Enhancement of antioxidant profile of Japanese cherry (Muntingia calabura Linn.) by alcoholic fermentation

Abstract

Japanese cherry (Muntingia calabura) with supplements to promote yeast growth was subjected to alcoholic fermentation for 28 days. A clear fluid with 10 percent alcohol (v/v) was obtained. It contained 1.68 mg per ml total phenolics (as gallic acid equivalent) and 1.3 mg per ml of reducing power factor (as tannic acid equivalent) which were about 2 fold and 1.6 fold increases respectively over the unfermented must. The fermented fluid offered total protection to salmon milt DNA against experimentally induced damage in vitro in comparison to only partial protection by the unfermented fluid. The fermented fluid also inhibited the growth of Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi and Staphylococcous aureus cultures and caused the inactivation of E.coli in biofilm morphology. The wine of Japanese cherry was found to be comparable in acceptability to a market sample of traditional white wine.