Production Of Palm Wine Research Articles

Fermented traditional wine from palm trees: microbial, nutritional attributes and health impacts

Fermented wine from palm trees is gaining more acceptance by consumers given its natural and health promoting attributes. The traditional wine is fermented from the extracted sap of palm trees by microbes, however, excessive contamination by spoilage microorganisms must be avoided, storage conditions must be ensured to foster its natural fermentation. The importance and quality of this locally produced fermented wine will benefit from a better understanding of the scientific knowledge on its micro and macro nutrients. In this review paper, we explore the science of the traditional fermentation process that leads to the sweet, effervescent, milky but alcoholic beverage known as palm wine or toddy. The microbes that are involved in its fermentation (especially yeasts and lactic acid bacteria) are of interest towards realising the potential economic benefits that will be gained from the standard production of palm wine. It is important to emphasize ‘sustainability’ in the entire value chain of palm wine as an industry starting from its cultivation, to its processing, side streams, storage and consumption. In addition, the packaging materials for the large-scale production of palm wine will need to be eco-friendly when sustainability is considered.

Assessment of the conservation status of Borassus akeassii Bayt., Ouédr. & Guinko in Western Burkina Faso through local communities perceptions and the species stands structure

Borassus akeassii is one of the most common fan palms in West and Central Africa. In Burkina Faso, the species regenerates in the wild and is kept on farms by local people because of its high usefulness. It is used mainly by local communities for palm wine production and basket-making. We investigated the population dynamics and the local conservation status of Borassus akeassii in order to provide tools for the sustainable management of the species. People (n = 233) from five different ethnic groups were interviewed and their perceptions and conservation practices of the species were determined and compared between socio-demographic groups. For field measurement of the species populations, 30 inventory plots of 50 × 50 m size were used to collect data on individual life stage, sex, and exploitation state. Data were used to estimate the densities, the sex ratio, the regeneration and mortality rates and to calculate the permutation index (P), the Simpson’s dominance index (S), and the quotient (Q) between consecutive life stages of populations. This information provides highly condensed indices of population dynamics acting over many years. The results showed that 53% of informants report a declining trend for Borassus akeassii . However, perceptions of the species dynamics varied among ethnic groups. Harvesting was the main reported cause of the species’ decline. Population densities varied among life stages, with a dominance of seedlings. The permutation index, the Simpson’s dominance index, and the quotient between consecutive life stages revealed an unstable population structure of Borassus akeassii . However, the high intensity of exploitation of individuals versus the low mortality rate suggests Borassus akeassii is being used sustainably by local people. People are aware of the species' vulnerability and adopt practices for its conservation (e.g. planting and natural assisted regeneration). Encouraging good local practices of conservation together with the high potential of regeneration could ensure sustainable use of the species in Burkina Faso. Future research should thus focus on documenting the expert knowledge on sustainable exploitation of the species as an example to be reinforced and implemented in other areas.

CLIMATE VARIABILITY AND SEASONAL ASPECTS OF PALM WINE PRODUCTION (RAPHIA SPP) IN IKOT EKPENE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF AKWA IBOM STATE, NIGERIA

The research work examined the relationship between climate variability and seasonalaspects ofpalm wine production (raphiaspp) in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area ofAkwa Ibom State, Nigeria. The study was carried out to examined the effect of climate variables on raffia palm wine production seasonally in Ikot Ekpene. Primary source of data wasobtained through thedirect field measurement. The secondary sources of data include meteorological records obtained from Nigeria meteorological station, Uyofor 2018. The cross-sectional multiple regression was used to infer the relationship between climatic variables and seasonal aspects of palm wine production. The result revealed that about 263,000 litres of raffia palm wine was producedin 2018 from the field measurement. The impact of seasonal variation on raffia palm wine production revealed that dry season produced wine more than rainy season. The researcher concluded that the climatic variation has impactednegatively on the production of raffia palm wine in the study area leading to reduction in production of raffia palm wine.The researcher recommended that appropriate climate forecasting and early warning system should be made part and parcel of planning and development so as to increase the production of raffia palm wine in order to improve the local dry gin industry.

Local use and knowledge of Hyphaene coriacea and Phoenix reclinata in Zitundo area, southern Mozambique

Hyphaene coriacea and Phoenix reclinata are two abundant palm species in the Maputaland coastal plains of southern Mozambique. They provide an array of subsistence and commercial non- timber forest products. This research characterizes the ethnobotanical knowledge and uses of these species. Using structured interviews we assessed the knowledge, past and current uses, cultural importance and the determinants of the knowledge and current uses of these species. The knowledge about the uses of these two palms is widespread, however only 32% of respondents are engaged in palm exploitation. Thirteen palm products are used in the area with palm wine production from the sap of both species being the dominant activity, followed by broom production from Phoenix reclinata stems and basket production from Hyphaene coriacea leaves. The cultural importance of these species includes the production of anklets and skirts used during traditional dances and the use of palm wine in the traditional ritual of libation. Village of residency, gender and migration status are correlated with levels of knowledge and use of these species. Palm wine, broom and basket production can play an important role for income generation and therefore should be considered in future local development initiatives.

Assessment of Traditional Palm Wine Tapping Practice Effect on Vegetation in Nasarawa State, Nigeria

Palm wine is an alcoholic drink obtained by the natural fermentation of the sap of various type of palm trees, it produced and consumed in various part of the country and beyond. This rich beverage is been used for different traditional practices not only for occasional consumption, so it is of high demand product. The tapping process starts from traditional dealers known as Palm Wine Tappers, that climbs to the top most part of the palm trees, cut it open from the side or middle, or cut down the tree for the liquid sap and this produces lactic-alcoholic-acetic fermentation that is conducted by the lactic acid bacteria (LAB), yeast and acetic acid bacteria (AAB).
 The tapping process practiced in difference part of the country are; burning/falling, pruning and trimming. They poses a threat to palm trees that serves other environmental, economic, health and nutritional benefits to human and the ecosystem. This practice renders high number of palm trees less productive or dead in a society with no food security, shaky economy, poor environmental practice/awareness and tree planting habit. Due to high demand for the product, 4 out of 10 palm trees are been converted to palm wine production source, this implies that the palm tree can not produce palm fruit that is more of high economic benefits and also contributes to the shortage of palm tree lifespan that serves as a good absorbent of carbon and gives out oxygen through photosynthesis process, a measure that adds value to living organism and reduces warming of the environment. This study recommends proper public awareness especially to the people involve in the trade “Palm Wine Tappers” and introduction of more sustainable way of tapping, monitoring and emphasis on tree planting.

The production and commercialization of palm wine from Hyphaene coriacea and Phoenix reclinata in Zitundo area, southern Mozambique

In southern Mozambique a traditional wine is produced using the sap from two palm species, Hyphaene coriacea and Phoenix reclinata. Production of palm wine is one of the main livelihood activities in the Zitundo area. We examined the local production and trade of palm wine in the area. Using structured interviews we investigated the tapping activity, local management practices and the palm wine market, and assessed the incomes derived from palm wine sales and the tappers' perceptions on productivity, abundance and sales fluctuation. Tapping palms was practiced year round in five of the sixteen villages in the area and the mean number of palms tapped per day was 102±52 per tapper. Tappers spent an average of 25±18h per week on tapping activities resulting in an average return to labour of R39 (±US$3) per hour. The mean, annual, net income from palm wine sales was R24,981±R12,094 (US$1878±909) per tapper, which accounted for 85%±22% of the tappers' annual household income. Palm wine is a highly commercial commodity in Zitundo area, with an average commercialization index of 63%±23%, and is likely to help alleviate poverty in the area. Hyphaene coriacea was tapped more than Phoenix reclinata, although most tappers regard the wine from the latter to be of a better quality. The importance of palm tapping in local livelihoods and poverty alleviation needs greater acknowledgement by government and development agencies in the area, towards inclusion in sectoral development policies and conservation programmes.

“Imbibing the Lesson of Defiance”: Oil Palms and Alcohol in Colonial Ghana, 1900–40

This article examines a controversy over oil palm landscapes in colonial West Africa. Oil palms provide two important food products, palm oil and palm kernels, but they are also tapped for palm wine, an alcoholic drink produced from the sap of the tree. In Ghana (the colonial Gold Coast), the preferred wine-tapping method destroyed the tree, leading to conflicts among Ghanaians and with the colonial state over the best uses of oil palm trees. Many Ghanaian elites agreed with colonial officials that felling palms for wine was wasteful, but others defended palm wine as a symbol of resistance to colonialism. Although colonial officials tried to suppress the production of palm wine and spirits distilled from it, their efforts were halfhearted, reflecting skepticism about the environmental and economic cases for protecting oil palms. Felling palms for wine did contribute to the systematic degradation of Ghana’s once dense “palmeries,” but this was a complex transformation rather than a case of reckless overconsumption.

Perception of Palm Oil Clusters Development in Cameroon

The aim of this research paper is to find the factors that influence the development of palm oil clusters in Cameroon using a survey made among 296 individuals. From the regression model, we find that palm oil production, agribusiness schools, market development, palm wine production and clusters development by area have a negative and significant impact on palm oil clusters development in Cameroon, implying that the government and financial institutions have to do more in order to have the palm oil clusters well developed in Cameroon.

Cocoa combined with palm wine in Côte d’Ivoire: An unexpected resilience

La vigueur du palmier à huile sauvage est telle que cette espèce fait presque figure de « mauvaise herbe » dans les planta- tions de cacao négligées ou abandon- nées. Pourtant, le palmier à huile en Afrique de l’Ouest est très apprécié pour la production de vin de palme, et pourrait permettre aux agriculteurs de compléter et diversifier leurs revenus. Dans le cen- tre-ouest de la Côte d’Ivoire, la reprise du palmier à huile sauvage dans les an- ciennes plantations de cacao a joué un rôle important dans les années 1990, lorsque les paysans se sont trouvés confrontés à l’effondrement des cours du cacao et à des conflits d’héritage, qui ont entraîné l’abandon de nombreuses plan- tations de cacao où la densité des pal- miers à huile a rapidement augmenté. L’abattage des palmiers permettait de produire du vin de palme pour la vente et l’autoconsommation, générant ainsi des revenus, réduisant les risques et créant de l’emploi et de nouveaux dispositifs in- tergénérationnels et institutionnels. Dans les régions tropicales humides, les plantes d’importance économique locale comme les palmiers à huile peuvent ac- croître la résilience des agriculteurs aux chocs extérieurs. Au lieu de concentrer les efforts sur la seule intensification, il conviendrait d’évaluer les cultures de re- lais et leur impact sur la résilience de l’ar- boriculture sur l’ensemble du cycle de vie des exploitations.

Vitamins, phytochemicals and toxic elements in the pulp and seed of raphia palm fruit (Raphia hookeri)

Introduction . The raphia palm tree is found in abundance in the southern part of Nigeria, especially in the southeastern part. It is grown mainly for its production of palm wine. It also bears fruits (Raphia hookeri ) whose pulp is considered edible in some parts of the country and not edible in other parts. Materials and methods . Conventional methods of analysis were used to investigate the vitamin, phytochemical and toxic element composition of the pulp and seed of the fruit. Results . The investigation shows that the pulp has higher concentrations of vitamin E (1.04 mg·100 g–1 ), niacin (0.2 mg·100 g–1 ), alkaloid (5 g·kg–1 ), saponins (3.6 g·kg–1 ), flavonoids (4 g·kg–1 ) and phenols (4.1 g·kg–1 ) than the seed, but the seed has higher values of vitamin A (0.16 mg·100g–1 ), thiamine (0.07 mg·100 g–1 ), riboflavin (0.07 mg·100 g–1 ), nitrates (3.05 mg·100 g–1 ) and nitrites (0.29 mg·100 g–1 ), and of the toxic elements: lead (0.03 µg·g–1 ), mercury (0.04 µg·g–1 ), arsenic (0.23 µg·g–1 ) and cadmium (0.04 µg·g–1 ) than the pulp. Conclusion . The pulp and seed of R. hookeri are non-toxic and can serve as food as well as in medicine.

The traditional system of oil palm wine production in Igbo Eze local government area of Anambra state of Nigeria

This study was carried out in the Igbo Eze Local Government Area of the Anambra State of Nigeria, approximately 100 km from Enugu, the state capital. Four of the sixteen communities that make up the Local Government Area were selected by random sampling. From each of the four communities, a village was selected at random and from each of those four villages, a random sample of fifty farmers was drawn. The system of oil palm wine production in the area of study can be described as traditional in the sence that it is based on methods which have been in operation for generations. The palms available for tapping are the wild palms, most of which are old and of dwindling productivity. Empirical evidence showed that the tappers had not been exposed to any changes in organisational structure or institutions concerned with the oil palm smallholder rehabilitation scheme which could be utilised to improve the productivity of their palms. Nonetheless, the traditional system provides the farmer-tappers with some means of livelihood. Being market-oriented, the farmers are keen on adopting innovations which promise increased palm wine yields and increased farm incomes. Government assistance, through the provision of credit on liberal terms to enable the farmers to improve and modernise their holdings, as well as the introduction of new oil palm varieties with increased yield potential, should be considered.