Claims:What is claimed is:
1. A ready to eat amla fruit preparation comprising perforated whole amla fruit fermented with a probiotic, wherein the said probiotic is comprising of Lactobacillus plantarum MTCC 1407;
2. A process of preparing a ready to eat amla fruit preparation comprising the steps of:
Step 1: washing amla fruits under running water and drying it through air drying
Step 2: blanching the dried fruit at 70 degree Celsius for 10-15 minutes.
Step 3: making multiple perforations on the amla fruit done using a sterilized steel needle.
Step 4: adding 8% brine solution of NaCl to the perforated whole amla fruit;
Step 5: inoculating the NaCl treated whole amla fruits with a starter 2% culture of a probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum MTCC 1407 in a sterilized glass jar;
Step 6: continuing fermentation for 14 days with continuous monitoring;
Step 7: transferring the fermented amla fruit from the fermentation medium to a sterile air tight glass container for storage;

3. The process of preparing a perforated whole amla fruit fermented with a probiotic as claimed in claim 2, wherein the said probiotic is Lactobacillus plantarum MTCC 1407.
, Description:Probiotic rich fermented Amla (Embilica officinalis) fruits and a method of preparation thereof

BACKGROUND
[0001] This invention relates to Probiotic rich fermented Amla (Embilica officinalis) fruits and a method of preparation thereof.

[0002] Amla (Embilica officinalis) or Indian Gooseberry is a herb and its fruit is also known as amla, is a rich source of vitamin C, antioxidants. In Ayurved, the Indian traditional medicine, amla is best used to make the equilibrium of three major constituents of body, that is Vata, Pitta and Kapha. Amla is a widely consumed fruit as part of daily consumption as well as a disease preventive food. The fruit is commonly pickled with salt, oil, and spices. The amla fruit is also eaten raw or cooked into various dishes.

[0003] There is a growing interest in the development of functional foods enriched with fruits and probiotics, as probiotics are known for health beneficial effects and for enhancing efficiency of the immune system. As per article entitled "Functional Foods and Non dairy Probiotic Food Development: Trends, Concepts, and Products", by Granato, D. et. al. published in the Journal "Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety", probiotic food products are also regarded as a significant part of functional foods market, so that they comprise between 60% and 70% of the total functional food market. In recent years, consumer demand for non-dairy based probiotic products has increased due to the problems of lactose intolerance and cholesterol content associated with the consumption of fermented dairy products. Again with an increase in consumption of vegetarian food throughout developed countries, there is also a demand for vegetarian probiotic rich products. In this respect, fruits offer an alternative for the production of probiotic foods due to their large distribution and nutritive value. Lactic acid fermentation can help to improve the safety, shelf life, and nutritional and sensory properties of fruits. Several foods are fermented with probiotic microorganisms such as curd, yoghurt, acidophilus milk, fermented meat etc. Other fermented vegetables include kimchi, sauerkraut (cabbage) which are fermented using probiotic organisms.
[0004] In the art there are many studies and inventions which were attempted to prepare food items from amla in an industrial scale and also to enhance its nutritional and health beneficial properties of fruits by infusing probiotics, etc. Some prepare food items with amla extracts, or processed amla fruit extracts are made available but whole amla fruit is not available for over the shelf as ready to eat products. However none of the studies could neither meet the standard nor able to solve the problem of preparing ready to eat Amla fruits enriched with probiotics.

[0005] There are a number of disclosures on amla fruit processed products. Japanese patent publication 2009148188 discloses a processed product retaining crispy and juicy feeling of amla (Emblica Officinalis Gaertn) fruits without needlessly increasing the sugar content. In this disclosure the pulp of amla fruit is extracted processed with addition of gelling agents, thickening agent, and it uses acid and/or alkali salt for pH adjustment. However, this does not discloses fermented amla rich in probiotics and any simple processing method that uses no additives or chemicals.

[0006] United States patent application 20150353876 describes a provides a fruit-based food and beverage having excellent richness and full bodiness and a method for enhancing richness and full bodiness of a fruit-based food and beverage without imparting astringent taste and bitter taste more than necessary, and also a method for improving the quality of taste in a food and beverage using amla fruit, amla fruit juice and amla fruit extract. However, the disclosure is only about providing a fruit-based food and beverage having amla fruit, amla fruit juice and amla fruit extract. However it does not disclose any fermented amla fruit enriched with probiotics.

[0007] United States patent application 20170274023 discloses a method related to the growth promotional activity of plant based fibres on Bacillus coagulans MTCC 5856; and the combination of plant based fibres and Bacillus coagulans MTCC 5856 to inhibit Gram Negative pathogenic bacteria; and the production of short chain fatty acids (SCFA) by Bacillus coagulans MTCC 5856 using plant based fibres. It discloses fermentation on Emblica officinalis (Amla) fruit fibers to to enhance the viable counts of Bacillus coagulans MTCC 5856. However, probiotics rich fermented amla fruits are not disclosed.
[0008] Japanese patent publication 2013146256 discloses a dough of bread capable of ingesting resveratrol and amla useful for maintaining health, preventing adult disease, suppressing the generation of active oxygen in a body, having no bitterness, being tasty, capable of intending health and long life, and bread produced with the dough. Bread dough contains resveratrol and amla extract and bread is produced using the bread dough. This discloses a method of brewing a component by naturally fermenting at low temperature for 14 hr using wheat and natural yeast blended with rice malt eliminates the bitterness of the resveratrol and the amla, and one can eat the bread containing the resveratrol and the amla with relish every day. However, probiotics rich fermented amla fruits are not disclosed.

[0009] However, all of these disclosed composition of matter or methods are limited to use of amla fruit extract or fibres as food or beverage with a object of reducing the bitterness of amla. Again a survey of amla based products only reveals that companies are producing and marketing mostly candies, dried salted amla, amla juices, or amla based beverages or foods. These products are the forms to preserve the high quality nutrients and antioxidants of amla because dried amla loss a lot of nutritional benefits. There are no product or prior art which discloses fermented amla fruits with preserved nutrient and antioxidant fortified with highly beneficial probiotics.

[0010] Accordingly, there is a need for a ready to eat amla fruit based product with no bitter taste and with enhanced health benefits. More particularly there is a need for Probiotic rich fermented amla fruit based product prepared in a simple and efficient method with enhanced health benefits.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION
[0011] In general it is an object of the present invention to provide a fruit-based food rich with nutrients, antioxidants and probiotics.
[0012] Particularly, it is an object of the invention is to provide ready to eat fermented amla fruit with its natural constituent nutrients and antioxidants fortified with probiotics.
[0013] Another object of the invention is to provide a simple and effective method for preparing ready to eat fermented amla fruit with its natural constituent nutrients and antioxidants fortified with probiotics.
[0014] A further object of the invention is to provide a method of the above character which is relatively economical, simple and which can be applied efficiently to prepare abovementioned product.
[0015] A further object of the invention is to provide a novel amla fruit based functional food product with higher nutritional value.

[0016] In an embodiment, the invention relates to a ready to eat amla fruit preparation comprising perforated whole amla fruit fermented with a probiotic, wherein the said probiotic is comprising of Lactobacillus plantarum MTCC 1407;
[0017] In an embodiment, the invention relates to a process of preparing a ready to eat amla fruit preparation comprising the steps of:
Step 1: washing amla fruits under running water and drying it through air drying
Step 2: blanching the dried fruit at 70 degree Celsius for 10-15 minutes.
Step 3: making multiple perforations on the amla fruit done using a sterilized steel needle.
Step 4: adding 8% brine solution of NaCl to the perforated whole amla fruit;
Step 5: inoculating the NaCl treated whole amla fruits with a starter 2% culture of a probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum MTCC 1407 in a sterilized glass jar;
Step 6: continuing fermentation for 14 days with continuous monitoring;
Step 7: transferring the fermented amla fruit from the fermentation medium to a sterile air tight glass container for storage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0018] FIGURE 1 is a diagram illustrating Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) image of cross-section of amla at a resolution of 100 micrometre.

[0019] FIGURE 2 is a diagram illustrating Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) image of cross-section of amla at a resolution of 10 micrometre.

[0020] FIGURE 3 is a diagram illustrating the steps for preparing ready to eat amla fruit fermented with probiotics.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] The following description is full and informative description of the best method and system presently contemplated for carrying out the present invention which is known to the inventors at the time of filing the patent application. Of course, many modifications and adaptations will be apparent to those skilled in the relevant arts in view of the following description in view the appended claims. While the product and process described herein are provided with a certain degree of specificity, the present technique may be implemented with either greater or lesser specificity, depending on the needs of the user. Further, some of the features of the present technique may be used to advantage without the corresponding use of other features described in the following paragraphs. As such, the present description should be considered as merely illustrative of the principles of the present technique and not in limitation thereof, since the present technique is defined solely by the claims.

[0022] As a preliminary matter, the definition of the term “or” for the purpose of the following discussion and the appended claims may be intended to be an inclusive “or” . That may be, the term “or” may be not intended to differentiate between two mutually exclusive alternatives. Rather, the term “or” when employed as a conjunction between two elements may be defined as including one element by itself, the other element itself, and combinations and permutations of the elements. For example, a discussion or recitation employing the terminology “A” or “B” includes: “A” by itself, “B” by itself and any combination thereof, such as “AB” and “BA.” It may be worth noting that the present discussion relates to exemplary embodiments, and the appended claims should not be limited to the embodiments discussed herein.

[0023] As will be appreciated by people skilled in the art, to best understand the present invention, it is related to a ready to eat amla fruit preparation wherein the amla is prepared by fermenting amla whole fruits with a probiotic resulting in a food in which the natural nutritional constituents of amla is preserved, the tangy taste of amla is reduced and the preparation can be stored for a longer period of time. The selected probiotic is best suited for this preparation and it further fortifies the nutritional value of the food product.

[0024] The prior art as described in above paragraphs clearly points that there is a need for probiotic rich fermented amla whole fruit based preparation. There are disclosure of fermentation of amla to prepare wine using S.cerevisae. There are disclosure of use of probiotic strains for fermentation amla juice, but there are no prior art on amla whole fruit based ready to eat preparation where the whole fruit is getting fermented using any probiotic strains due the fermentation unfriendly outer surface of amla fruit. This problem is solved by making perforation on the outer surface of amla fruit before processing.

[0025] In the prior art the technological disadvantage lies in the dismantling of the original shape of the fruit. In physical and chemical processing the original nutraceutical attributes are affected negatively. In the fermented amla the fruit retains its own shape. The probiotic bacteria enhances the functional and health attributes of the product. Chemically the fermented probiotic amla is rich in folic acid and lactic acid. Lactic acid helps in long term preservation of the fermented food and help to improve the safety, shelf life, and nutritional and sensory properties of fruits. Taking folic acid in appropriate quantities reduces the neural tube defects and congenital heart problem. Folic acid supplements are good for rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with low-dose methotrexate. US public health service recommends a daily intake of 400µg folic acid for women capable of becoming pregnant.

[0026] As illustrated in figure 3, the process of preparing a ready to eat amla fruit preparation comprising the steps of:
Step 1: washing amla fruits under running water and drying it through air drying
Step 2: blanching the dried fruit at 70 degree Celsius for 10-15 minutes.
Step 3: making multiple perforations on the amla fruit done using a sterilized steel needle.
Step 4: adding 8% brine solution of NaCl to the perforated whole amla fruit;
Step 5: inoculating the NaCl treated whole amla fruits with a starter 2% culture of Lactobacillus plantarum MTCC 1407 in a sterilized glass jar;
Step 6: continuing fermentation for 14 days with continuous monitoring;
Step 7: transferring the fermented amla fruit from the fermentation medium to a sterile air tight glass container for storage.

[0027] The fermented amla are examined under Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) to visualize the cross section of probiotic rich fermented amla fruit post processing. SEM was conducted at two different resolutions i.e. 100 micrometre and10 micrometre. Figure 1 illustrates SEM photograph taken at 100 micrometre and shows the probiotic growth in the cross sectional surface of amla. The grooves are prepared like pockets by the probiotic strains which works as safe shelter for them. Figure 2 illustrates SEM photograph taken at 10 micrometre shows strong attachment of rod shaped probitoc strain L. plantarum to the surface of amla. Figure 2 shows evidence of fermented amla as a carrier of benevolent probiotic L. plantarum along with the inherent nutritional properties of amla.

[0028] As will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art, the various implementations of the present technique provides a variety of advantages. For example, fermented probiotic amla could improve the functional and health beneficial characteristics of the food. The folic acid fortified probiotic amla with improved shelf-life period can be recommended as a special food for pregnant and breast feeding women. Hence probiotic fermented amla enriched with folic acid (produced by the inoculant) and lactic acid along with probiotic attributes will add health benefits among all consumers.

[0029] The foregoing description is presented to enable a person of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention and is provided in the context of the requirement for a obtaining a patent. The present description is the best presently contemplated method for carrying out the present invention. Various modifications to the preferred embodiment will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art and the generic principles of the present invention may be applied to other embodiments, and some features of the present invention may be used without the corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiment shown but is to be accorded the widest cope consistent with the principles and features described herein.

[0030] Many modifications of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the arts to which the present invention applies. Further, it may be desirable to use some of the features of the present invention without the corresponding use of other features.

[0031] Accordingly, the foregoing description of the present invention should be considered as merely illustrative of the principles of the present invention and not in limitation thereof.