PALM BASED MILK (SANTAN)

PALM BASED MILK (SANTAN)

• Very low fats and cholesterol free
• Taste good; almost similar to coconut milk
• Rich in nutritive value;enriched with natural Vitamin A & E
• Cost saving; only 50% of normal usage
• More resistant to deterioration
• Easy to store and very stable (just keep refrigerated, NO NEED TO KEEP IT FROZEN)
• 3 month shelf life; storage below 5⁰C

Nutritional Information

• Amount Per Serving (100%)
• Energy = 286 kcal (1197 kJ)
• Protein = 1.3 g
• Total Fat = 28.0 g
• Carbohydrate = 7.2 g
• Moisture = 63.2 g
• Cholesterol = 0g
• Ash = 0.3 g
• Vitamin A = < 100 µg
• Vitamin C = < 2 mg
• Vitamin E = 3.1 mg

Santan(coconut milk) is rich in fat and its consumption has been associated with increased plasma low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (LDL) and greater risk of arterial thrombosis due to its high contents of short chain saturated fatty acids such as lauric (C12:0) and myristic (C14:0). Therefore, the consumption of santan is discouraged. Palm-based santan has therefore been formulated to obviate the health risk.It has considerably lower C12-C16

Saturated fatty acids, and its consumption, instead of normal santan, has been found to lower serum total cholesterol and cardiovascular risk (Ng and Tee, 1998). The additional benefits are that it is more resistant to deterioration (e.g.from oxygen, light moisture), has better flavour and nutritive value, and is more stable to handling during storage and transport (Zaida et al, 1997).

The product is also trans -free. Coconut santan cannot keep more than 5 hr at room temperature (28°C-33°C) without noticeable deterioration – becoming rancid,discoloured and suffering phase separation.

PRODUCT CHARACTERISTICS

Proximate analyses of the palm-based and coconut santans were done using standard analyses Table1). Coconut santan has higher fat and protein than the palm-based santan. Nevertheless, the palm santan is rich as a source of energy as coconut santan, equally able to supply the bodily energy requirements. The physicochemical properties of the two santans are shown in Table 2. Table 3 shows that coconut santan has higher lauric (C12:0) and myristic (C14:0) acids.

STORAGE STABILITY

Both santans were investigated for their stability during storage at different temperatures. At 5oC and 28oC, the palm santan was stable for 28 days without preservative. Coconut santan, on the other hand, turned rancid and deteriorated, being more susceptible to oxidation, and enzymatic and microbial attacks due to its preponderance of short chain fatty acids. It could not be kept for more than 5hr without spoilage even in a refrigerator at 2°C-5°C.