Development, Characterization, and Culinary Potential of Wine from Dates Palm (Phoenix dactylifera) and Some Spices
Mukesh R Jangra
Department of Biotechnology, Govt College, Hisar-125001, India.
KS Nehra
Department of Biotechnology, Govt College, Hisar-125001, India.
Poonam Sharma
Department of Biotechnology, Govt College, Hisar-125001, India.
Ravina Saini
Department of Biotechnology, Govt College, Hisar-125001, India.
Poonam
Department of Biotechnology, Govt College, Hisar-125001, India.
Nisha
Department of Biotechnology, Govt College, Hisar-125001, India.
Pooja
Department of Biotechnology, Govt College, Hisar-125001, India.
Deepika
Department of Botany, Govt College, Hisar-125001, India.
Sumit Jangra *
Advanced Centre for Plant Virology, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi-110012, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The rising prevalence of health conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke, along with the high costs associated with conventional wine, have presented significant challenges for consumers. This study aimed to develop an affordable and health-conscious wine using date palm fruit, enabling home production. The process involved extracting pulp from healthy date fruits and fermenting it with Saccharomyces cerevisiae EC-1118 yeast and sugar. To enhance the wine’s flavor and medicinal value, various spices, including ginger and turmeric, were incorporated. Additionally, honey was added to certain samples to increase antioxidant activity. The fermentation process spanned approximately 10 days, during which key parameters such as Alcohol by Weight (AFD), volatile acidity (Vc), and fixed acidity (Fv) were measured. Post-fermentation, biochemical and enological analyses revealed ethanol content ranging from 9% to 11% and volatile acidity between 3 to 9 g/L. Both sensory and non-sensory evaluations were conducted to assess the organoleptic qualities of the wine, with findings indicating that the wine produced from fermented date fruit pulp was organoleptically superior. Furthermore, storage studies demonstrated that the wine could be refrigerated for up to one month without any significant loss in taste or flavor.
Keywords: Date palm, fermentation, food preservation, organoleptic properties, value added products