Liquid sweetener from cashew apple could replace sugar in your diet

Directorate of Cashew Research (DCR), under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Puttur in Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka, has developed a liquid sweetener (liquid jaggery) from cashew apple.

“The development of liquid sweetener from cashew apple is a major breakthrough in cashew research. It is first of its kind,” said J. Dinakara Adiga, Director, DCR.

Jyoti Nishad, Scientist, Food Technology, DCR developed the liquid jaggery. She said that the product has functional properties and high anti-oxidant activity. It has various minerals like potassium, zinc and iron, and is high in soluble fibre. The cashew apple sweetener can be used in place of honey. The unique sugar profile makes it a potential candidate in bakery and confectionery industries.

Jyoti Nishad, Scientist, Food Technology, ICAR- DCR, Puttur developed the liquid sweetener from cashew apple.
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“The glycemic index of this liquid jaggery comes under the moderate category, providing a good alternative for people who are looking for healthy sweeteners,” Ms. Nishad said.

The product has a shelf life of more than one year and, hence, has the potential to revolutionalise the sweetener industry, she added.

A patent has been filed for this technology. Considering the user-friendliness of the technology, it is expected to tap the market as a sustainable, differentiated sweetener with viable B2B and premium retail channels, Mr. Adiga said.

Cashew apple, a by-product of cashew, is largely under-utilised. Despite being abundant (apple-to-nut ratio ~8–10:1 by weight), only an estimated 10–15% of cashew apples are processed in India. The fruit is highly perishable and astringent due to tannins. Over 80% of apples are wasted annually due to lack of proper processing technology and cold chains.

Goa is the only State in India that could tap the potential of the fruit due to the age-old tradition of feni (traditional distilled liquor) preparation.

The directorate has been consistently working towards value addition of cashew apple for ensuring additional income for cashew farmers in India, and for helping the food industry to tap the potential of this fruit, the Director said.