Chemical Composition and Preservation of Mnazi and Its Distillate (Pyuwa)

Coconut palm (Cocos nucifera) is most well-known for the products of its fruit, such as coconut meat, coconut water, coconut milk, and coconut oil. Almost all edible products of the coconut come from the fruit, or “nut” portion of the plant. Some fruit products include desiccated coconut from the hard endosperm of the seed and toddy which, is produced by tapping the sap from inflorescence. Toddy can be boiled to produce coconut sugar (jaggery) or fermented to become an alcoholic beverage (Mnazi). This study explored the quality aspects and preservation of both Mnazi and its spirit (pyuwa) with an aim of providing a cheap alternative beverage for both low and middle income earners. The main volatile compounds that were found in both Mnazi and its spirit include propanol, isoamyl ethanol butanol and acetic acid. In Mnazi, the levels of the volatiles were far much less than 600 mg/l, which is considered the threshold value of acceptability in wine. The absence of methanol and fusel oils in fresh Mnazi makes it possible to compete effectively with beers and alcoholic drinks already in the market. However, its distillate (Pyuwa) cannot be recommended as safe alcohol drink unless further separation is done because of its high levels of fusel oils. The newly developed products: dry, medium dry and sweet brands were stable during the first 4 weeks after production. Assimilation of sucrose and fructose were faster than glucose, with fructose being the fastest.