Non-thermal Preservation Device of Coconut Toddy Using Short Wave Ultraviolet Light

Coconut toddy is a traditional beverage in many countries in Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, and South America. It has a short shelf life. Usually, it can only be consumed hours after harvesting to avoid its acidic and sour taste. Thus, it is necessary to improve its shelf life with the use of nonthermal ways. We developed a device and a control system to extend the shelf life of coconut toddy. An ultraviolet light, a circulation chamber, and an open-loop automated control system were used to expose the samples at different time intervals of 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 min. The treated samples were tested and compared to the untreated samples in terms of physicochemical tests such as pH, alcohol by volume, Brix (Sugar Content) and titratable acidity, and microbial tests (Total Aerobic Plate Count and Total Yeast and Molds). After physicochemical and microbial tests, the 6-minute treated sample exhibited the longest shelf life, retaining the four parameters. The effectiveness of the treatment was confirmed with the TYM Results, whereas the 6-minute treated sample showed the least number of yeast and molds which were from <10 cfu/ml (0 hour) to 100 cfu/ml after 48 hours.