Abstract

Palm wine is an alcoholic beverage identified with various cultures in Africa by different names playing an important role in the tradition, religious and cultural beliefs of the people. Often obtained by tapping the cut flower of palm trees, this alcoholic beverage can serve as sources of some vital nutrients. Palm wine samples bought from fifteen (n = 15) different vendors located in different parts of Ibadan, Nigeria were analyzed for glucose, alcohol and salicylate content. Controls were freshly tapped, undiluted palm wine from five different tappers (n = 5). The mean ± SEM glucose concentration (mg per 100 ml) 15.57 ± 4.94 of regularly sold palm wine is significantly lower than 376.40 ± 9.92 mg per 100 ml observed in freshly tapped undiluted palm wine. The mean ± SEM alcohol concentration (mg per 100 mâ„“) 117.71 ± 11.28 of the regularly sold palm wine is significantly higher than 33.72 ± 2.68 (mg per 100 mâ„“) observed in freshly tapped palm wine. Traces of salicylate were found in samples of some of the regularly sold palm wine but absent in the freshly taped. The mean ± SEM salicylate concentration (mg per 100 mâ„“) is 4.5 × 10^-2 ± 1.6 × 10^-2 for regularly sold palm wine. This value had no significant difference when compared with 0.00 ± 0.00 (mg per 100 mâ„“) observed in freshly tapped palm wine. However, continued consumption of palm wine with salicylate content might lead to exposure to chronic salicylate poisoning.Saccharomyces cerevisiae to which fermentation of palm sap to palm wine is usually attributed was the fungal isolate in both the regularly sold and freshly tapped palm wine. A ripple health effects can ensue from intoxication due to product’s alcoholic content, unguided drinking behaviour and lack of effective monitoring of product quality. Maintaining this symbolic commodity of immense indigenous values in its original unadulterated form for consumption is advocated.

Key words: Palm wine, alcohol, salicylate, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, culture, health.