Quality evaluation and value addition of fruits of Elaeocarpus serratus L. (Ceylon olive tree)

Abstract

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.