ABSTRACT
Freshly harvested unripe plantain (2 heads) were sorted, cleaned and peeled. The pulp were sliced, oven dried at 550C for 6 hours. These were milled and sieved through 300 µm mesh into fine flour. Fruits of piper guieense were sorted, cleaned, washed, and oven dried at 550C for 6 hours. These were milled and sieved into fine flours. The plantain flour was weighed, into 8 portions of 100 g each and coded S1 to S8. Then 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 (g) of piper guineense fruit powder were added to S2, S3, S4, S5, S6 and S7 respectively. Each of these batches was thoroughly homogenized with the spice. The sample S1, had no spice and was the positive control, while the sample S8, had 0.1g of sodium benzoate and was the negative control. These samples were packaged in polythene bags and stored at ambient temperature (26± 20C) in the laboratory cabinate for 6 months. The samples were analyzed monthly for proximate, vitamins, functional, and microbial properties for 6 months. Results show that the proximate composition of the unripe plantain flour samples, did not show a significant difference (p< 0.05) in moisture content, dry matter, crude protein, crude fat and crude fiber. However differences in carbohydrate composition were significantly differences (p < 0.05) during the period of storage. The vitamins (A, B1, B2, B3, C ) showed significant differences during the period of storage (p < 0.05). Similarly, the functional properties (bulk density and soluble index) also showed significant differences. During storage, it was evident that bacteria sucession took place. The primary species of bacteria isolated from the freshly prepared samples were streptococcus, bacillus, staphylococcus, pseudomonas and klebsella.. At the end of the first month of storage, the surviving bacteria were bacillus, staphylococcus and streptococcus species.. In the second month, the surviving bacteria were bacillus and staphylococcus. This occurrence was same in all the samples of the plantain flour. As the period of storage increased, the bacillus and staphylococcus were still present until the sixth month, when staphylococcus could not be detected and only bacillus could be detected in the sample S1 and S2. The staphylococcus could not be detected on the third month but bacillus were detected up to the sixth month of storage period in samples S3, S4, S5, S6, S7 and S8.
TABLE OF CONTENT
Title Page
i
Declaration ii
Certification
iii
Dedication iv
Acknowledgements
v
Table of Contents
vi
List of Tables
ix
List of Figures
x
Abstract
xii
CHAPTER
1: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study 1
1.2 Problem
Statement 2
1.3 Justification 3
1.4 Main Objective 4
1.5 Specific
Objectives 4
CHAPTER
2: LITERATURE REVIEW 5
2.1 Food Preservation 5
2.2 Traditional
Techniques 5
2.3 Modern Industrial Techniques 9
2.4 Importance of Spices
12
2.5 Spices for Food Preservation and Safety 13
2.6 Antimicrobial Activity of Spices 14
2.7 Morphology of piper guineense 15
2.8 Benzoate
(chemical preservative) 17
2.9 Morphology
of Plantains and Bananas 17
2.10 Processes Involved in Unripe Plantain Flour
Production 23
2.11 Nutritive Value of Unripe Plantain 23
2.12 Plantain
Allergies 24
2.13 Plantain
Uses as Food 25
CHAPTER
3: MATERIALS AND METHODS 27
3.1 Collection
of Raw Materials 27
3.2 Production
of Unripe Plantain Flour 28
3.3 Production of piper guineense Powder 29
3.4 Formulation
of Samples 30
3.5 Storage of Samples 30
3.6 Physicochemical
Analysis of Unripe Plantain Flour Samples
31
3.6.1 Determination of fat content of unripe
plantain flour samples 31
3.6.2 Determination of crude fibre of unripe
plantain flour samples 32
3.6.3 Protein
content of unripe plantain flour samples
32
3.6.4 Determination of hydrogen ion concentration
(pH) 33
3.6.5 Determination of percentage moisture content
(% m.c.) 33
3.6.6 Determination
of titratable acidity as percentage lactic acid 33
3.6.7 Determination
of carbohydrate of unripe plantain flour samples 34
3.7 Functional
properties of the Unripe Plantain Flour Samples 34
3.7.1 Determination
of water absorption capacity of the various samples unripe
plantain flour 34
3.7.2 Determination of bulk density of the various
samples of unripe plantain flour. 34
3.8 Vitamin
Determination 35
3.8.1 Determination of vitamin c content of
unripe plantain flour samples. 35
3.8.2 Determination of vitamin b2
content of unripe plantain flour samples. 36
3.8.3 Determination of vitamin b3
content of unripe plantain flour samples. 36
3.8.4 Determination of vitamin b1
content
of unripe plantain flour samples. 37
3.8.5. Determination of beta- carotene of unripe plantain flour samples. 38
3.9 Microbiological
Analysis 39
3.9.1 Identification
of bacterial Isolates 39
3.10 Statistical Analysis 40
CHAPTER
4: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 41
4.1 Moisture Composition of Unripe Plantain
Flour with Added Piper guineense
Fruit Powder During Storage 43
4.2 Dry Matter Composition of Unripe Plantain
Flour with Added Piper guineense
Fruit Powder During Storage 44
4.3 Crude Protein Composition of Unripe
Plantain Flour with Added Piper guineense
Fruit Powder during
Storage 48
4.4 Crude fat Composition of Unripe Plantain
Flour with Added Piper guineense
Fruit Powder
During Storage 52
4.5. Carbohydrate Composition of Unripe
Plantain Flour with Added Piper guineense
Fruit Powder During Storage 56
4.6 Crude Fiber Composition of Unripe
Plantain Flour with Added Piper guineense
Fruit Powder
During Storage 60
4.7. Beta- carotene Composition of Unripe Plantain Flour with
Added Piper guineense
Fruit Powder During Storage 64
4.8. Vitamin
b1 Composition of Unripe Plantain Flour with Added Piper guineense
Fruit Powder During Storage 68
4.9. Vitamin b2 Composition of Unripe Plantain
Flour with Added Piper guineense
Fruit Powder During Storage 72
4.10. Vitamin
b3 Composition of Unripe Plantain Flour with Added Piper guineense
Fruit Powder During Storage 76
4.11. Vitamin C
Composition of Unripe Plantain Flour with Added Piper guineense
Fruit Powder During Storage 80
4.12. Bulk Density Composition of Unripe Plantain
Flour with Added Piper guineense
Fruit Powder During Storage 84
4.13. Soluble Index Composition of Unripe Plantain
Flour with Added Piper guineense
Fruit Powder During Storage 88
4.14. Bacteria Isolate Composition of Unripe
Plantain Flour with Added Piper guineense
Fruit Powder During Storage 92
CHAPTER
5
5.1 Conclusion 95
5.2 Recommendation 96
References 97
Appendix 103
LIST
OF TABLES
2.1 Proximate
Composition of Green and Unripe Plantain 26
2.2 Mineral
Element Composition of Unripe Plantain Flours from 8 Cultivars 26
3.1 Formulation
Ratio of Unripe Plantain Flour Samples 32
4.1. Moisture
Composition of Unripe Plantain Flour with Added Piper guineense
Fruit Powder
During Storage 44
4.2. Dry Matter Composition of Unripe Plantain Flour with Added Piper guineense
Fruit Powder
During Storage. 47
4.3. Crude Protein Composition of Unripe Plantain Flour with Added Piper guineense
Fruit Powder During Storage 51
4.4. Crude Fat Composition of Unripe Plantain Flour with Added Piper guineense
Fruit Powder During Storage 55
4.5.
Carbohydrate Composition of
Unripe Plantain Flour with Added Piper
guineense
Fruit Powder
During Storage 59
4.6. Crude Fiber Composition of Unripe Plantain Flour with Added Piper guineense
Fruit Powder
During Storage 63
4.7. Beta – carotene Composition of Unripe Plantain Flour with Added Piper guineense
Fruit Powder
During Storage 67
4.8 Vitamin
b1 Composition of Unripe Plantain Flour with Added Piper guineense
Fruit Powder
During Storage 75
4.9. Vitamin b2 Composition of Unripe Plantain Flour with
Added Piper guineense
Fruit Powder During Storage 67
4.10. Vitamin
b3 Composition of Unripe Plantain Flour with Added Piper guineense
Fruit Powder During Storage 79
4.11. Vitamin c Composition of Unripe Plantain Flour with Added Piper guineense
Fruit Powder During Storage 83
4.12. Bulk Density Composition of Unripe Plantain Flour with Added Piper guineense
Fruit Powder During Storage 87
4.13: Soluble Index Composition of Unripe Plantain Flour with Added Piper guineense
Fruit Powder
During Storage 91
4.14: Bacteria Isolate Determination of Unripe Plantain Flour with Added
Piper guineense
Fruit Powder During Storage. 94
LIST
OF FIGURES
3.1 Flow Chart for the Production of
Plantain Flour 28
3.2 Flow Chart for the Production of Piper guineense Seed Powder 29
LIST OF PLATES
2.1: Black Pepper (Piper guineense) Seed 16
2.2: Calcutta Plantain Variety 19
2.3: Efol Plantain Variety 19
2.4: Aging
Plantain Variety 20
2.5: Nblpaul Plantain Variety 20
2.6: Agbagba Plantain Variety 21
2.7: Pita Plantain Variety 21
2.8: Nibrator Plantain Variety 22
2.9: Atagafong Plantain Variety 22
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND
OF THE STUDY
One of the main
reasons why we study higher plants is for the purpose of detecting
antimicrobial agents in the plant tissues and other nutritional benefits. Early
investigation in this areas were focused on those plant that were found to have
application in the age old practices in human feeding or their blind usage as
therapeutics for human and animal diseases (Benjamin et al.,1983; Akveshi et al.,2002,and
Okigbo et al., 2005). The advantages
of these natural plant products include local availability, no toxicity to the
consumers and simple preparation procedures. Biological control with plant
product is generally flavoured as a method of disease management because it
does not have the disadvantages of the environmental toxicity experienced with
most chemical control agents In addition, it may have a long lasting
preservative effect than the synthetic additives (Okigbo et al., 2005).
Inhibition of
some human pathogens with tropical plants extracts, for example Piper guineense, tend to exhibit some
level of biological control and antimicrobial activities of plants origin;
which are considered as natural sources that are readily available for
developing countries. The study of natural plants that may have the potentials
to inhibit pathogenic microorganisms. This represents an area of great interest
in which plants have been the most important sources because of the microbial
resistance to existing synthetic food preservatives at low doses and in order
to reduce the trend of increased emergence and persistence of food borne
diseases and the discomforts that may be caused by pathogenic microorganisms.
This type of research requires a multi-prolonged approach that includes the
development of improved food products (Iwu et
al., 1999; Okigbo et al., 2005).
The use of
plants as the inspiration for improved food products provides an infusion of
novel compounds or substances that have the ability of inhibiting the growth of
pathogenic microorganisms and evaluating plant from the traditional African
system of medicines is with the knowledge as to how these plants can be used to
inhibit the growth of microbes. The ultimate aim of scientific investigation
about traditional medicinal plants is to make provision for the health of the
consumers. However, some of the plants that have antimicrobial properties are
being used by most traditional herbal practitioners as medicinal plant for the
treatment of multiple diseases. Many humans have been associated with various
food borne diseases in developing countries like Nigeria (Okigbo et al., 2005). Piper guineense is usually added to food meant for pregnant and
nursing mothers as a medicinal spice and among the post-partum women it is
claimed that it assists in the contraction of the uterus (Achinewhuet al., 1995). It is generally known to possess
anti-bacterial and antioxidant properties. The powdered dry fruits have also
been reported to give protection to cowpea seeds (Okigbo et al., 2005).
1.2 PROBLEM
STATEMENT
As a result of
the increasing number of post-harvest losses of plantain (Musa acuminata),and the underutilization of our various African
spices such as piper guineense, it
has been observed that some of our food products could be preserved with the
aid of African spices such as piper
guineense which are bio preservative as a result of their anti-microbial
properties. These provide specific health benefits as well as nutritional
advantages. Such foods are called functional foods. Some of our African spices,
when incorporated into our food product, have several advantageous effect on
the food and they can be used in the management and prevention of chronic
diseases, for example, in the management of diabetes, dietary therapy, etc. The
presence of phytochemicals, antioxidants and anti-microbial agents present in Piper guineense could help improve the
shelf life of food products such asplantain flour and also help to provide
other health benefits to the consumers. This calls for an attempt to fortify
plantain flour with some of our local spices, for example, Piper guineense so as to enhance the nourishment and health
benefits providedby plantain flour.
1.3 JUSTIFICATION
The food industries have applied antioxidants such as butylated
hydroxytoluene (BHT) and butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) to prevent spoilage.
Hence, their safety is not a guarantee and consumers are progressively
demanding for the use of natural compounds to be used in preserving food
products. For this reason spices represent a potent tool for the food industry,
as a result of their natural to properties. Indeed spices possess antioxidant
capacity, mainly due to the presence of phenolic compounds. They exhibit
antioxidant property by scavenging free radicals, chelating transition metals,
quenching of singlet oxygen, and improving the properties of antioxidant
enzymes. There are several mythological evidence including “Epic of Gilgamesh,”
and the “Bagavad Gita,” that suggest the effective use of spices for several
purposes; especially because of their strong preservative quality. Spices
assist in maintaining the balance of the body humors.
1.4 MAIN
OBJECTIVE
The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of piper guineense fruit powder on unripe plantain
flour during ambient storage.
1.5 THE SPECIFIC
OBJECTIVES WERE:
1.
Determine the effect of the piper guineense (fruit powder) on the functional
properties of unripe plantain flour during storage.
2.
Determine the effect of the piper guineense (fruit powder) on the microbial
activities on unripe plantain flour during storage.
3.
Determine the effect of the piper guineense(fruit powder) on the
physico-chemical properties of unripe plantain flour during storage.
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