Coconut Inflorescence Sap (Neera): Nutritive Potential and Health Conferring Products

Coconut inflorescence sap, commonly known as neera, is a phloem sap obtained from adult coconut palms. Traditional methods of tapping coconut spadix result in a fermented, oyster-white colored sap with a significant amount of ethanol. However, the introduction of the Coco-sap chiller allows the extraction of unfermented inflorescence sap suitable for processing into various value-added products such as sugar and other nutritive items. The unfermented sap, referred to as Kalparasa®, can be consumed directly as a refreshing drink when served chilled. Biochemical characterization of Kalparasa® has highlighted its nutritive potential due to the presence of phenolics, sugars, minerals, inulin, and essential vitamins. This chapter explores the physical and biochemical features of coconut inflorescence sap, discusses varietal and seasonal influences on neera production, delves into fermentation chemistry and microbiome aspects, explores differences in primary and secondary value-added products, and outlines the health benefits associated with coconut inflorescence sap. In conclusion, future perspectives on the utilization of coconut inflorescence sap are presented.