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. 2019 Sep 30;8(4):1777-1787.
doi: 10.1002/fsn3.1191. eCollection 2020 Apr.

Coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) sap as a potential source of sugar: Antioxidant and nutritional properties

Affiliations

Coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) sap as a potential source of sugar: Antioxidant and nutritional properties

Muhammad Tuseef Asghar et al. Food Sci Nutr. .

Abstract

This study was carried out to compare the antioxidant and nutritional properties of coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) sap with other natural sources of sugar such as sugar palm (Borassus flabellifer) and sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.). Coconut sap and juice from sugar palm and sugarcane were analyzed for proximate composition, pH and total soluble solid (TSS), color, sugar profile, vitamin profile, antioxidant properties (total phenolic contents, DPPH, FRAP, and ABTS), and mineral content. The results indicated that coconut sap possesses high DPPH (23.42%), FRAP (2.09 mM/ml), and ABTS (21.85%) compared with the juices. Coconut sap also had high vitamin C (116.19 µg/ml) and ash (0.27%) contents, especially in potassium (960.87 mg/L) and sodium (183.21 mg/L) which also indicating high content of minerals. These properties showed that coconut sap could be served as a potential healthier sugar source compared with sugar palm and sugarcane juices.

Keywords: antioxidant properties; coconut sap; mineral content; proximate composition; sugar palm juice; sugar profile; sugarcane juice; vitamin profile.

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Conflict of interest statement

All the authors declare that there are not any potential sources of conflict of interest. Any interest or relationship, financial or otherwise that might be perceived as influencing an author's objectivity is considered a potential source of conflict of interest. On behalf of all authors, I would like to declare that there is no conflict of interest for our manuscript. This article is original, unpublished and is not being considered for publication elsewhere. All authors have read and approved the manuscript and are aware of submission to Food Science & Nutrition, as research paper. The policy was collectively disclosed to all the authors and they collectively declared that they had no conflict of any financial or otherwise interest with the submission ALL pertinent commercial and other relationships.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Visual observation of (a) coconut sap, (b) sugar palm juice, and (c) sugarcane juice
Figure 2
Figure 2
(a) Sugar chromatogram of coconut sap. (b) Sugar chromatogram of sugar palm juice. (c) Sugar chromatogram of sugarcane juice
Figure 3
Figure 3
Sugar contents of coconut sap, sugar palm juice, and sugarcane juice
Figure 4
Figure 4
(a) Vitamin chromatogram of coconut sap. (b) Vitamin chromatogram of sugar palm juice. (c) Vitamin chromatogram of sugarcane juice

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