Physicochemical and functional characteristics of powder prepared from palmyra fruit pulp (Borassus flabellifer L.)

This study investigated the physicochemical and functional properties of plamyra fruit pulp. Thus the fruits were procured from local market and several analyses such as ash, moisture, pH, protein, fat, total sugars, carbohydrate, starch, energy value, calcium, vitamin C using common scientific methods of food characteristics determination were performed. The results showed that the pH range between 5.5 to 6, TSS of the fresh pulp is 16.5 0 Brix, moisture content is 74-77%,ash content is 1.2 g, carbohydrate content is 22.5g, caloric value (energy) is 102.83 kcal/100g, reducing and non reducing sugars content is 9.5 g and 13g, starch is 12.6g, Maltose is 0.5g, Ascorbic acid is 16mg and calcium is 8.76 mg. The water absorption capacity of the palmyra pulp powder is 18 % (2.5 ml/g), The fat absorption capacity was found to be 2.8 % , bulk density of the sample obtained from the study is 0.78 gcm -3 , the powder has swelling power value of 4 and the percent foam capacity is about 2.5 %.