Quality profile of palm sugar concentrate produced in Songkhla province, Thailand

Quality of palm sugar concentrate produced in Songkhla province in terms of physical, chemical and microbiological aspects was determined. Palm sugar concentrates possessed wide range of turbidity and colour shades. Transmittance values at 650 nm were found to vary between 1.34-50.45 % and L* (Lightness) varied between 1.78-53.93, a* (red colour intensity) varied between 9.87-34.75 and b* (yellow colour intensity) varied between 3.09-78.94. Total soluble solid contents of the samples varied from 59.01 to 73.05°Brix and were likely related to a variation of total microbial count (1.20 x 10³ - 4.80 x 10^6 CFU/ml), yeast and mold count (1.30 x 10² - 5.30 x 10^4 CFU/ml) and osmophillic yeast count (2.00 x 10² - 1.46 x 10^5 CFU/ml). Total microbial counts of the product moderately positively correlated with L*, b* and transmittance value, whereas slightly negative correlated with total acidity (as lactic acid), reducing sugar content and osmophillic yeast count. The microbiological quality of all samples did not comply with Thai legislation standard for palm sugar concentrate and the content of total soluble solids of 7 in 30 samples were not in line with the requirements either. Different quality of palm sugar concentrate might be due to the differences in personal hygiene, sanitary facilities, heating processes and storage conditions.