Caramel production from saps of African oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) and wine palm (Raphia hookeri) trees

The saps of the African oil palm (Elaeis guineensis), and the wine palm (Raphia hookeri), tapped and consumed locally as beverage, were analysed and processed into caramel by acid-heat treatment. The saps, rich in sugars were boiled for 1 h, diluted and filtered. The filtrates were acidified with 5% dilute sulphuric acid to pH between 2.0 and 3.0 and heated strongly to one fifth the initial volume. Ammonia (anhydrous) was then added and the mixtures heated further to temperatures between 120°C and 125°C to obtain a brown-black syrupy substance, caramel with specific gravity 34.15°Bé. Their physicochemical properties conformed to standards for bakers’ and brewers’ colours.