Abstract
Abstract Morinda citrifolia L., generally known as noni, is commonly used in Thai medicines and cuisine. Several bioactive phytochemicals have been isolated and identified from the noni plant, and their compositions differ based on the cultivars and harvesting period. Different types of fermented noni fruit juices (FNJ) were used as health supplement in several southeastern countries. The formation of a large amount of alcohol, especially methanol, in FNJ is one of the major hindrances to FNJ production. The current study explains the impact of starter culture (Lactobacillus plantarum SK15), pasteurization and addition of EGCG on alcohol content, bioactivity, and the physiochemical property of FNJ. The pH and sugar content of the samples were reduced during fermentation, while the organic acid content increased. The samples with EGCG obviously exhibited high total phenolic content and antioxidant activity. The level of pectin was high, and pectin methylesterase (PME) activity was low in EGCG-added samples compared with other samples. The alcohol content of the samples was under the permissible level of Thai standard; specifically, the methanol level was low in EGCG-added samples. Pasteurization and addition of starter culture did not influence any of the studied parameters. About 70% of acceptability index was observed for FNJ samples in the sensory evaluation. The study concluded that the addition of EGCG effectively reduced the alcohol content and improved the quality of FNJ. Also, further studies are required to reveal the role of starter culture in noni fruit fermentation.
Highlights
Morinda citrifolia L. belongs to the Rubiaceae family and is generally indigenous to tropical regions
The results suggest that the addition of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) starter culture significantly reduced the pH of the fermented product
The results suggest that the sterilization process and addition of starter culture significantly influenced the reducing sugar content of the samples, while epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) did not play an influential role
Summary
Morinda citrifolia L. belongs to the Rubiaceae family and is generally indigenous to tropical regions. About 200 phytochemicals were isolated and identified from various parts of the noni plant, and the phytochemical composition greatly varied in accordance with the cultivating region and harvesting time (Abou Assi et al, 2017). The phytochemical constituents, such as carbohydrates, soluble protein, phenolic compounds, rutin, and ascorbic acid, varied at the ripening stage of the fruits (Lewis Lujan et al, 2014). Noni plant is recognized due to its commercial (preservative, noni juice, insecticide) and pharmacological (antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-cancer, anti-inflammation, antidiabetic, anti-tuberculosis, analgesic, anxiolytic, wound healing, anti-psoriasis healing, and immune-enhancing activities) importance (Abou Assi et al, 2017)
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