Three Novel Products from Leaves of Aloe barbadensis Miller

Wine, a fermented alcoholic beverage being famous for its versatility and health benefits have been consumed since ages. Traditionally grapes are used as source of fermentation for wine making. Recent surge in demand for herbal substitutes encouraged the idea of preparing wine from source having medicinal properties. Aloe vera known for its therapeutic properties and medicinal potential was exploited for wine making. The study also focused on waste management by utilizing the Aloe rind in soap and paper production. Aloe vera gel obtained from its leaves was fermented for a period of 21 days using Saccharomyces cerevisiae and by maintaining optimum conditions. A clear pale-yellow liquid obtained at the end of the fermentation period was assessed for the alcohol content, total carbohydrates, proteins and titratable acidity by suitable biochemical methods. Wine with an alcohol yield of 6.8 % and titratable acidity of 0.35g of tartaric acid per 100 ml was successfully prepared. Aloe wine also showed high protein content. The Aloe rind obtained as waste was further processed using suitable techniques and was successfully used in production of soap and paper. The paper retained water for 22.20 minutes. The soap was prepared with minimum chemical utilization, thus inculcating natural properties of Aloe vera in it. The study concluded that Aloe vera can be used as a source for production of wine with promising application of Aloe vera rind in soap and paper production.