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COCO-NUT PRODUCTS 177 



the sap is rich in reducing sugars unless these in their 

 turn have been fermented. The reducing sugars are 

 fermented, with alcohol as a main product, by means 

 of yeast. As the alcohol accumulates, it, in turn, is 

 acted upon by still a third ferment, in this case a 

 bacterium, and this time the principal product is acetic 

 acid. How rapidly this series of fermentations goes on is 

 illustrated by one of Gibbs's analyses of a sample preserved 

 at 10 o'clock in the morning, the sap being that which 

 flowed during the preceding night. The analysis is 

 given in grammes per 100 cu. cm. 



Density 



. 1-01 



Total solids . 



. 3-72 



Acidity as acetic . 



. 0-68 



Alcohol 



. 6-00 



Ash . 



. 0-41 



Sucrose 



. 0-29 



Invert sugar 



. 1-95 



How far these fermentations should be allowed to 

 proceed and what efforts should be taken to prevent 

 them depend of course upon the use which is to be 

 made of the toddy. 



The principal uses of the toddy are : 

 First : As a fresh beverage. 



Second : For the production of alcoholic beverages. 



Third : For the production of sugar. 



Fourth : For the production of vinegar. 

 The last of these is of comparatively little importance. 

 Another minor use is as a source of yeast for making 

 bread. Throughout the East, toddy is the usual source 

 of yeast, both for indigenous people and for Europeans. 



Fresh toddy will usually have about the alcohol 

 content indicated in the above analysis, that is, 6 per 

 cent, unless pains have been taken to prevent the 

 alcoholic fermentation. In some parts of the East it is 

 usually used with about this amount of alcohol, while in 

 others the preference is for a sweeter and fresher drink. 

 Where the demand is for a moderately alcoholic beverage, 

 no attempt is made to keep the vessels in which the toddy 



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