Physicochemical properties of coarse palm sap sugars as natural alternative sweetener

ABSTRACT Palm sap sugar is a natural sweetener used as a sucrose replacement due to its potential for creating food products with distinctive characteristics. The physicochemical properties of several coarse palm sugars were investigated. In this study, coarse coconut sugars (CCS1, CCS2) and coarse palm sugars (CPS1, CPS2, and CPS3) of Indonesian origin from different producers were investigated. Coarse pure sucrose was used as the reference sample. The results showed that moisture content of palm sap sugars was higher than that of sucrose. While crude protein, reducing sugars and ash were only present in the palm sap sugars. Maillard reaction and caramelization which occur during sugar production were responsible for the dark color of palm sap sugars. Due to the presence of moisture, crude protein, reducing sugars, and ash as impurities, the melting and glass transition temperature of palm sap sugars were lower than those of sucrose. Moreover, particle densities and particle sizes of palm sap sugars were lower and less uniform, respectively, when compared to those of sucrose. The presence of relatively high moisture and reducing sugars as hygroscopic material may be responsible for the presence of “wet” layers sticking to the surface of palm sap sugar crystals, visualized using scanning electron microscopy. The variation on the physicochemical properties of palm sap sugars can be attributed to the raw materials and processing methods used by the sugar producers.