Claims:WE CLAIM:

1. A process of preparing flavored jaggery, comprising the steps of:
a. taking a slurry of sugarcane juice and adjusting its pH between 6.0 to 6.5;
b. adding in it a premix of emulsifying agent and oil based essence at 65-75°C;
c. heating the mixture obtained in step b) to 100-120°C to obtain the flavored jaggery.

2. The process of preparing flavored jaggery as claimed in claim 1, wherein emulsifying agents mentioned in step b) is selected from glycerol mono-stearate, distilled monoglycerides, ethoxylated monoglycerides, citric acid esters of monoglycerides, lactic acid esters of monoglycerides, acetic acid of ester of monoglycerides, dicetyl tartaric esters of mono and diglycerides.

3. The process of preparing flavored jaggery as claimed in claim 1, wherein in step b) the premix of emulsifying agent and oil based essence is added at 70°C.

4. The process of preparing flavored jaggery as claimed in claim 1, wherein in step c) the mixture is heated to 100°C to obtain liquid jaggery.

5. The process of preparing flavored jaggery as claimed in claim 1, wherein in step c) the mixture is heated to 120°C to obtain solid jaggery powder or granules.

6. The process of preparing flavored jaggery as claimed in claim 1, wherein the oil based essence in step b) is vegetable oil based essence.

7. The process of preparing flavored jaggery as claimed in claim 1, further involves addition of fruit extract and/or fruit powder after the completion of step c) at a temperature below 100°C to enhance the fruit flavor.

Dated this 2nd day of May 2018
Signature: To be digitally signed by
Name: Mr. Parag M. More
Of INTELLECTUAL PLATFORM
Patent Agent for applicant
Patent Agent Regn. No. IN/PA-1688
, Description: FORM 2
THE PATENT ACT, 1970
(39 OF 1970)
AND
THE PATENT RULES, 2003
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See section 10, rule 13)

1. TITLE OF THE INVENTION

A PROCESS FOR PREPARATION OF FLAVORED JAGGERY

2. APPLICANT

a) Name: Gurlife Aagrotech LLP
b) Nationality: Indian Company.
c) Address: 202, B Wing, Bhanukant Complex, Junction of western express high way, Goregaon (E), Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. Pin 400063.

3. PREAMBLE TO THE DESCRIPTION
COMPLETE
The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed.
A PROCESS FOR PREPARATION OF FLAVORED JAGGERY

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION:
The present invention relates to the field of food technology and particularly to a process for producing flavored jaggery. The various forms in which the flavored jaggery can be manufactured are paste, solid powder/ granules and liquids of different viscosity.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION:
Jaggery is defined as a honey brown coloured raw lump of sugar. It is the natural mixture of sugar and molasses. Jaggery being pure, wholesome and unrefined sugar; it contains all the minerals and vitamins present in sugarcane juice and thereby popularly known as "Medicinal Sugar". The mineral content of jaggery includes calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, iron, traces of zinc and copper. The vitamin content includes folic acid and B-complex vitamins.

Further, jaggery is a good source of energy; it also prevents rheumatic afflictions, prevents disorders of bile, helps in relieving fatigue, relaxation of muscles, nerves and blood vessels, maintains blood pressure and reduces water retention, increases haemoglobin level and prevents anaemia.

Though, jaggery is less expensive and has nutritional & medicinal values; regular use has certain challenges. These challenges are an impediment to a lifestyle wherein jaggery is chosen over refined sugar on a daily basis.

The major challenge is transport and storage. This problem arises due to the presence of invert sugars and mineral salts which have hygroscopic nature. Therefore, keeping quality of jaggery largely depends on the atmospheric humidity and temperature. For good keeping quality; relative humidity of 43-61% is preferred. In a tropical country like India; relative humidity is higher.

Further, jaggery processing and handling faces the challenge of microbial load. The moisture absorption capacity of jaggery sets up favorable condition for growth of different types of microorganisms. There are nine microbial isolated from jaggery viz., Alcaligenes, Xanthomonas, Acinetobacter, Micrococcus, Corynebacterium, Alteromona, Bordetella and Enterococcus. Out of these nine isolate; Acinetobacter, Bordetella, Corynebacterium, Enterococcus and Xanthomonas can be pathogenic.

Further, jaggery has low acceptability as solubility of jaggery is less as compared to refined sugar. It also alters the taste of original material to which it has been added as a sweetener.

In view of the foregoing there is still a need in the art to provide a process for manufacturing jaggery in forms that are commercially acceptable due to certain enhanced characteristics. These enhanced characteristics are low moisture content, low moisture absorbability, low microbial load, high solubility, added flavor and ease of handling at both industrial and consumer level.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:
The present invention relates to a process of preparing flavored jaggery, comprising the steps of:
a. taking a slurry of sugarcane juice and adjusting its pH between 6.0 to 6.5;
b. adding in it a premix of emulsifying agent and oil based essence at 65-75°C;
c. heating the mixture obtained in step b) to 100-120°C to obtain the flavored jaggery.
The various forms in which the flavored jaggery is manufactured are paste, solid powder/granules and liquids of different viscosity. The addition of premix reduces the ability of jaggery to absorb moisture during storage. This indirectly reduces the susceptibility to microorganisms. Further, ease of handling and transport of jaggery at both industrial levels and consumer level is achieved. Flavored jaggery prepared by this process has enhanced solubility and flavor retention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION:

While the making and using of various embodiments of the present invention are discussed in detail below, it should be appreciated that the present invention provides many applicable inventive concepts that can be embodied in a wide variety of specific contexts. The specific embodiments discussed herein are merely illustrative of specific ways to make and use the invention and do not delimit the scope of the invention. To facilitate the understanding of this invention, a number of terms are defined below. Terms defined herein have meanings as commonly understood by a person of ordinary skill in the areas relevant to the present invention. Terms such as "a", "an" and "the" are not intended to refer to only a singular entity; but include the general class of which a specific example may be used for illustration. The terminology herein is used to describe specific embodiments of the invention, but their usage, does not delimit the invention, except as outlined in the claims.

The present invention relates to the manufacturing of flavored jaggery utilizing a novel process. The process is simple in operation and industrially viable.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, slurry of sugar cane juice is taken by and pH of this slurry is adjusted to 6.0-6.5. This pH adjusted slurry is maintained at 65-75°C for the addition of a premix containing emulsifying agent and oil based essence. More preferably the addition of premix is done at 70°C before the onset of polymerization.

The emulsifying agent of the premix is selected from glycerol mono-stearate (GMS) & glycerol di-stearate based products. More particularly these are selected from the group consisting of distilled monoglycerides, ethoxylated monoglycerides, citric acid esters of monoglycerides, lactic acid esters of monoglycerides, acetic acid of ester of monoglycerides, dicetyl tartaric esters of mono and diglycerides.

After the addition of the premix, the process of heating is continued. The homogenous mixture is heated to 100-120°C to obtain the jaggery in desired form. More preferably the slurry is gradually heated till 120°C and heating is stopped in order to obtain solid particles/solid granules. Alternatively, the slurry is gradually heated till 100°C and heating then heating is stopped for getting liquid jaggery.

The slurry formed on addition of the premix is a homogenous mixture. There is no phase separation because the ingredients act synergistically to form agglomerates. Further, the addition of the premix during the process of manufacture of jaggery reduces its capacity to absorb moisture on storage. It also increases solubility of jaggery in a liquid due to reduction in surface tension.

In another aspect of the invention, additionally fruit powder/ fruit extract may be added to the slurry. This addition is done during the process of cooling the jaggery. The cooled temperature must be below 100°C before adding the fruit powder/ fruit extract. Fruit flavored jaggery may be obtained in various forms like paste, solid powder /granules and liquid jaggery.

Looking at the complexity of food technology, the precision in obtaining single phase jaggery mixture is critical challenge. The pre-heating temperature at which the premix is added, striking out temperature; premix ingredients that act synergistically with jaggery; and processing conditions is a matter of judicious development of current inventive process.

The present invention is further described with the help of the following examples, which are given by way of illustration and should not be construed to limit the scope of the invention in any manner.

EXAMPLES:
Example 1: Preparing premix of emulsifying agent and oil based essence
The premix of 10 grams of glycerol monostearate as emulsifying agent and 30 ml of oil based mango essence mixed thoroughly under stirrer and used for flavouring 1 kg of jaggery.

Example 2: Preparing flavored jaggery
1300 ml sugarcane juice was taken in iron vessel. The pH was adjusted to 6.0 with acidic agent. Then the temperature was raised to 70°C and premix prepared in example 1 was added to it. The mixture was stirred and the temperature was gradually raised till 120°C. The heating was stopped at this temperature. Then it was gradually cooled to room temperature to obtain the flavored jaggery.

Example 3: Preparing fruit flavored jaggery
The similar process as that of example 2 was followed except the change in last step. In last step, the mixture was added with of 30 gms of mango fruit powder below 100°C while cooling it to room temperature. Additionally yellow fruit color was added to get mango colored jaggery.

Example 4: Preparing flavored jaggery in granules
The jaggery obtained in example 1 and 2 is sieved to obtain the flavored jaggery granules and fruit flavored jaggery granules respectively.

Example 5: Preparing paste/liquid flavored jaggery
1300 ml sugarcane juice of was taken in iron vessel. The pH was adjusted to 6.5 with acidic agents. Then the temperature was raised to 70°C and premix prepared in example 1 was added to it. The mixture was stirred and the temperature was raised till 100°C. Then it was gradually cooled to room temperature to obtain the flavored liquid jaggery.