Abstract
Date is the third major fruit crop of Pakistan. Good quality dates are consumed as such. On the other hand secondary quality dates find no place in the market and are virtually wasted. To minimize this economic loss, there is a possibility of utilizing inferior grade dates in preparation of syrup. For this purpose sugar was extracted by cooking the dates with water, treating with some clarifying agents and concentrated to 709Brix using vacuum concentration. The date syrup was hot filled into glass bottles sealed with crown corks and stored at ambient temperature for 3 months. Sodium hydrogen carbonate lowered the acidity being an antacid. In general during storage a substantial increase in reducing sugars with corresponding decrease in non-reducing sugars in the date syrup was observed, Organoleptically the products were found to be acceptable after even extend period of storage with a light and better colour when treated with. sodium hydro-sulphite.
