Changes in physico-chemical attributes and reaction kinetics of Palmyra (Borassus flabellifer) sap stored under ambient and refrigerated temperature during fermentation

The change in physicochemical properties of palmyra sap and fermentation kinetics on storage at different storage conditions need to be studied in order to understand the stability of sap and to develop an efficient technique for improving the shelf-life of palmyra sap. The objective of this current study was to explore the changes in physico-chemical properties of palmyra sap during ambient (30 +/- 2 degrees C) and refrigerated (7 +/- 1 degrees C) storage. The palmyra sap collected was bottled and stored, and changes in physicochemical properties were studied every 10 h. The sucrose, glucose, and fructose content of fresh sap was observed to be 14.22 +/- 0.14, 1.41 +/- 0.01, and 0.52 +/- 0.02 (g/100 ml), which were degraded on storage. The alcohol content increased up to 6.24% after 10 h of storage in ambient conditions. The sucrose degradation in the palmyra sap followed first-order equation in the sap stored under ambient conditions. There are no significant changes in the properties of palmyra sap stored under refrigerated conditions. Novelty impact statementThis study is a first report on physico-chemical changes in naturally obtained palmyra (Borassus flabellifer) sap. Fermentation kinetics were studied at ambient and refrigerated temperature using zero-, first-, and second-order models that helps in predicting physicochemical changes and estimating the shelf-life of the palmyra sap. Physicochemical changes followed first- and second-order reaction model which helped in predicting the shelf life of palmyra sap. The alcohol content was found to be absent in palmyra sap under refrigerated condition.