Tamarind fruit pulp

Table 1. Proximate Composition of Tamarind Fruit Pulp...

Table III. Essential Amino Acid Content of Tamarind Fruit Pulp Compared to WHO s Ideal Standard...

Tamarind fruit pulp is relatively poor in oil (25.3 g/kg of crude lipid), greenish yellow in color and liquid at room temperature. Saponification valnes of the oil are high, indicating that it contains a high proportion of low molecnlar weight fatty acids (P). 

Besides anti-oxidant activities, hypolipemic activity was observed from tamarind frait extract in hypercholesterolemic hamsters (76). Treatment of hypercholesterolemic hamsters with tamarind fruit pulp extract (5%) led to a decrease in the levels of serum total cholesterol (50%), non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (73%) and triglyceride (60%), and to an increase of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (61%). 

Extracts from tamarind fruit pulp have shown molluscicidal activity against Bulinus trancatus snails. This is probably due to the presence of saponins in the fruit (Imbabi and Abu-Al-Futuh, 1992a, cited in (5)). 

The tamarind fruit (pod) has mainly pulp and seeds. The seeds are covered by a thin parchment, membrane-like structure. The pulp constitutes 30-50% of ripe fruit (Purseglove, 1987 Shankaracharya, 1998). The shell and fibre account for 11-30% and the seed constitutes around 25 10% (Chapman, 1984). The fruit pulp (both ripe and dried) contains mainly tartaric acid, reducing sugars, pectin, tannin, fibre and cellulose. The general composition of tamarind fruits is given in Table 20.1. 

Tamarind concentrate shall be obtained by hot water extraction of clean tamarind pulp, with subsequent concentration under vacuum. The tamarind fruits shall be mature, sound, fresh and shall be free from insect and fungal attack or any other blemish which affects quality. There should not be any added colouring or flavouring agents. 

The proximate compostion of the tamarind fruit depends on locality (3) (Table I). The pulp has a low water content and a high level of protein, carbohydrates and minerals. However, (P) reported that the fruit pulp is relatively poor in protein (87.9 g/kg) and oil (25.3 g/kg). 

Tamarind seed eonsists of the seed coat or testa (20-30%) and the kernel or endosperm (70-75%) (Coronel, 1991 and Shankarachaiya, 1998, both cited in (5)). Tamarind seed is a typical underatilized material (77). Commercially, tamarind seed is a by-product of the commercial utihzation of the fruit pulp and has been reported to have several uses (5, 17). Tamarind seeds can be used for extracting tamarind gum, whereas the seed coats, a by-product of manufacturing tamarind gum, were found as a source of natural antioxidants 18). The seeds are presently gaining importance as an alternative source of proteins (5). 

The crude extract of fruit pulp has a hypo-lipenuc and antioxidant effect in hamster rats." The phenolic constituents contribute to the antioxidant activity. The hypolipemic effect was also demonstrated in laying hens whose serum cholesterol levels significantly decreased after dietary supplementation with 2% tamarind."... 

All parts of the tamarind tree are useful in one way or another. Tamarind is valued mostly for its fruit and pulp, which is used for a wide variety of domestic and industrial purposes (Kulkarni et al., 1993), in particular to prepare juice, jam, syrup and sweets. Tamarind juice concentrate (TJC) is a convenient product due to the ease with which it can be dissolved and reconstituted in warm water. The specific heat of TJC increases with temperature and the glass transition temperature of the product is -70.74°C (Ahmed etah, 2007). Tamarind intake appears to... 

Tamarind valued highly for its fruits, especially the pulp which is used for a wide variety of domestic and industrial purposes (Kulkami et al, 1993, cited in (5)). The pulp constitutes 30-50% of the ripe fruit (Purseglove, 1987 and Shankaracharya, 1998, cited in (3)), the shell and fiber account for 11-30% and the seed about 25-40% (Chapman, 1984 and Shankaracharya, 1998, both cited in ( )). 

Tamarind, Partially dried ripe fruit of Tamarindus indica L., Leguminosae, preserved in sugar or syrup. Habit. East Indies, India, Africa naturalized in West Indies, Cort-stit The pulp contains about 10% tartaric acid, also some citric and malic acids 25-40% invert sugar, pectin. Review Rao, Srivastava, in Industrial Gums, R, L. Whistler, Ed, (Academic Press, New York, 2nd ed., 1973) pp 369-411. 

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