A STUDY ON THE CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL COMPOSITION OF COCONUT PALM WINE (TODDY).
John J. Lal., C.V. Sreeranjitkumar and M. Indira.
Department of Biochemistry, University of Kerala, Kariyavattom, Thiruvananthapuram.
Abstract
Toddy is one of the most popular alcoholic beverages consumed by the low socio-economic strata of the society in Kerala. It is procured from the tender fronds of the inflorescence of coconut palms. Usually it is collected in the evenings and it will be distributed for consumption only in the next morning. It is a sweet, oyster white and translucent fluid and traditionally believed that it has many medicinal properties. Presence of trace elements especially iron, various B Complex vitamins, ascorbic acid etc. kept this beverage in the status of a health drink. Our study points light to the fact that, while toddy getting fermented the nutrient quality of it will reduce and hence it is recommended to take as fresh. The study proposed to know the chemical and biological composition of toddy.
Introduction
An alcoholic beverage is a potable drink, which contains alcohol as an ingredient. The alcoholic beverages are broadly classified into three categories such as fermented beverages, distilled spirits and fortified wines. The fermented beverages are those which are produced from fruit juice or plant sap by natural fermentation. In India, wild dates (Phoenix sylvestris), coconut palm (Cocos nucifera), palmyara (Borassus flabellifer) palms etc. are frequently used for this purpose (Shamala and Sreekantiah 1988). The fermented beverages contain only very low (2.7 - 8%) content of alcohol (Child 1972). The distilled beverages are produced by distillation of these fermented plant saps, fruit juices or by distilling molasses supplied by sugar factories.
In south India, especially Kerala, coconut palm is used for tapping toddy or coconut palm wine and it is one of the most popular alcoholic beverages consumed by the low socio-economic strata of the society in Kerala . The methods of tapping the coconut palm are very ancient. When the palm has reached the normal bearing stage, every leaf axis produces a spadix or inflorescence. This unopened flower (spathe) is prepared by slightly brushing it with gentle taps of small mallet. To prevent it from opening, the spathe is slightly bound round with fibre. When the spathe is nearly ready to produce toddy, which is after about three weeks, about two to three inches is cut from the end. During the preparation the spathe is gradually bend over, so that by the time toddy flows, a receptacle can be placed at the end for its collection. The flow of juice increases gradually and the pot should be changed twice daily, at the same time shaving a thin slice from the end of the spathe, tapping slightly with the mallete and smearing on a mixture of bruised leaves for stimulating the flow of toddy from the spathe (Child, 1972). By the time collection of the sap is over, fermentation sets-in immediately and the sap is converted into fresh toddy or sweet toddy. This product is a milky white and effervescent. Fresh toddy is a sweet, oyster white and translucent fluid and it is considered to be as pure as mothers� milk and traditionally believed that it has many medicinal properties and a refreshing health drink. If it is kept undisturbed, fermentation continues, which results in the production of acetic acid.
Now a days toddy production and its distribution are controlled by law but no systematic data is available on the chemical and biological composition of commercially available toddy. This study aims to conduct detailed investigations on the chemical and biological constituents of this popular beverage.
Material and methods
Fresh toddy was collected and kept at room temperature for natural fermentation. Alcoholic content of 12h and 24h fermented toddy was estimated by the method described in AOAC and its pH was checked by ordinary pH meter. Specific gravity and ash content were also estimated. The ascorbic acid content was estimated by the method of Roe and Kuether (1943). Minerals like manganese, sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, lead and lithium were analyzed by AAS (Perkin Elmer Model 2380). Ethanol, acetaldehyde and acetic acid composition of 12 h and 24 h-fermented toddy were done by GLC. (Lab lamco Ltd. USA). Microbial analysis of Toddy was done by the method of Shamala and Srikantiah (1988). Protein content was etimated by the method of Lowry et al (1952) and sucrose was estimated by phenol-sulphuric acid method.
Results
The alcohol composition of 12 h fermented toddy was estimated as 2-2.5%. The specific gravity of toddy is 0.998 - 1.033%. 16-30mg ascorbic acid, 0.23-0.32g protein, 12.3-7.4g sucrose and 0.11-0.41g ash were estimated in 100 ml of 12 h fermented toddy. The AAS analysis of toddy revealed that toddy contains 0.140-0.166 ppm manganese, 0.286- 1.630 ppm copper, 50.1-78.2 ppm sodium, 82.3- 101.0 ppm calcium, 3.1-4.59 ppm lead, 4.1-1.63 ppm iron, 0.151-0.168 ppm zinc, 669-710 ppm potassium, 1.3-1.7 ppm lithium, 23-27.7 ppm nitrate. The gas liquid chromatographic analysis showed a gradual increase in the concentration of ethanol, acetaldehyde and acetic acid during fermentation.
Microbial analysis revealed that it contains Strptococcus sps. and Lactobacillus sp. were observed in the early stages of fermentation (12h). During later stages yeast (Saccharomycetes sp) was also observed.
The pH of the fresh toddy varied from 6.2 to 7.2, but the pH gradually droped to 4.3-4.0 by continued fermentation
Discussion
The study revealed that fermentation will change the nutritional quality of toddy by changing the chemical and biological composition of it. Reports showed that lactic acid produced by bacteria brings down the pH of the sap rapidly from 7.2 to 5.5 within 8 hours. This pH provides a very good atmosphere for the vigorous activity of yeast and it may lead to the rapid production of ethanol (Shamala and Srikantiah, 1988). This may be the reason for the observed reduction in the concentration of sucrose in 24 h fermented toddy compared to 12 h. the composition of minerals did not affect at that extend. The ascorbic acid composition is also reduced drastically by 24 h fermentation. The GLC estimation of acetic acid and acetaldehyde also support the above findings.
The observed microfloral composition has significance in the production of ethanol, because in the 12h fermented toddy we observed only the Streptococcus sps. and Lactobacillus sp. But during the later stages of fermentation we found growth of Saccharomycetes spp (yeast) in the toddy, which is in agreement with the findings of Shamala and Srikantiah, (1988). This study pointed out that fresh toddy is a nutritionally rich beverage compared to fermented toddy.
References
Child R. (1972) Toddy products. In Coconuts. 2nd edition pp-296-306. Ed. By R. Child., London, Logman
Hortwitz W. (1970) Beverages. Distilled liquors In AOAC., Ed. By Hortwitz. Pp. 144-147, Wasington DC., AOAC.
Lowry O.H., Rosebourgh N.J., Farr. A.L., Randall, R.J. (1951) Protein measurement with Folin-phenol reagent. J. Biol. Chem. 193: 265-275.
Roe J.H. and Kuether C.A. (1943) the determination of ascorbic acid in whole blood and urine through the 2,4-dinitrophenyl hydrazine derivative of dehydroascorbic acid. J. Biol. Chem. 147: 299-407.
Shamala T.R and Srikantiah. K.R. (1988) Microbial and biochemical studies on traditional indian palm wine fermentation. Food Microbiology, 5: 157-162.