Sustainable Processes and Chemical Characterization of Natural Food Additives: Palmyra Palm (Borassus Flabellifer Linn.) Granulated Sugar

Abstract

Palmyra palm (Borassus flabellifer Linn.) is an important sugar-producing plant that is widely distributed in tropical Asian countries. Its jaggery and sweet sap are prevalent in Cambodia as a substitute for table sugar. They contain essential minerals, vitamins, and biological compounds. We investigated the changes in the nutritional composition, antioxidant properties, and biological activity of palm granulated sugar prepared by using three different drying–solidification processes under vacuum conditions: the drying temperature was controlled at 80 °C, 90 °C, and 100 °C, and the drying time was 60, 75, and 90 min, respectively. Palm granulated sugar contains 10 kinds of vitamins (mainly vitamin E 52.15–55.12 mg/100 g), 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (2.18 to 41.92 mg/100 g), and 38 volatile compounds that belong to the alcohol, ketones, pyrazines, acids, and phenols groups, and an aldehyde group. Moreover, palm granulated sugar exhibits a high total phenolic content (2.77–8.94 mg gallic acid equivalent/100 g), 2,2-diphenyl-1-1picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity (20.15%–37.88%), and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) value (322.68–378.23 μmol Fe2+/mL). Furthermore, palm granulated sugar-treated NIH3T3 cells showed a higher cell viability of 18.10% to 23.68%. This study confirmed that palm granulated sugar prepared at 90 °C for 75 min can have a better product quality with increased vitamin and mineral contents, antioxidant properties, and biological activity, while also being low in 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) content.