THE EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF SUGAR (TABLE SUGAR AND PALMYRA PALM SUGAR) AND THEIR CONCENTRATIONS ON PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND SENSORIAL PROPERTIES OF COCOA PULP BEVERAGE FERMENTED WITH WATER KEFIR

Abstract

The objective of the current work was to evaluate the use of two different types of sugar, namely table sugar and palmyra palm (Borassus flabellifer L.) jaggery, as a supplement for new cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) pulp fermented with water kefir grain beverages (CWK). CWK contained 5% w/v water kefir grains and two types of sugar added in different concentrations of 0, 2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10%. Fermentation was performed at room temperature and stopped at a fixed total soluble solid content after 24 h. The physicochemical properties of those beverages, including alcohol content, pH, titratable acidity, total phenolic content, and antioxidant activity (DPPH), were evaluated after fermentation. The results were 0.5-1.4% ABV (alcohol by volume), 1.10-1.38% w/v lactic acid, 612-802 mg Gallic Acid Equivalent per Liter (mg GAE/L), 107-137 mg Vitamin C Equivalent per Liter (mg VCE/L) for samples with table sugar at 17 ± 0.5 oBrix, and 2-2.8% ABV, 1.14-1.33% w/v lactic acid, 631-817 mg GAE/L, 134-217 mg VCE/L for samples with jaggery at 24 ± 0.2 o Brix. In general, it showed that those properties increased when sugar concentrations increased, except pH. In addition, the nutrients in jaggery, especially its micronutrient content, might enhance the microorganism's activity, leading to higher results. In terms of sensory properties, a nine-point hedonic scale was used to evaluate the appearance, aroma, taste, sourness, and overall acceptance. Regarding the preference of sensory, CWK with 5% jaggery expressed the highest results for all attributes, with a 7.33 score for overall acceptance. In conclusion, the substitution of palmyra palm jaggery for table sugar positively affected cocoa pulp fermented with water kefir grains