MSc

The present study “Quality evaluation and Value Addition of fruits of
Elaeocarpus serratus L. (Ceylon Olive Tree)” was conducted in Vazhachal forest
division of Thrissur district, Kerala. From the selected trees the fruits were
collected to evaluate their physical parameters, biochemical and mineral
composition. Two products were also, prepared from the fruits and their bio
chemical parameters were analyzed.
The physical characteristics of the fruits revealed that the mean fruit
weight, volume, length, diameter for the fruit were 3.55 g, 5.97 cm3, 23.07 mm
and 15.58 mm respectively. The mean pulp and seed weight was observed as 2.03
g and 1.52 g respectively for the fruits. The pulp and seed proportion was
estimated to be 57.50 per cent and 42.50 per cent of the total Elaeocarpus serratus
fruit content. Correlation matrix revealed a significant and positive relation among
all the studied physical parameters.
The biochemical parameters of the fruit such as moisture, total soluble
solids, total sugar, reducing sugar, starch, fibre, titrable acidity, beta carotene,
vitamin C were obtained as 62.45 per cent, 5.990 brix, 12.05 per cent, 8.26 per
cent, 18.78 per cent, 1.73 per cent, 1.36 per cent, 1.04 μ g /100gm and
2.9 mg /100gm respectively. Minerals like phosphorous, potassium, iron and
calcium were found to be 62.80 mg/100g, 331.48 mg/100g, 2.14 mg/100g and
10.94 mg/100g. The nutritional composition of the fruits was found to be in par
with other tropical fruits like tamarind, passion fruit, jackfruit etc.
In terms of organoleptic evaluation the fruit showed the mean scores for
appearance, colour, flavour, texture, odour, taste, after taste was found as 6.7, 6.8,
5, 5, 4.9, 4 and 4.1 respectively. Since the mean value for the above characteristics
of the fruit are low, the overall acceptability of the fruit is low with the value of
4.1. Two products were developed from the fruit i.e. pickle and candy. The
chemical composition of the fruit product pickle was analysed to evaluate the
acidity, total soluble solids, vitamin C, total sugar and reducing sugar which were
found to be 1.2 per cent, 10.450 brix, 2.6 mg/100g, 6.05 mg/100g and 0.76
mg/100g respectively. Similarly Candy chemical composition analysed values
was found to be 1.42 per cent, 68.060 brix, 2.8 mg/100g, 40.10 mg/100g and 15.01
mg/100g respectively. The organoleptic scores for the pickle and candy showed
high values for all the parameters with the overall acceptability mean score of 8.4
and 7.7 respectively.
Hence, the present study of fruits of Elaeocarpus serratus clearly reflects
the potential of this underutilized wild edible fruit for commercial utilization.