Mardi Noni juice in flavours soon

Petaling Jaya : The Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (Mardi) is negotiating with a local company to produce mengkudu (Morinda citrifolia) fruit extract or noni juice in four flavours.

Its director-general Datuk Dr Mohamad Sharif Ahmad said the juice would be available in mango, guavo, grape and pineapple flavours.

He said Mardi would take some three months to finalise plans with a local company on the production and processing on mengkudu juice.

"We want to see the commercialisation get off the ground as soon as possible. However, the plan depends on the availability of raw materials to ensure sustainability,: he said.

Dr Mohamad Sharif declined to elaborate on details including when Mardi’s mengkudu fruit extract would be marketed and its pricing.

Other than noni juice, he said Mardi was also looking into further product development.

Mardi’s laboratory-scale mengkudu fruit extract is packed in 300ml hard plastic bottles.

It is a sweetened and flavoured juice and has no acid or preservative.

Three tablespoons of the juice are recommended to be taken 30 minutes before breakfast.

The mengkudu fruit extract is pasteurised to kill micro-organisms.

It has a shelf life of at least six months though it can last much longer.

Mardi took six months to come up with an acceptable taste and flavour with no adverse odour.

Mardi Hilir Perak research officer Mohd Jelani Bahaudin said mengkudu had been consumed by local Malays for generations for health purposes including increasing one’s energy.

Source : Daily Express, 4.8.99