Palm Wine Research Paper

Chemical composition of some natural palm wine preservatives

Ngounou Batchanji Steve1, Feumba Dibanda Romelle2, Yadang Germaine2, Nyobe Emillienne Carine2, Achegui Nestor2, Ndanga Thomas2, Medoua Nama Gabriel 2
1Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Yaounde I, Cameroon
2Food and Nutrition Research Centre, Institute of Medical Research and Medicinal Plants Studies, Cameroon

Abstract:
Palm wine is the commonest name of the beverage obtained from fermented palm sap, the exudate from tapped unopened spathe of oil palm tree (Elaeis guineensis). This refreshing wine of West and Central Africa is very sweet but within 24 hours the concentration of sucrose falls to less than 50% the initial amounts due to a rapid sugar fermentation by microorganisms. In Cameroon, Central Africa, traditional attempts to preserve palm wine imply the introduction of natural preservatives mostly barks and leaves from edible or medicinal plants. The leaves of Cymbopogon citratus, Pimenta racemosa, Vernonia amygdalina, Ocimum basilicum and the barks and the leaves of Garcinia lucida and of Adansonia digitata commonly used in palm wine preservation were analyzed for their chemical composition. The results showed

The filtrate was put in a conical flask of 250 mL with distilled water. The pH of the solution was increased using liquid ammonia until the color moved from salmon pink to fair yellow then, the filtrate was treated with 10 mL of 5 % chloride of calcium for oxalate precipitation. Afterwards, the mixture which was allowed to settle for 24 h was centrifuged and the precipitate dissolved in 10 mL of 20 % sulphuric acid. The total filtrate resulting from the dissolution in 20 % sulphuric acid was completed to 300 mL with distilled water. An aliquot of 125 mL was heated until boiling and titrated with potassium permanganate 0.098 N until a constant pink during 30 s