Advances in Food Science and Technology

Advances in Food Science and Technology ISSN: 6732-4215 Vol. 3 (2), pp. 294-297, February, 2015. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Nutritional and Medicinal values of some edible vegetables in Enugu State Nigeria

Asuama N. Alexandra

Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria.

E-mail: [email protected]

Accepted 17 January 2015

Abstract

Little or nothing is known about the nutritional and medicinal values of some of the vegetables eaten in Enugu state of Nigeria. This study aimed to quantify the total antioxidants as phenols, total flavonoids, vitamin C content and reducing properties of six vegetables [Teltaria occidentals (ugu), Gnetum africanum (ukase), Piper quineense (uziza), Gongronema latifolium (utazi), Achyranthes spendens (awa), Occimum grattissimum (nchegnwu)]. Colorimetric method was performed using Gallic acid and rutin standard reagents for total antioxidants (phenols) and total flavonoids, respectively. The vitamin C and reducing properties contents were also determined using 2, 6-dichilorophenol indophenols (titrimetric) and trichloroacetic acid colorimetric methods, respectively. The result reveals that G. africanum (ukazi) ranked the best of all the vegetables assayed for total flavonoids (0.58 mg/g), total antioxidants (49 mg/g) as phenols, vitamin C (0.91 mg/100 mL) and reducing property (64 mg/g) followed by A. spendens (awa) (total flavonoids, 1.57 mg/g; total antioxidants; 50 mg/g; vitamin C; 0.43 mg/100 mL and reducing property. 81 mg/g), T. occidentalis (ugu), (total flavonoids, 0.58 mg/g; total antioxidant; 49 mg/g; vitamin, C 0.69 and total reducing property 64 mg/g), O. grattissimum (nchanwu) (total flavonoids, 0.36 mg/g; total antioxidant, 45 mg/g; vitamin C, 0.60 mg/100 mL; and total reducing property 80 mg/g) while P. guineense (uziza) (total flavonoids, 0.71 mg/g; total antioxidants, 36 mg/g; vitamin C, 0.40 mg/100 Ml and total reducing property, 42 mg/g) and G. latifolium (utazi) (total flavonoids, 0.36 mg/g; total antioxidant, 8 mg/g; vitamin C, 0.33 mg/100 Ml and total reducing property, 81 mg/g) are the least. However, the result of the study have highlighted the nutritional and medicinal richness of these vegetables and encourages the increased consumption of them to compensate nutrient deficiency and therefore could be a useful source to prevent or attenuate damages such as lipid peroxidation, glycation of proteins and inactivation of enzymes caused by free radicals.

Key words: Vegetables, total antioxidants, flavonoids, vitamin C, reducing properties.

Advances in Food Science and Technology ISSN: 6732-4215 Vol. 3 (1), pp. 289-293, January, 2015. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Evaluation of chemical composition, sensory properties and microbial load of differently Homogenized Milk for Yoghurt-Making

Oviri M. Elvis

Department of Food Science and Technology, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Ihiagwa, Nigeria.

E-mail: [email protected]

Accepted 12 December, 2014

Abstract

This study was designed to evaluate the chemical composition, sensory properties and microbial load of differently homogenized milk for yoghurt-making. Milk was homogenized with a hand whisker (HW), pressure sprayer (PS) and high-speed mixer (HM) while the control was not homogenized (NH) prior to yoghurt-making. Samples were stored in a refrigerator for 10 days at 4°C and thereafter examined for microbial counts using pour plate technique. Results show that homogenization had no significant (p > 0.05) influence on taste and flavor of yoghurt. The chemical composition of the yoghurt samples in all the treatment groups were improved as the days in storage progressed. The highest total viable count (TVC), coliform and fungal counts were obtained with NH while PS recorded the least counts.

Key words: Chemical composition, sensory properties, microbial load, homogenizer and yoghurt.

Full Length Research Paper

Sensory Evaluation of beverage characteristics and biochemical components of Coffee Genotypes

Anne Maathai Abdulmajid

Department of Food Science and Technology, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Kenya.

E-mail: [email protected]

Accepted 5 November, 2014

Abstract 

Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica L.) is known for the production of high quality beverage while Robusta coffee (Coffea canephora Pierre) has been characterized as a neutral, weak flavored and occasionally with strong acid and pronounced bitterness. Viable and reasonably fertile interspecific hybrids can easily be obtained from crosses between the allotetraploid C. arabica L. and induced autotetraploid forms of C. canephora P. This study was carried out to determine beverage quality characteristics and biochemical components of 15 coffee genotypes, nine of them being interspecific Arabusta F₁ hybrids. Beverage quality was determined by a panel of six judges using the prescribed sensory evaluation procedures, while caffeine, oil, trigonelline, total chlorogenic acids (CGA) and sucrose were analyzed in green coffee samples using recommended methodologies. The results indicated significant (p<0.05) variations among the genotypes for all the sensory attributes. The total score, which is a reflection of the broad coffee quality performance showed that SL34 and SL28 (which served as reference in sensory quality), were not significantly different from Arabusta hybrids SL34 x UT8, SL28 x UT8, N39 x UT8, SL34 x UT6, CaturraxUT6 and SL28 x UT6. The quality of some Arabusta hybrids was found to be similar to that of pure Arabica genotypes. Similarly, biochemical variables revealed significant (p<0.05) variations for caffeine, oil and sucrose, among genotypes except for CGA and trigonelline which were not significantly different. There were positive significant correlations between all the sensory characteristics. Sucrose showed significant (P<0.05) correlations with fragrance flavour, aftertaste and overall. Trigonelline showed a significant negative correlation with body and caffeine. All the Arabusta hybrids scored specialty grade (80 points and above for total score) and therefore future studies on their performance in many locations with more variable climatic conditions is recommended.

Key words: Coffee, Arabusta, F₁ interspecific hybrids, sensory variables, biochemical components.

Full Length Research Paper

Properties of Starch extracted from three different Plantains (Musa paradisiaca) cultivars in Nigeria

Oviri M. Elvis

Department of Food Science and Technology, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Ihiagwa, Nigeria.

E-mail: [email protected]

Accepted 12 October, 2014

Abstract 

Starch was extracted from three different plantain (Musa paradisiaca) cultivars: agbagba, cadaba and French horn, and the physico-chemical and pasting properties of the starch were investigated. The percentage starch yield ranges from 6.67 (cadaba) to 15.00% (French horn). pH values fall between 4.46 to 5.50 with the highest pH occurring in cadaba (5.50). A higher moisture content of 13.15% was observed in French horn which was significantly different (p ≥ 0.05) from 11.56% recorded in Agbagba. The swelling power showed no significant difference (p ≥ 0.05) between the cultivars studied. However, Agbagba cultivar had higher starch solubility (7.49%) as compared to other cultivars. Although, a higher amylose (%) was observed in three cultivars (29.96 - 30.91%), it showed no significant difference (p ≥ 0.05) which also affected the amylopectin. The peak viscosity and trough was higher in starches from French horn (163.17 and 135.00 RVU, respectively) with the lowest breakdown viscosity of 28.17 RVU. Pasting temperature was observed to be higher in Agbagba (94.75°C) with a corresponding peak time of 5.58 min; however there was no significant difference (p ≥ 0.05) in peak time (which is an indication of cooking time) between the cultivars studied. 

Key words: Plantain starch, cultivars, pasting properties, physic o-chemical properties.

Advances in Food Science and Technology Vol. 2 (10), pp. 271-275, October, 2014. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

The effects of ethanol plant extracts on food-borne pathogen bacteria

Dinesh Arjun, Rohit Kumar and Chaurasia Singh

Department of Foods and Nutrition, College of Home Science, Medical Council of India, New Delhi, India

Email:[email protected] 

Accepted 03 September, 2014

Abstract 

Plant extracts are an important part in agroecology, as they benefit environment in combating pathogenic organisms, without resorting to synthetic chemicals. The objective of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial activity of mixtures of ethanol extracts from semi-desert plants [creosote bush (Larrea tridentata), tarbush (Flourensia cernua) and paddle cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica)] against Enterobacter aerogenes, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi and Staphylococcus aureus. The maximum antimicrobial activity was achieved with the creosote bush–tarbush-paddle cactus mix (1:1:1) v/v, followed by paddle cactus-tarbush (1:1) v/v. E. coli was the bacterial strain that showed the highest growth inhibition as consequence of the concentration of plant extracts (4000 and 5000 ppm of tarbush). While with the creosote bush plant extracts, the highest inhibition halos were observed. Synergistic effects were observed when mixtures of ethanolic plant extract against food-borne pathogen bacteria were used, so this may be a better way to design alternative pathogen control methodologies for food-borne pathogen bacteria.

Key words: Larrea tridentate, Flourensia cernua, Opuntia ficus-indica, ethanolic plant extract mixtures, food-borne pathogen.

Key words: Traditional food, phytic acid, cancer.