Effect of Variations in the Concentration of Coconut Neera Syrup on Sugar Crystals Yield and Subsequent Physiochemical, Nutritional, and Thermal Property Changes

• Published in: Sugar tech : an international journal of sugar crops & related industries Vol. 26; no. 3; pp. 851 - 861
• Main Authors: Anbarasan, R., Ramyaa, R. B., Mahendran, R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New Delhi Springer India 2024; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Agriculture; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Copper; Crystals; Diabetes mellitus; Life Sciences; Melting; Melting point; Melting points; Optimization; Physiochemistry; Production methods; Quality standards; Research Article; Sucrose; Sugar; Syrup; Syrups; Thermodynamic properties; Thermal characteristics; Coconut neera; Sugar profile; Sugar crystal; Crystallinity index
• ISSN: 0972-1525; 0974-0740
• DOI: 10.1007/s12355-024-01412-1

With an increasing demand for coconut neera and its value-added products, attributed to its low glycemic index and its potential as a diabetes-friendly alternative to cane sugar, there is a need for standardized large-scale production methods. However, the diverse regional and traditional practices in neera sugar preparation pose challenges in establishing regulatory and quality standards. To address this, a pilot-scale neera processing unit was established. This study focuses on determining the optimal coconut neera syrup concentration (70, 74, and 78° Brix) for maximizing neera sugar crystal yield, investigating subsequent physiochemical, nutritional, and thermal property changes to enhance the understanding of neera sugar production. The study found a positive relationship between sugar syrup concentration and crystal yield, with 70, 74, and 78° Brix neera syrups producing 14.62 ± 0.57, 22.89 ± 0.25, and 26.48 ± 0.88 g of sugar crystals, respectively, after 25 days. Correspondingly, sucrose content at 70, 74, and 78° Brix increased to 4995.785, 5144.819, and 6164.89 mg/L, respectively. XRD analysis indicated higher crystallinity in crystals from 78° (98.25%) and 74° (97.34%) Brix syrup compared to 70° Brix syrup (83.09%). Crystals from 70° Brix neera syrup had the lowest melting point at 167.31 °C, while purer crystals from 74° Brix and 78° Brix neera syrups reached maximum melting points of 179.33 and 182.90 °C, respectively. Additionally, crystals from 70° Brix syrup exhibited a higher mineral content (Ca, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, and Zn). These findings offer valuable insights into optimizing neera sugar production for increased yield and desirable product characteristics.