AKLAN STATE UNIVERSITY – COLLEGE OF TEACHER EDUCATION

RAMBUTAN SEED (NEPHELIUM LAPPACEUM) OPTIMIZATION AS

FUNTIONAL FOOD USED IN MAKING BUTTER FILLING

JOYCE IVY B. TALAOC

JAN GENEVE I. RUBIAS

CLARENCE TALADTAD

JIEMS CORTEL

GIGI ILLAZAR

Research Paper Presented to the Faculty of the College of

Teacher Education, Aklan State University Makato, Aklan,
Philippines

In partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for Research 2

Bachelor of Technology and Livelihood Education

(BTLEd) major in Home Economics

2021

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Introduction

Since the outbreak of corona virus, Philippines faced an increased food scarcity,

the lack of source of income due to unemployment, employment decline and voluntary

job quits caused by this pandemic. This pandemic drastically challenges the Philippines;

we are all affected by this crisis. Many families are experiencing poverty and have

worsened.

In this time of crisis we can innovate to lessen food scarcity and food waste, the

peels or seeds of the fruits and vegetables that we think we cannot be able to utilize

because we thought they are inedible can be made into something new. The unutilized

fruit peels or seeds have health benefits and it contain nutrients.

Background of the Study

Philippines is known as a tropical country where you can find exotic fruits and

one if it is rambutan (Nephellium Lappaeceum); it is known as the exotic fruit of

southeast asia , rambutan is a sweet, juicy and one of tasty fruits that also bring good

health benefits. It is a type of tropical tree and is commonly found in the city. This

reddish fruit needs to have its skin removed to get its pinkish and whitish flesh. While

the fruit is normally sweetish in taste, some are sweet and sour. Rambutan has several

health benefits, since it is rich in fructose and sucrose, but has fewer calories. It is

packed with vitamin C and includes potassium, iron, beta carotene or vitamin A,

calcium, magnesium, zinc, sodium, niacin, fibre and protein. The fruit has been used in

the treatment of diabetes, hypertension, and other ailments. Rambutan seeds are

edible, but only if they are properly prepared. Raw rambutan seeds can be toxic in large
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doses due to traces of toxic chemicals such as saponins but are safe from acute toxicity

in doses up to 2,500 mg/kg dose. The symptoms of toxicity can include your motor

coordination being affected. However, this would require more than just a couple of

seeds eaten raw. Roasted rambutan seeds, however, showed no toxicity and can be

safely eaten.

Studies have found that the rambutan pulp, seeds and skin have strong

antioxidants called flavonoids, which are known to reduce cholesterol levels apart from

having anti-cancerous as well as anti-flammatory attributes.

The researchers decided to conduct this study for the purpose of making a new

food product out of rambutan seeds and to address the scarcity of food and money and

to encourage people to be more innovative.

Objective of this Study

The general objective of this study is to determine the suitability of rambutan

seeds as butter filling. Specifically, this study aimed to answer the following questions:

1. To determine if the rambutan seeds has a good quality in terms of its,

aroma,texture, consistency and flavor.

2. To determine its acceptability that rambutan seeds can be made as a butter

filling.

3. To analyze the shelf life of the rambutan seeds as butter filling.

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Significance of the Study

The rambutan seeds are usually thrown away because they find no value except

of planting the seeds but it is edible when it is properly prepared and roasted. The

roasted rambutan seeds can be made into a butter filling. Its acceptability for this can

be of great benefit to the following:

Students – the students will gain knowledge and notions about this research; they

will be open minded to conduct a research similar to this because there are many

possible and smart ways to discover and innovate something that can be more

productive.

Entrepreneur, housewives and rural folks – this research can help them gain

information and to be more innovative and produce new products by utilizing the fruit

peels, seeds and other foods that comes to waste; it will also give them opportunity to

earn because this kind of innovation is profitable.

Teachers – this study is useful to the teachers as they can continue teaching the

students to be more open and discover more ideas and encourage the students to be

more innovative in life.

Future Researchers – this study will serve as future reference for the future

researchers as it can give them insights and notions to explore, discover the foods

that are not utilized enough that are abundant in our locality, it can also inspire them

to innovate and produce new products which are cheap and nutritious.

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Expected Outputs

1. Identified that rambutan (Nephellium Lappaeceum) seed can be used in making

butter filling;

2. Found out the rambutan seed butter filling is a functional food with nutritional value

3.Analyzed the shelf life of the rambutan (Nephellium Lappaeceum)seed when it is

made as a butter filling;.

Scope and limitation of the Study

The study will be limited to find out the acceptability of roasted rambutan seeds as

an alternative for butter filling. Acceptability of roasted rambutan seeds will be limited in

terms of its aroma, texture, consistency, flavor, general acceptability and shelf life.

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CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

The present chapter gives the detailed account of literature available on the

present topic, in research terminology it is known as the review of literature.

Background of rambutan seed

The rambutan, (Nephelium lappaceum Linn), is a fruit considered exotic to

people outside of its native range. To people of Malaysia, Thailand, Phillippines,

Vietnam, Borneo, and other countries of this region, the rambutan is a relatively

common fruit the same way as an apple is common to many people in cooler climates

(Zee, 1993; Morton, 1987). This may change for the rambutan over time as availability

and distribution. Rambutan is adapted to warm tropical climates, around 22 – 30°C, and

is sensitive to temperatures below 10°C. The tree grows well on heights up to 500

metres (1,600 ft) above sea-level and does best in deep soil; clay loam or sandy loam

rich in organic matter Morton (1987). The aril is attached to the seed in some

commercial cultivars, but “freestone” cultivars are available and in high demand. There

is usually a single light brown seed, which is high in certain fats and oils (primarily oleic

acid and arachidic acid) valuable to industry, and used in cooking and the manufacture

of soap. A rambutan root bark, and leaves have various uses in medicine and in the

production of dyes. In some areas rambutan trees can bear fruit twice annually, once in

late fall and early winter with a shorter season in late spring and early summer. In other

areas like Costa Rica there is a single fruit season, with the start of the rainy season in

April stimulating flowering and the fruit is usually ripe in August and September. In

Thailand, rambutan trees were first planted in Surat Thani in 1926 by the Chinese Malay

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K. Vong in Ban Na San. An annual rambutan fair is held during August harvest time

(Morton, 1987).

Harvest maturity

Rambutan is classification in non-climacteric fruit and it will not continue to ripen

once removed from the tree. Hence, this fruit must be harvested when they have

reached an optimal eating quality and visual appearance (O’Hare, 1995). Wanichkul

and Kosiyachinda (1982) have reported that during time between 16 and 28 days after

colour-break, this fruit can acceptable appearance. Although the pulp may be

acceptable outside of this period, the fruit is often unmarketable due to the poor colour

of the skin. However, the rambutan is generally harvested on the basis of its skin colour,

flavour should also be at an optimum (Watson et al., 1988). Red cultivars do not

necessary reach similar of total soluble solids (TSS) at the same level of colour. As the

fruit ripens on the tree as a result the TSS value will increases but the titratable acidity

(TA) value is decrease (O’Hare, 1995). On the other hand, fruits harvested too early will

have more acidic and lack sweetness while fruits harvested too late can be tender.

Generally, depending on cultivar, fruit have a TSS and TA concentration in the range of

17-21% and 0.7-5.5%, respectively, at harvestable maturity (Kosiyachinda et al., 1987).

Nutritional analysis of rambutan seed

Some study according to Morton (1987), reported that have to study the

rambutan seed that grow in some area which the following information pertains

specifically to the rambutan grown in Puerto Rico. Other regions of the world where this

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fruit is grown have differences in soils, climate, fertilizer, irrigation water and rain

chemistry, humidity, wind and the amount and intensity of sunlight which may have a

significant impact on the nutritional values in the rambutan seed which resulting to these

nutritional values may not be the same outside of Puerto Rico. For that matter, even

within Puerto Rico, there are so many microclimates, soil types and pH variations, these

results may be viewed only as an example of the nutritional profile of just one of the

island’s rambutan fruit growers. And then there is the seasonal variation from one crop

to the next. The test results included herein were from a particularly sweet crop and

there should be some variability of these values each season (Morton, 1987). Generally,

the vitamin content and minerals was found on from study analysis which should help

people with concerns about the nutritional value of the rambutan. The nutritional value

of rambutan seed is shown in Table 1. The nutritional value of rambutan fat grows in

various areas that may slightly difference the amount of the value to each other.

Antioxidant and antibacterial activities

Plants contain a large variety of substances possessing antioxidant activity

including natural antioxidant compound such as polyphenols, carotene, tocopherol,

vitamin C, vitamin E, xanthophylls and tannins (Madhavi et al., 1996; Ramirez-Tortosa

et al., 1999; Thitilertdecha et al., 2008; Febrianto et al., 2012) and fruit/vegetable that

have specific bioactive compounds had concern much attention due to health benefit

effect (Febrianto et al., 2012). Moreover, these compounds are able to protect the

oxidative damage in human body’s cell and tissue. The phenolics compound can be

found in all parts of the plant for sources of natural antioxidants (Chanwitheesuk et al.,

2005). According to Thitilertdecha et al. (2008) noted that rambutan (Nephelium

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lappaceum Linn.) peel and seed parts were conducted extracts to obtain the antioxidant

and antibacterial activities, and more potential activities were found in the peel extracts

more than the seed extracts by used methanol solvent for extraction of antioxidant and

antibacterial substances which the best solvent for extract when compare with other

solvents. It is as a result to providing high extraction yields and also strong antioxidant

and antibacterial activities. The natural antioxidant in lipid-containing product and

lipidbased product such as oil, fat, margarine, butter, etc. are considered insufficient

and/or had been removed on the purification process because it is considered as

impurities which would adversely affect in subsequent use (Febrianto et al., 2012). In

addition, study the effect of fermentation time and roasting process in the rambutan

seed fat by Febrianto et al. (2012), found that they can improve the antioxidant activity

and total phenolics compound of rambutan seed fat. Higher antioxidant activity which is

resulted from fermentation process could be enhanced further by applying roasting

process also. However, the appropriate fermentation process should not longer than 6

days which resulting to efficiently increase the total phenolic compounds of rambutan

seed fat.

Rambutan seed fat

Native in Southeast Asia, rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum Linn.) belongs to the

same family (Sapindaceae) as the sub-tropical fruits lychee and longan (Marisa, 2006).

Rambutan is a seasonal fruit native of west Malaysia and Sumatra. It is cultivated widely

in Southeast Asian countries. For commercial crop in Asia, this fruit is important.

Normally this fruit is consumed fresh, canned, or processed, and appreciated for its

refreshing flavour and exotic. The rambutan fruits are deseeded during processing and

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these seeds (~ 4-9 g/100 g) are a waste by-product of the canning industry (Tindall,

1994). Some studies had reported that rambutan seed possesses a relatively high

amount of fat with values between 14 g/100 g and 41 g/100 g. (Sirisompong et al.,

2011). And other information on the seed had showed that rambutan possesses a

relatively high amount of fat between 17% and 39% (Morton, 1987; Zee, 1993).

Furthermore, due to the demand of human consumption was increase continued for

propose in industry. Therefore, the extracted fat from rambutan seed not only could be

used for manufacturing candles, soaps, and fuels, but it also has a possible to be a

source of natural edible fat with feasible manufacturing use (Solís-Fuentes et al., 2010).

Physical properties of rambutan seed

Fats containing highly saturated or long chain fatty acids which commonly have a

higher melting point than unsaturated or short chain fatty acids. Unsaturated fatty acids

have different isomeric forms that have different melting points. They naturally expose in

the cis-form, but can be converted to the trans-form during partial hydrogenation

processing (Dziezak, 1989). Crystalline forms in which fats may exist categorized as

alpha, beta and beta-prime. Weiss (1983) classified a number of fats according to their

crystallizing nature shown in Table 5. Due to have a reported that rambutan seed fat

have some physical properties such as characteristic of melting in the room temperature

like a cocoa butter, but it was found that cocoa butter have a temperature range of

melting point and crystallization occur narrow than rambutan seed fat. Beside, cocoa

butter does not contain many triglycerides and majority composed as plamito oleosterin

(Pérez-Martinez et al., 2007). According to Ghotra et al. (2002), and Mcclements and

Decker (2007) reported that rambutam seed have crystalline form β and β’ in the

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amounts of 84.70 and 15.30%, respectively. It was shown that the rambutan seed fat

had a crystal stability. In general the crystallization of rambutan seed fat is usually

analyzed by using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). According to Solís-Fuentes

et al. (2010) described the crystallization curve and melting cure of rambutan seed fat.

The melting point of rambutan seed fat also observed by the last peak of heating curve

(~ 45o C) showed higher than the cocoa butter which normally useful in the chocolate

manufacture.

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Chapter III

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This chapter presents the specific procedures or techniques used to identify, select,

process, and analyze information about the preparation of rambutan seed in making butter

filling, instrument used, treatment combinations, composition of panelist, evaluation of

finished product, consumer testing for acceptability, data collection scheme, statistical

analysis, economic analysis and locale of the study.

Materials and Equipment Used for Butter – Making

Materials used in the conduct of the study for butter making were rambutan seed, unsalted

butter, salt and sugar.

Equipment and tools used were measuring cups, spoons, mixing bowls, grinder, spoon,

utility tray, apron, pot holder, and wok.

Treatments and Experimental Design

The study used Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) to control variation in

an experiment and was conducted in a factorial experiment using three replications. The

Factor A, were the Rambutan Seed Proportion (RSP) and Factor B, were the varied

thickness of polythylene used as packaging materials for butter.

Factor A – Rambutan Seed Proportion (RSP)

A1 = 50% RSP

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A2 = 100% RSP

Factor B - Thickness of Packaging Material

B1 = 0.0006 mm

B2 = 0.0008 mm

Procedure:

Preparation of the Rambutan Seed

Peeling of Rambutan Fruit

Washing the Rambutan

Seed

Direct – Sun Drying the Rambutan Seed

Grinding the Dried Rambutan

Seed

Roasting the Rambutan Seed

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B. Preparation for Butter Filling

In a grinder, mix the grinded

rambutan seed, unsalted butter
and grind it until the oil from
the rambutan seed comes out.

When the oil has come out, put

salt and sugar and grind it
again until it is thoroughly
mixed.

Transfer the mixture into the

polyethylene bottle and its
ready to be filled in the bread.

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Table 1. Treatment Combination for Butter.

A B
Ingredients
Measurement Measurement
Rambutan Seed 256 g 128 g
Butter 1T 1T
Sugar 3T 3T
Salt ¼t ¼t

The Instrument

The data gathering, and evaluation score sheet used was 9-point Hedonic Scale.

Each replication of the treatment was evaluated with the rating scale as follows:

Scale Descriptive Rating

9 Like Extremely

8 Like Very Much

7 Like Moderately

6 Like Slightly

5 Neither Like nor Dislike

4 Dislike Slightly

3 Dislike Moderately

2 Dislike Very Much

1 Dislike Extremely

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Composition of Panelist

Only twenty (20) panel of tasters were utilized in this study. There were ten (10)

from faculty members and 10 students from BTLEd students major in Home Economics

of Aklan State University-Teacher Education Center, Makato, Aklan.

Orientation of the Panel of Tasters

The panel of tasters was gathered in the Aklan State University Teacher

Education Center, and orientation was done on the evaluation of butter filling in terms of

their aroma, texture, consistency and flavor.

Evaluation sheets with corresponding range of the points for aroma, texture,

consistency and flavor were provided to the tasters. To ensure better judgment, a glass

of water was given to each panel member to cleanse their pallet every after tasting.

After the final instruction was given to the panel of tasters, the evaluation process

was conducted. Twenty (20) evaluators were divided into two (2) groups to evaluate one

set of the treatment combination at a time for cookies.

Evaluation of the Finished Product

After the evaluators tasted the butter, they were given instructions on how to

evaluate the butter filling. They were instructed to evaluate the product using a 9-point

Hedonic Scale. They were judged according to:

Aroma: pleasant odor

Flavor: nutty, no raw smell

Texture: fine paste, smooth

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Consistency: runny, flowing

General Acceptability: the overall acceptability in terms of aroma,

texture, consistency and flavor of the finished products.

Whatever treatment combination comes out, acceptability for the panel of tasters

were subjected to consumer tasting.

Consumer Tasting for Acceptability

The consumer tasting for the acceptability of the butter filling will be rated using

accidental sampling. Twenty (20) panel members will be the evaluators. There will be

chosen locals of Calangcang, Makato were asked to test the finished products.

Data Collection Scheme

The researchers will provide evaluation sheets to gather the aroma,

texture, consistency and flavor of the finished products. The evaluation sheets will be

collected after the evaluators rate the butter filling. The evaluation sheet will be

presented in Appendix A.

Ethical Consideration

The evaluation sheet will be given to the participants prior in conducting the study

in order to understand their function as a participant. Furthermore, due to the ongoing

COVID – 19 pandemic, the researchers will observe health protocol standards.

Economic Analysis

The computation formula is shown below to analyze the Return of

Investment (ROI) as an economic indicator; the computation formula is shown

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below:

Net Profit

ROW (%) =
Production Cost X 100

Locale of the Study

The study was conducted at Aklan State University Teacher Education

Center at Calangcang, Makato, Aklan, AY. 2021 - 2022.

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