Abstract

A RESEARCH ON: FORMULATION AND EVALUATION OF BAEL FRUIT POWDER

Saloni P. Gudadhe* and Prof. Ashvini V. Bodakhe

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Abstract

Aegle marmelos belonging to family Rutaceae, is commonly famous as Bael and has various therapeutic properties. It is native to India and found throughout South Asia. In India, this fruit is grown in Indo- Genetic plains and Sub-Himalayan zone, in NorthEast India and dry and deciduous forest of central and southern India. Aegle marmelos is a widely distributed plant and grown in India, Ceylon, China, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Tibet, Sri Lanka, Java, Philippines and Fiji. Annual Indian Production of bael in 2015-16 was only 85.83 tones. Among Indian states, Odisha leads in production (48.56 tones) followed by Jharkhand (35.59 tones), Madhya Pradesh (1.46 tones), Hariyana (0.19 tones) and Himachal Pradesh (0.03 tonnes) (NHB, 2016). The fruits are differ in height and size of the tree, fruit shape, average weight of fruit, fruit rind, fibre content, colour, TSS, Ascorbic acid, average fruit yield etc... as per the varieties of bael. Aegle marmelos tree is mostly valued for its valuable fruits, which is oval or round shaped with the size ranges from 5-25 cm in diameter. The bael fruit has a hard, woody outer shell and from inside it has sweet, thick and aromatic pulp. In the bael fruit pulp, the seeds are present in edges and seed is enclosed by thick greasy and clear mucilage. The pulp of the bael fruit is a natural source of essential antioxidants and bioactive compounds. The pulp has laxative properties and is even considered as the best laxatives known so far.

Keywords: Aegle marmelos; fruit; laxative; bael.