Tamarind products

Meillon, S. (1974) Process for making drinks, syrups, juice and liquor and solid extracts based on tamarind products thus obtained. French Patent No. 2231322 (English summary). 

Traditionally, tamarind products, leaves, fraits and seeds have been extensively used in traditional Indian and African medicine (Jayaweera, 1981 and Parrotta, 1990, cited in (5)). A number of recent surveys have hsted local folk uses of tamarind as remedies for a number of ailments (Rimbau et al, 1999, Kristensen and Lykke, 2003, Sen and Behera, 2000, Punjani and Kumar, 2002, Patil and Yadav, 2003 and Rajendran et al., 2003, all cited in (5)). 

Tamarind Gum. Tamarind gum [39386-78-9] is another seed gum with potential industrial appHcation. It is obtained from the seed kernels of the tamarind tree, Tamarindus indica which is cultivated in India and Bangladesh. The seeds are a by-product from the production of tamarind pulp which is used as a food flavor. Seed production is 150,000 t/yr. 

Fig. 14 Effect of the molecular weight of tamarind seed xyloglucan depolymerized by ( ) 7-irradiation, ( ) ultrasonication, and ( ) endo-glucanase treatment on the production of various cytokines (Tumor necrosis factor a, TNE-a Interleukin 8, IL-8 Interleukin 10, IL-10 and Interleukin 12, IL-12) in HaCaT cells (Immortalized keratinocytes line) [301]...

Tamarind (Tamarindus indica L.) is an important tropical tree widely grown in India. Although its fruit can be used for wine production, its wine is not preferred due to its high acidity. An attempt has been made to convert its wine into vermouth of acceptable quality (Lingappa et ah, 1993). In this process, the base wine was made from tamarind fruit (50 g/L), at 0.9% acidity, followed by raising the TSS to 23 °Brix and adding 150 ppm sulfur dioxide. Fermentation was conducted by S. cere-visiae var. ellipsoideus at 27 1 °C. Both dry and sweet vermouths, with 17% alcohol content, were found acceptable. 

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... 

Bhatta, R., Krishnamoorthy, U. and Mohammed, F. (2000) Effect of feeding tamarind (Tamarindus indica) seed husk as a source of tannin on dry matter intake, digestibility of nutrients and production performance of crossbred dairy cows in mid-lactation. Animal Teed Science and Technology 83(1), 67-74. 

Kulkarni, R.S., Gangaprasad, S. and Swamy, G.S.K. (1 993) Tamarind economically an important minor forest produce. Minor Forest Products News 3(3), 6. 

Sabu, A., Pandey, A., Jaafar Daud, M. and Szakacs, G. (2005) Tamarind seed powder and palm kernel cake two novel agro residues for the production of tannase under solid state fermentation by Aspergillus niger ATCC 1 6620. Bioresource Technology 96(1 1), 1223-1228. 

Other wine-like products are palm wine and agave wine (pulke), maple and tamarind wines as well as rice wine (sake), a sherry-like beverage which is consumed mainly warm. 

Tamarind or Tamarindus indica L. of the Fabaceae, subfamily Caesalpinioideae, is an important food in the tropics. It is a multipurpose tree of which almost every part finds at least some use 17), either nutritional or medicinal. Tamarind is indigenous to tropical Africa but it has been introduced and naturahzed worldwide in over 50 coimtries. The major production areas ate in the Asian coimtries India and Thailand, but also in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Indonesia. In America, Mexico and Costa Rica are the biggest producers. Africa on the whole does not produce tamarind on a cotmnercial scale, though it is widely used by the local people. Minor producing countries in Africa ate Senegal, Gambia, Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia (5, 17). 

Tamarind seed is a by-product of the tamarind pulp industry. The presence of taimins and other dyeing matter in the testa make the whole seed unsuitable for direct consumption (Rao and Srivastava, 1974, cited in 17)). However, the seeds become edible after soaking and boiling in water, which removes the seed coat (5). In the past, and even today, seeds have been wasted (5) even though they could be ground to make a palatable livestock feed (NAS, 1979, cited in 3)). 

The major industrial product of tamarind seed is the tamarind kernel powder (TKP) which is an important sizing material used in the textile, paper, and jute industries 17). Tamarind seed is also the raw material used in the manufacture of polysaccharide (jellose), adhesive and tarmin. In 1942, two Indian scientists aimounced that decorticated kernels contained 46-48% of a gel-forming... 

The most outstanding characteristic of tamarind is its sweet acidic taste, the acid due to mostly tartaric acid. The latter is synthesised in tamarind leaves in the light and translocated to the flowers and fruits (Lewis et aL, 1961 and Patnaik, 1974, both cited in (3)). Tartaric is an unusual plant acid formed from the primary carbohydrate products of photosynthesis, and once formed, it is not metabolically used by the plant (3). The content of tartaric acid does not... 

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). 

Tamarind seeds also contain small amounts of anti-nutritional factors such as tannins, phytic acid, hydrogen cyanide, trypsin inhibitor activity and phytohaemaglutination activity, (5). The presence of tannins and other coloring matter in the testa make the whole seeds unsuitable for direct human consumption. Therefore, the testa has to be separated from the kernels by boiling or roasting. Otherwise, side effects such as depression, constipation and gastrointestinal disorders may result (Anon, 1976, cited in (5)). Bhatta et al. (2001, cited in (5)), have considered that a natural source of tannin from tamarind seed husks can be used to depress gas production in mmen fermentation, particularly in crossbred dairy cows. 

The antioxidative activity of tamarind seed was also investigated by Osawa et al. (1994), cited in (5). They found that ethanol and ethyl acetate extracts prepared from the seed coat exhibited antioxidative activity. This suggests that tamarind seed coats, a by-product of the tamarind gum industry, may have potential as a low cost source of antioxidants 18), but we note that so many plants and plant extracts show antioxidative activity (Ramos et al, 2003, cited in... 

Tamarind seed is a by-product of the tamarind pulp industry. Presence of tannins and other dyeing matters in the seed testa make the whole seed unsuitable for consumption, but they become edible after soaking and boiling in water. Tamarind seed is also used as raw material in the manufacture of polysaccharide (jellose), adhesive and tannin. Seeds and kernels are high in protein content, while the seed coat is rich in fiber and tannins (anti-nutritional factors). Seeds are gaining importance as an alternative source of proteins, and are besides a good source of fatty acids and rich in some essential minerals, such as Ca, P, Mg and K. 

The tamarind seed polysaccharide is a suitable substitute for pectin in the production of marmalades and jellies. It can be used as a thickening agent and stabilizer in ice cream and mayonnaise production. 

Other wine-like products include pahn and agave wines ( Pulque ), maple and tamarind (Indian date) wines, and sake, the Japanese alcoholic drink made from fermented rice, which resembles sherry and is enjoyed as a warm drink. 

The viscosity of dispersions is increased by heating. Under acidic conditions, however, the tamarind gum polysaccharides imdergo rapid hydrolysis. In the presence of high concentrations of saccharose (>65%) and over a wide range of pH values, tamarind gum forms gels that are stronger than pectin gels. Tamarind gum is only rarely used in food production, except in some special apphcations (as a thickener and foam stabiliser). The main use of tamarind gum is in the textile industry. 

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