S.V. Ramesh – författare

​Coconut is an important economic crop widely cultivated in island and coastal ecosystems in the tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world. Emerging trends in biochemical characterization have highlighted the nutraceutical and nutritional importance of coconut and its products. However, the short shelf life of these products seriously restricts their market potential. Coconut beverages such as coconut water, inflorescence sap and coconut milk have numerous health promoting nutrients, although the highly perishable nature of coconut beverages and products causes significant post-harvest losses. Conventional thermal technologies implemented by the coconut processing industry affect the heat sensitive nutrients and create a negative impact on the color and flavor profiles of the products. Producers have been looking for an efficient alternative to thermal technologies, although most of the emerging non-thermal technologies such as cold plasma, ozone, pulsed light, UV-light, pulsed electric field and high-pressure processing are in lab scale. It is important to understand the practical application of these technologies at industry scale. Also, it is important to analyze the influence and application of these emerging technologies on the quality profile, safety and shelf-life extension of the products. The adulteration rate in coconut products has been increasing along with their prices, making it vital to understand the application of non-destructive tools for authentication.

Preservation and Authentication of Coconut Products: Recent Trends and Prospects offers comprehensive coverage on the application of emerging technologies in coconut and coconut-based products. Present industrial technologies for coconut products and their impact on quality are covered in full, including technologies for each specific product and their challenges and prospects. Non-destructive tools and applications for the quantification of bioactive components and authentication are also explored. This book serves as a one-stop reference for researchers, food technologists, food industry specialists and nutritionists looking to understand the implications of emerging food processing technologies on the quality of coconut products.

This book presents the latest information on the biomolecules derived from the coconut and their prominent roles in human well-being. The various parts of the coconut (fruit, kernel, nut water, floral sap, etc.) are packed with a wide range of nutrients, namely health-promoting lauric acid and wellness-providing phenolics, flavonoids and antioxidant-rich molecules. Incisive perspectives on various primary and secondary products of the coconut namely coconut kernel, milk, coconut water, coconut oil and virgin coconut oil, coconut inflorescence sap (neera), coconut blossom sugar and its diverse food products form the core of this collection. The potential of the coconut as a powerhouse of the repertoire of nutraceutical products and its implications for human nutrition are also discussed. Finally, a chapter discusses the global trade potential of coconut and coconut products in the wake of their ever-increasing global demand.

The authors are experts who have contributed to the field of nutritional profiling of coconut. This volume will serve as a reference for researchers in the fields of plant and human nutrition interface, palm-based food products, and students who wish to learn about palm nutrition and its impact on human well-being.