtained in step IV for 6-15 min to 90- 98 °C to achieve setting, VI. adding erythrosine at a concentration of 15-25 ppm to the set mixture obtained in step V, VII. adding ginger oleoresin at a concentration range of 0.1 - 0.5 % to the mixture obtained in step VI followed by stirring before re-setting to obtain coconut sap spread. 3. A process as claimed in claim 2, wherein the concentrate is incorporated with fruit pulp selected from the group consisting of pine apple, apple, papaya either singly or in combination to obtain a variant of the product. 4. A process as claimed in claim 2, wherein optionally the concentrate is incorporated with a flavor of ginger oleoresin at a specific concentration of 0.1 -0.5 %.

Documents:

744-DEL-2005-Abstract-(09-06-2011).pdf

744-del-2005-abstract.pdf

744-DEL-2005-Claims-(09-06-2011).pdf

744-DEL-2005-Claims-(28-05-2012).pdf

744-del-2005-claims.pdf

744-del-2005-Correspondence Others-(08-06-2012).pdf

744-DEL-2005-Correspondence Others-(09-06-2011).pdf

744-DEL-2005-Correspondence Others-(28-05-2012).pdf

744-del-2005-correspondence-others.pdf

744-del-2005-description (complete).pdf

744-del-2005-description provisional.pdf

744-DEL-2005-Form-1-(09-06-2011).pdf

744-del-2005-form-1.pdf

744-del-2005-form-18.pdf

744-DEL-2005-Form-2-(09-06-2011).pdf

744-del-2005-form-2.pdf

744-DEL-2005-Form-3-(09-06-2011).pdf

744-del-2005-form-3.pdf

744-del-2005-form-5.pdf