ABSTRACT
Palmyra palm (Borassus flabellifer L.) belonging to the family Palmae is referred to as tree of life with several uses including food, beverage, fibre, medicinal and timber. Unfortunately, the nutritionally enriched pulp of ripened palm has limited commercial use. Extraction of pulp has been accomplished by using water and heat to ensure maximum pulp recovery. Different recipes were tried for the preparation of two uncommon value added products like palm spread and palm toffee. On the basis of biochemical composition, organoleptic scores, microbial estimation and storage study both under ambient and refrigerated conditions; the suitable recipe was selected with the maximum acceptability. Gradual increase in total soluble solid (TSS), total sugar and reducing sugar while decrease in ascorbic acid, pH, ß-carotene and protein content of processed products have been observed irrespective of storage condition. The results obtained from sensory evaluation and microbial status revealed that palm spread and toffee remained acceptable up to 9 months and 8 months, respectively at ambient temperature. The income per rupee investment for these two products was found to be remunerative.
ABSTRACT
Diversified value added products like palm spread, palm toffee, palm burfi, passion-mango blended squash, passion rind pickle, passion rind candy, blended jamun nectar and jack-passion spread from various minor fruits including palmyra palm (Borassus flabellifer L), passion fruit (Passiflora edulis Sims), jamun (Syzygium cumini Rom) and jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam) were developed and their quality assessed. Among these two products viz. passion-mango blended squash and palm spread were rich in antioxidant properties. Passion rind pickle and passion-mango blended squash stored up to 1 year in sealed glass bottle under ambient temperature (25-37 °C). Similarly, passion-mango blended squash has a longer storage life of 15 months followed by jack-passion spread (14 months) under refrigerated temperature (8-10 °C). Passion rind pickle, jack-passion spread and passion-mango blended squash were the most acceptable with a score of above 3.5 out of 5.0. The microbial population of the products showed acceptable limit with respect to the yeast and bacterial count till their respective storage period.
ABSTRACT
PIP: Abortion has become a popular method of prevention of unwanted births in India since the passage in 1972 of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act. About 6 million procedures are performed each year. Of concern, however, is the failure on the part of many of these abortion patients to begin contraceptive use after pregnancy termination. To determine the extent of this problem and its sociodemographic correlates, an analysis was performed of the records of the 1482 abortion patients at an Agra hospital in 1976-85. Overall, contraceptive coverage after abortion was 53%; however, this rate fluctuated from 82% in 1976-77 to 15% in 1980-81 to a high of 90% in 1984-85. The methods most often selected by these women were tubectomy (25%), Nirodh (14%), oral contraceptives (8), and the IUD (6%). Contraceptive coverage was significantly higher in the final quarter of each year, presumably as a result of the efforts of family planning personnel to meet annual targets. Contraceptive coverage after abortion showed significant, positive associations with maternal age (39% in the 15-19-year age group versus 59% among those 30-34 years old), maternal education (41% among illiterate women compared to 62% among women with a high school education), and parity (18% among women of parity versus 45% among those of parity 1 and 62% among those to parity 4). Urban women were somewhat more likely to become contraceptive acceptors after abortion; however, tubectomy acceptance was highest among older rural women. These findings suggest that young, uneducated women should be targeted for counseling about the importance of contraceptive use after the termination of an unplanned pregnancy to avoid the need for repeat abortion.^ieng
