Our findings reported here are consistent with our earlier report on the
subject and seem to suggest that sago palms grown in low pH soils, under high
sulphur conditions (peat swamp), contain comparably high levels of phenolic
compounds and active soluble polyphenoloxidase enzymes. Palms grown in
neutral soils at comparably lower sulphur concentrations, had lower levels of
phenolic compounds and underwent oxidation after a lag period, suggesting the
existence of latent polyphenoloxidases in starches extracted from that
ecosystem. These findings highlight the potential for controlling the
discoloration of sago pith post-harvest by promptly treating debarked sago pith
with polyphenoloxidase inhibitors, prior to extraction of the starch