Aonla or amla (Emblica officinalis), popularly known as the Indian gooseberry, is a small sized, minor subtropical fruit and grows widely along the hillsides and sub-mountainous areas of North India. The fruit is acrid, cooling, refrigerant, diuretic and laxative, hence used for treating chronic dysentery, bronchitis, diabetes, fever, diarrhoea, jaundice, dyspepsia, & coughs etc. It is highly nutritive and one of the richest source of ascorbic acid. It contains 500-1500 mg of ascorbic acid per 100g of pulp. The gallic acid present in aonla fruit has antioxidant properties. This fruit is extensively used in the preparation of Ayurvedic and Unani medicines. Owing to its nutritive and miraculous medicinal properties, this fruit has acquired wide popularity.
The fresh fruits are generally not consumed due to their high astringency but it has got great potential in processed forms. Hence attention has been focused on the preparation of different value added products from aonla. Aonla preserve is an extremely popular traditional product, which is also known as amla murabba in India. Aonla preserve has the beneficial effect of purifying blood. This also helps in reducing the cholesterol levels in blood and in improving eyesight. Lack of scientific approach in its preparation and preservation renders this valuable product vulnerable to spoilage in a short period of time after its preparation.
Scientists at the Punjab Agricultural University studied the scientific approach to enhancing the shelf life of aonla preserve to improve its commercial production. As quite a few excellent plantations of aonla fruits are coming up, screening for suitable varieties for preserve making is being carried out.
