POTENTIAL UTILIZATION AND HEALTHY EFFECTS OF DOUM PALM FRUITS IN ICE CREAM AND SESAME BUTTER (TEHENA)

Potential utilization of Doum palm fruit (Hyphaene thebaica mart.)in its powder form was applied in some food products as a source of fiber, stabilizer and minerals as well as for its potential healthy effect. Doum powder was fractionated and the fraction of 0.1mm that containing hemi cellulose (12.88%), cellulose (21.37%) and lignin (1.08%), was added at levels of 1, 3, 5 and 7% in ice cream mix. Another Doum powder fraction (0.25 mm) containing hemi cellulose (15.60%), cellulose (14.75%) and lignin (5.95%) was used at levels of 5,10,15 and 20% in the production of sesame butter, which is commonly used in some Middle East countries as appetizing and known as Tehena. Changes in specific gravity, freezing point, weight of gallon, titratable acidity, protein stability of ice cream mixes as well as the overrun, melting resistance and sensory evaluation of the produced ice cream were investigated. The results confirmed the presence of a proportional relation between the added quantities of Doum powder and the apparent viscosity of both the produced ice cream mixes and the prepared Tehena. Ice cream sample containing 3% Doum powder was organoleptically superior followed by that of 5 % Doum powder. It seems evident that Teh-ena manufactured from 5 and 10% Doum powder (0.25mm) was acceptable and having good nutritional value for its mineral content and fiber. A preliminary experiment indicated a noticeable decrement of sys-tolic blood pressure with values ranged between 5 and 10mmHg, after consumption of ice cream contain-ing different levels (1-7%) of Doum powder (0.1mm). On the other hand, more reduction in diastolic blood pressure was observed (1.6-5.0mmHg) for the sample of people under study (age 30 to 60 years). Subsequently, utilizing Doum palm powder as a potential source for dietary fiber and minerals in both ice cream and Tehena can be achieved successfully beside its expected efficiency in reducing the risk of hyp-ertension.