Date Food Products
Salah M. Aleid
CABI eBooks
Abstract
Date is a major crop significantly contributing to human nutrition. Several challenges face date processing such as insect infestation during storage, postharvest cooling, color- and size-based sorting, and insufficient processing and packaging technologies. Topics discussed in this chapter include postharvest handling and the date fruit’s chemical and microbial nature. Ready-to-use and semifinished date-derived products with commercial importance and nutritional and health benefits are described in detail. Control of microbial spoilage in date syrup and date paste is highlighted. Enrichment of fermented and unfermented dairy milk and probiotic yoghurt with date syrup is elaborated in detail. This chapter also highlights the date as a natural alternative to white sugar in bakery products a