**10.2 Kaivetty**

burst. The female flowers within the unopened spadix causes a swelling at the base

*Neera* is widely consumed in countries like India, Sri Lanka, Africa, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Myanmar. It is a potential health and therapeutic drink since it is rich source of Vitamin C and vitamin B complex, having more calories which fight against diabetes, cancer, electrolyte deficiency and even hair fall. *Neera* is rich source of sugars, essential elements micronutrients and minerals. It contains acids like nicotinic acid (Vit.B3) and riboflavin (Vit.B2) and also can be consumed by people suffering from diabetes since it has a low glycemic index (GI) [10]. Consumption of *neera* prevents jaundice and also facilitates clear urination. It keeps the human biological system cool and helps to improve digestion. In a large scale *neera* production is noticed in an un-organized manner with major consumption by rural population. Hence, there is a wide scope for commercializing the product.

Sap extracted from 2 weeks old inflorescence by removing the sheet covering the inflorescence and the inflorescence is kept to dry for three days. Later a new surface is made by cutting and pot is tied directly to the inflorescence to collect the sap. In this method no pressing or stroking to the inflorescence is made as like other

Sap is extracted from one month old inflorescence. In this tapping method male spikes bearing sessile flowers are subjected to pressing and stroking and such three to six spikes are brought together wrapped with palmyrah leaves kept in a pot for

Sap is extracted from the young inflorescence by softening the tissues. The inflorescence main axis is hitted with iron rod and fork is used to give a small press

and this indicates the appropriate stage for tapping.

*Bioactive Compounds - Biosynthesis, Characterization and Applications*

**9. Tapping in male palm**

**9.1 Aripanai**

methods of tapping.

collection of the sap.

**10.1 Tattupalai**

**214**

**10. Tapping in female inflorescence**

in the region where the fruits used to develop.

**9.2 Vallupanai**

The sap is extracted from the inflorescence at an age of two to three months where the matured fruits on the inflorescence are sliced for collection of the sap (July to November).

#### **10.3 Nungu (palmyrah tender fruit endosperm)**

The tender fruit endosperm is a summer delicacy consumed in the southern and eastern parts of India. On the hot summer day *nungu* acts as a coolant for the parching throat. It provides a proportionate balance of minerals and sugar which is required for the body during the summer season to attain cooling. The tender fruit endosperm, which is available in abundance during the summer season, is rich in vitamin B, iron, calcium niacin and riboflavin. It is used to cure ulcers, urinary infections and heat rashes which mainly occur during summer months [11].

The palmyra tender fruit has the outer fibrous layer containing the sugary gelatinous endosperm. Fresh tender endosperm is perishable and highly prone to postharvest losses due to spoilage as it is composed of living tissues. These tissues must be kept alive and healthy throughout the process of marketing. Several factors influence the postharvest losses of most commodities. These include primary factors *viz.*, mechanical injuries, physiological changes and environmental factors such as temperature, humidity *etc.* Secondary factors which are responsible for deterioration of produce is due to inadequate facilities for harvesting, handling, postharvest treatments, packaging, transportation, storage.

#### **10.4 Jaggery**

Palmyrah jaggery is superior to cane jaggery. Cane jaggery is sweet, but Palm jaggery is sweet and delicious it can be produced worth crores of rupees. Palm jaggery gives mineral salts too. Doctors have told me to eat jaggery and I always eat Palm jaggery. Nature has made this product in such a way that it cannot be manufactured in the Mills, it is produced in the Cottages. Where there are Palm trees, this jaggery can be easily produced. Andhra Desha has thousands of Palm trees, there jaggery is produced in every hamlet. This is the way to banish poverty from the land. This also is an antidote to poverty." (From a speech delivered at the opening of the village industry exhibition in Brindawan Bihar on 3 May 1939 by Mahatma Gandhi) which speaks about the potentiality of palmyrah jaggery.

Jaggery is a natural sweetener made by concentrating the palmyrah fresh neera with clarification to remove impurities and uniform heating in open pan. As the jaggery is made up of longer chains of sucrose it is complex in nature when

compared to sugar that makes the jaggery to digest slowly than sugar and releases energy slowly and not spontaneously which provides the energy for a longer period of time so it is not harmful for the body. It is a sensitive product, getting affected by number of factors right from collection of neera to processing and storage of jaggery. The jaggery industry is still at cottage level because of some technological drawbacks in its export quality processing and storage. The keeping quality of jaggery largely depends on the atmospheric temperature and relative humidity [12].

the body strength, reduce hunger and mixing of palmyrah tuber flour with other

Starch is the main carbohydrate present in palmyrah tuber flour. The starch has low viscosity and gelatinization temperature but exhibit good settling property as such food starch. The palmyrah tuber flour starch is devoid of bitterness as it is inherent property of palmyrah tuber and has a grain size of 40 μm similar to potato starch.

Palmyrah fruit pulp can be utilized to prepare food items and animal feed. About 40% pulp is obtained from the fruit which is dark yellow in colour with a characteristic taste, flavor and bitterness. Palmyrah pulp is mixed with other fruits to making jam, cordial, cream etc. As the palmyrah pulp is bitter in taste, it is better to

prepare mixed fruit jam instead of palmyrah jam separately.

foods would positively reduce the malnutrition [14].

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.97501*

*Scope, Nutritional Importance and Value Addition in Palmyrah…*

**14. Palmyrah fruit**

**217**

**13. Bio active components in palmyrah tuber flour**

Jaggery is mostly spoiled during the monsoon period because of the presence of higher humidity in the atmosphere. The major problem associated with jaggery storage is the presence of invert sugars and mineral salts which are hygroscopic in nature. In the coastal region of the country, where atmospheric humidity and rainfall very high as it is very difficult to store jaggery. The study showed that about 5–10% of stored jaggery get spoiled every year leading to a huge loss [12].

In India, the jaggery storage facilities at producer/farmer level are very poor as it is stored in godowns, household kitchens and cheap storage systems where hygienic conditions are not strictly maintained, which attract several pathogenic and nonpathogenic microorganisms. Cold storage godown is being used in west Godavari and Vishakhapatnam districts of Andhra Pradesh, Kolhapur district of Maharashtra and Muzaffarnager area of Uttar Pradesh in India. But for small farmers storing jaggery in the cold storage is very difficult due to cost and energy consumption factor [13].

### **11. Preparation of palmyrah jaggery**

Palmyrah sap (neera) was collected in slacked lime treated earthen pots for experimental purpose. The cleared sap after lime sedimentation and filtration was transferred into the galvanized iron pan and boiled to 110°C. Few castor beans were crushed and put into iron pan to prevent over boiling. During boiling, a white scum arises on the surface which was skimmed off (removed with a ladle). Neera gets transformed into viscous fluid at 110°C. The fluid was stirred continuously to avoid charring at the bottom of vessel. Placing a few drops of fluid into cool water, the correct stage of formation of jaggery was judged. The hardening of fluid in the cold water is the indication of right stage of conversion of neera into jaggery. At this stage, jaggery fluid was poured into moulds and allowed to cool, then after sometime, fluid jaggery solidified in the moulds. The solid jaggery cubes were removed from the moulds and used in the experiment.

## **12. Palmyrah tuber flour**

Tuber is an edible shoot grown in loose soil from the seed of ripe fruit. Tuber is eaten by many people directly by cooking in open fire after peeling off outer layer. Palmyrah tuber is rich in starch and fibre, which is helpful in controlling various diseases especially diabetic. Regular consumption of palmyrah tuber flour increase

*Scope, Nutritional Importance and Value Addition in Palmyrah… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.97501*

the body strength, reduce hunger and mixing of palmyrah tuber flour with other foods would positively reduce the malnutrition [14].
