Murali Gopal

The study aimed to optimize the process parameters for the production of virgin coconut oil (VCO) by exploring the use of aerobic fermented neera (coconut inflorescence sap) at different concentrations (ranging from 5% to 25%). Fermented neera can be prepared from fresh neera without incurring additional expenses, presenting a potential advantage over commercially available cultures in the market. Coconut milk was extracted from a coconut kernel using a hydraulic coconut milk expeller. The extracted coconut milk was then fermented with varied concentrations of fermented neera ranging from 5% to 25%, and then, the oil layer was separated. Fermented neera as a starter at a concentration of 10% resulted in the highest VCO yield of 19.8% following 14 hours of fermentation. The study also found that the fermentation duration of the starter (6-hour, 8-hour, and 10-hour fermented neera) and its concentration had significant effects on the yield of VCO. However, the effects of starter on the physical properties (moisture content, viscosity, specific gravity, and refractive index) and biochemical profile (free fatty acid, peroxide value, acid value, saponification value, iodine value, and total phenolic content) of the resultant VCO were not significant. The physicochemical properties of the VCO produced using the fermented neera-based coconut milk fermentation method met the standards stipulated by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and the Asian and Pacific Coconut Community (APCC). Thus, fermented neera offers a novel economical alternative to enhance the fermentation rate during VCO production.

Owing to the demand for the consumption of healthy extrudates, this study explored the infusion of neera (coconut inflorescence sap) honey in rice flour, corn flour and coconut milk residue blend-based extrudates. Neera honey, the concentrated coconut inflorescence sap, has numerous nutrients and a natural source of essential vitamins. Hence, the potential of neera honey as a biofortifying compound for the production of healthy extrudates was investigated. The rice and corn based extrudates supplemented with different concentration of neera honey have been prepared until the mix reaches 16 and 20% (w.b.) of feed moisture. Effect of addition of neera honey on the physical properties (expansion ratio, bulk density, specific length), functional properties (water absorption, water solubility, oil absorption), biochemical properties (total carbohydrates, total sugar, reducing sugar, phenolics, flavonoids, antioxidants), color parameters(L*, a*, b*), proximate compositions (moisture content, ash, protein, fat) and mineral profile of extrudates were recorded. Results suggest that addition of neera honey had a significant (p ˂ 0.05) impact on all the physico-chemical parameters evaluated. Incorporation of neera honey (feed moisture −20%) resulted in extrudates with less expansion, high bulk density and specific length, having high sugar, protein, phenolics, vitamin C and antioxidant activity. The combination of 60% rice flour + 25% corn flour +15% coconut milk residue samples infused with neera honey upto 16% feed moisture was found suitable for the preparation of nutritious extrudates based on functional characterization and minerals evaluation.

The soils of Lakshadweep Islands are formed as a result of the fragmentation of coral limestone, that is carbonate-rich, with neutral pH, but poor in plant nutrients. Coconut palm (Cocos nucifera L.) is the main crop cultivated, supporting the life and livelihood of the islanders. No external fertilizer application or major plant protection measures are adopted for their cultivation as the Islands were declared to go organic decades back. Yet, Lakshadweep has one of the highest productivity of coconut compared with other coconut growing areas in India. Therefore, a question arises: how is such a high coconut productivity sustained? We try to answer by estimating in three main islands (i) the nutrients added to the soil via the litter generated by coconut palms and (ii) the role of soil microbiota, including arbuscular mycorrhizae, for the high productivity. Our results indicated that, besides adding a substantial quantum of organic carbon, twice the needed amount of nitrogen, extra 20% phosphorus to the already P-rich soils, 43–45% of potassium required by palms could be easily met by the total coconut biomass residues returned to the soil. Principal Component Analysis showed that soil organic carbon %, potassium, and organic carbon added via the palm litter and AM spore load scored >± 0.95 in PC1, whereas, available K in the soil, bacteria, actinomycetes, phosphate solubilizers and fluorescent pseudomonads scored above >± 0.95 in PC2. Based on our analysis, we suggest that the autochthonous nutrients added via the coconut biomass residues, recycled by the soil microbial communities, could be one of the main reasons for sustaining a high productivity of the coconut palms in Lakshadweep Islands, in the absence of any external fertilizer application, mimicking a semi-closed-loop forest ecosystem.

The phloem sap tapped from unopened inflorescence (spadix) of coconut palm using a novel collecting device, “coco-sap chiller,” has been branded Kalparasa^® (henceforth as Kalparasa in the text) to distinguish its properties not found in sap harvested by traditional methods. To know its hitherto unidentified microbiome profile, we employed high-throughput sequencing to uncover the bacteriome and mycobiome in fresh and 12-h fermented samples. Fresh Kalparasa had a pH of 7.2, which dropped to 4.5 after 12 h, signifying fermentation of the sap. Diversity analysis indicated fresh Kalparasa having higher bacterial species than the fermented one. Contrary to this, fresh sap had lower fungal/yeast diversity than the fermented sample. Fresh Kalparasa had relatively higher abundance of probiotic-type Leuconostoc genus followed by equal proportions of Gluconobacter, Acetobacter, and Fructobacillus. The 12-h fermented Kalparasa showed a significant increase in Gluconobacter with a sharp decrease in Leuconostoc. Mycobiome data revealed fresh Kalparasa to be preponderant in Saccharomyces and Hanseniaspora genera of yeasts while the fermented sap had higher representation of Hanseniaspora and Cortinarius and lesser Saccharomyces. This suggested that the fermentation of Kalparasa was probably driven by symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeasts (SCOBY), particularly acetic acid bacteria and non-Saccharomyces yeasts. The bacteriome-function predictions highlighted the enrichment of glycerophospholipid, ABC transporters, purine, and pyrimidine metabolisms. Based on our findings, Kalparasa containing large population of Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Fructobacillus fructosus, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Hanseniaspora guilliermondii can be promoted as a healthy “unfermented” plant edible food containing live probiotic-type microbiome during its consumption.