Fermentation and characterization of wine from fruits of Phoenix dactylifera, using Saccharomyces cerevisae NCIM 3495

Dates i.e. fruits of Phoenix dactylifera, have tremendous nutraceutical properties. These are rich in minerals, assimilable sugars, water soluble vitamins and fibers. The fruits are consumed to regain vitality which may be lost due to overexertion like in case of field laborers mostly in tropical countries. It can be used to treat spleen disorders since it is rich in iron and antioxidants. In this study wine from dates was prepared using Saccharomyces cerevisae NCIM 3495. The incubation was carried for 21 days at 12°C and further 8 days at 28oC. The wine has Radical Scavenging Activity of 74.53% and assimilable iron as 40%. It was free from fuselols like amyl alcohol, thus avoiding bottle ageing. The sensory values show good acceptability to discriminating consumers. If consumed moderately (like all wines) it serves as a prophylactic measure for many oncogenic diseases as well as for circulatory disorders like arteriosclerosis. Since the wine has a phenolic and flavonoid content of 16 mg/ml, which can have good immunostimulatory effect.