There is a lack of Postharvest management practices resulting in huge losses in fruits and vegetables. Like other Java plum or Indian blackberry is a minor and underutilized tree fruit of the subcontinent. The plant of Java plum is a very large evergreen tree in the Myrtaceae family and grows naturally in clayey loamy soil in tropical as well as subtropical zones. This is a large perennial tree inherent to the Indian subcontinent, but now a day these trees are very common throughout the Asian subcontinent, Eastern Africa, South America, and Madagascar. The estimated world production of Java plum is 13.7 million tons per annum out of which 15.5% are contributed by India.This fruit contains essential bioactive compounds such as tannins, flavonoids, essential oils, minerals, sugars, phenolic constituents, proteins and is a rich source of iron and anthocyanins. The pulp of Java plum fruit is highly nutritive and having important minerals such as sodium, potassium, calcium, phosphorous, iron, zinc, water-soluble vitamins, sugars, dietary fiber, and amino acids.
tropical fruits Java plum is also abundantly available during the summer season for a short period, causing a seasonal glut and is non-climacteric in nature. This fruit is highly perishable and deteriorates at a faster rate in hot and humid climate conditions. The value-added products of fruits and vegetables are available inside the local and international markets but such products of Java plum fruit is not available. The food products such as drink, nectar, jam, squash, fruit leather, can also be produced successfully from Java plum fruit. Java plum is valuable fruit is ignored, and no comprehensive studies have been done to explore their potential for chronic diseases. A plant-based diet including fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices is regarded as a valuable source of phytonutrients with positive effects on an individual’s health. The ability of several plant-based foods to lessen the threat of chronic disorders has been linked with the presence of non-nutritive secondary metabolites known as phytochemicals, possessing various biologically active moieties.
Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease characterized by high blood glucose levels. Globally, it is known as a major cause of morbidity and mortality and this impact has been mainly marked in developing countries like Pakistan.
Java plum is one of the fruits of ancient times which are usually practiced by a medical practitioner for the treatment of diabetes. This fruit is generally acknowledged to be of very high nutritive quality for its curative function chiefly against diabetes because of its effect on the pancreas. Due to the presence of bioactive components like flavonoids, essential oils, oxalic acid, gallic acid, betulic acid, etc. in different parts including leaves, seeds, and pulp, Java plum (Syzygium cumini) is considered to possess several health benefits including antidiabetic effect. Java plum has been traditionally used in ayurvedic medicines to treat diabetes by taking about 10 ml of juice extracted from ripe Java plum fruits thrice a day and dried fruits when extracted with hot water can also be used to treat diabetes.
NUTRIONAL VALUE OF JAVA PLUM FRUIT:
Java plum is an under-exploited indigenous fruit tree of belonging to the family Myrtaceae. In the Philippines, it is found throughout the country and is one of the most popular fruits. Menakam and Venkatasubramanian reported crude fiber in Java plum seed i.e., 4.19%, and in Java plum fruit i.e., 1.76 %. Salicylic acid (SA) is a plant phenolic and signaling molecule, now recognized as a phytohormone. It takes part in numerous physiological functions of plants like photosynthesis, respiration, transpiration, nutrient uptake, senescence, inducing disease resistance, etc. Flavonoids are secondary metabolites and derivatives of phenols, having antioxidant capacity. In recent years, flavonoids have aroused considerable interest among researchers owing to their health beneficial properties; and Java plum is reported as a good source of flavonoids and the principal organic acid is malic acid.
The subcontinent is the origin of many fruit crops and the most of crops are limited to their growing region only. Despite high nutritional and medicinal properties, their commercial cultivation is lacking. Most underutilized fruits are in the core recipes of many ayurvedic formulations. The most common underutilized fruits which are gaining popularity are Java plum (Syzygium cumini). Java plum is endemic to South East Asia and India but also reported to be grown in Hawaii, Australia, the Philippines Kenya, Florida, etc. The Java plum fruit is produced once a year and their availability is possible in the month of June-July and the Java plum fruit is characterized as berries that are sweetish sour to taste. Java plum is harvested in the monsoon season and its harvesting time is short and limits for 30 – 40 days. Java plum is dark purple and its shape is oval with fleshy and having a hard seed inside.
HEALTH BENEFITS OF JAVA PLUM:
Java plum is having a higher number of antioxidants when compared with other seasonal fruits like papaya, sapota, guava and banana. Not only antioxidants, but Java plum is also having a high amount of vitamins, tannin and anthocyanins. Each part of Java plum fruit holds its significant value. Whole fruit is used for extracting juice or to prepare jam, jelly, squash, etc. whereas seeds having their medicinal value for curing diarrhea and diabetes. Java plum undergoes huge losses during cultivation, harvesting and processing because of its unorganized processing and since Java plum is perishable in nature that multiplies the losses during storage. The fruit can be stored for few days (1-2 days) at normal temperature whereas it can be stored for 3 weeks at 85 – 95% when precooled and packed into perforated polythene bags. According to Santiago, the peel powder of Java plum fruits gives intense and attractive color also proved to be rich in dietary fibers and ingredients for low-calorie diets as well as having low lipid content. Java plum fruits generally ripen during April-July i.e., from summer to rainy season. These fruits are highly perishable and become inconsumable very soon. As it is a seasonal fruit, in the peak harvest period it causes a market glut thereby causing a reduction in price tending to distress sales. Further, more the perishable nature of fruits causes spoilage loss, which is a great loss to the farmer.
On the other hand, nowadays, people are aware of the health benefits of Java plum fruit but their shelf life is a major hindrance for a sufficient supply of throughout the year which also results in a price hike. To delay the process of ripening, to reduce the post-harvest losses, various chemical, as well as growth regulators, have been used solo or in combination and, to improve and maintain color and quality by slowing down the metabolic activities of fruits, increase shelf-life and maintain the marketable quality for a longer periods are used. Java plum is a fruit of high nutraceutical value because it contains an ample quantity of valuable nutrients such as carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins, and phytochemicals, which exhibit strong antioxidant properties. However, the color and taste of the fruit are mainly attributed to anthocyanins and hydrolyzable tannins. Java plum is considered a fruit of dietary importance and is highly nutritious. It is an excellent source of monosaccharides (glucose, fructose, and mannose) and disaccharides (sucrose, maltose, and galactose), amino acids (asparagine, glutamine, alanine, cysteine, and tyrosine), fat-insoluble vitamins (ascorbic acid, thiamine, and niacin), minerals, (calcium, sodium, potassium, phosphorous, iron, and zinc), anthocyanins, and antioxidants.
JAVA PLUM FRUIT JAM
VALUE ABLE PRODUCTS OF JAVA PLUM FRUITThe ripened Java plum fruit can be used for the preparation of healthy drinks, preserves, squashes, jellies, nectars and wine. In most countries, fruit juices are known as important commodities from a trade point of view because these provide beneficial nutrients, which are essential for human health. Moreover, nutrients are best absorbed in the form of beverages, consequently, demand for juices is continuously increasing day by day. Java plum fruit come in the underutilized fruits category which is not commercially processed in Pakistan. The quality of Java plum fruit greatly deteriorates between its harvesting and consumption so there is considerable wastage such fruits. Fruit leather (pestil) is a traditional product formed by the addition of sucrose and starch into the pulp and the dehydration of fruit pulp into leathery sheets. As a result of the increasing awareness of consumers in healthy food consumption, demand for value-added products has raised and pestil gained importance as being an economic source of natural fruits with several nutrients.
