SEARCH FOR A SOLUTION
Along with ICAR-Central Coastal Agricultural Research Institute (ICAR-CCARI) Goa, Dr Desai went on to find a solution to maximise the utilisation of the residual by-product, soon recognising the untapped potential in nutmeg pericarp taffy.
A technology that’d help in preparing the nutmeg taffy in a commercially feasible manner was the next task on hand.
“Technically, the method is called osmotic dehydration,” says Dr Desai explaining the process used to prepare the taffy. When cut pieces of nutmeg pericarp are put in sugar solution, the water content in the pericarp pieces gradually get replaced by the sugar solution. This movement of sugar and water across the cell wall takes place till the concentration of sugar, in both, attains equilibrium.
