– Microbial Diversity Of Microoragnism Associated With Agarati –
Download Microbial Diversity Of Microoragnism Associated With Agarati project materials: This project material is ready for students who are in need of it to aid their research.
ABSTRACT
The analysis was carried out to determine the microbial load on African oil bean. The Total Heterophilic Bacteria Count recorded ranges from 1.2 X 1010 – 2.8 X 1010 Cfu/g and the Total Coliform count ranges from 7.8 X 109 – 9.8 X 109Cfu/g and the Total Fungi Count obtained ranges from 1.6 X 1010 – 1.7 X 1010 Cfu/g.
Five genera of bacteria were isolated which are salmonella, Staphylococcus, Escherichia coli, Bacillus, and Klebisiella. Fungal isolates were Rhizopus spp., Aspergillus spp., mucor spp., and Penicillium spp.
The presence of microorganism in food can be during food processing and handling. The high coliform counts are an indication of poor sanitary practices in production of these samples.
INTRODUCTION
Agbarati also known as “Usu” is an indigenous meat analogue produced mainly in the rural areas of South Eastern Nigeria. It is generally understood as melon cake. Melon cakes are sometimes mixed with cooked sliced fermented oil bean fruit called “Ugba” in Ibo and cooked with stockfish (Nwokoma, 2008).
This local delicacy is a steamed product obtained after blending uniformly melon seeds (Colocynthis citrullus) and “Erousu” (Sclerotus tuber-regium) with the addition of other ingredients (Pepper, Onions, Salt, Warm water and Seasoning).
It is eaten as a snack and is often added to vegetable soups as a meat substitute. In some rural parts of Nigeria, melon seed meal is compacted into patties that serve as a meat substitute (Ogunsua, 2000).
In Imo State, it is called “Agbarati”, in Umuahia “Ngbam”, in Onitsha, “Agbaghelu atui” and understood in the Ibo tribe as “Akpuruakpu Egusi”. Melon seeds are pounded and used in the preparation of popular steamed snack known as “Agbaghelu atui” (Onitsha) (Nwokoma, 2008).
They are molded into balls of various shapes (round, flattened or cylindrical) with the colour of its balls ranging from dark brown to light grey. Health wise, the meat analogue is important to the diet because they provide the body with proteins, fiber and other essential micronutrients (Decker, 2004).
David and Aderibigbe (2010) stated that its composition shows: Moisture content of 40%, Ash content of 14%, Crude fiber of 2.40%, 20% fat, 10.50% protein and Carbohydrate of 10.60 %. It has a shelf life of 24hours at ambient temperature (Akobundu et al., 1982; Nwakaudu, 2010).
REFERENCES
Achi, O.K. (2005) The Potentials for upgrading traditional fermented foods through biotechnology. Afr. J of Biotechnol. 4(5): 315-380.
Adegoke, G.O. and Ndife, J. (1993) Effect of sample pretreatmentson the storability of ground melon egusi. (Colocynthis citrullus L). In: Plant foods for Human Nutrition. 43 (1): 77 -85.
Agahiu, A. E.; Udensi U.E.; Tarawali G.; Okoye B.C.; Ogbuji R.O.; Baiyeri K.P. (2011). “Assessment of weed management strategies and intercrop combinations on cassava yield in the middle belt of Nigeria”. African Journal of Agricultural Research. 6 (26): 5729–5735.
Althawadi, A. M.; Grace J. (1986). “Water-use by the desert cucurbit Citrullus-colocynthis (L) Schrad”. Oecologia. 70 (3): 475–480.
Amoo, J.A., Eleyinmi, A.F. Ilaboye, N.A.O. and Akoja, S.S. (2004) Characteristics of oil extract from gourd (Cucurbita Maxima) Seed. Food, Agriculture and Environment Pp 2, 38-39.
Akobundu, E.N.T., Cherry, J.P. and Simmons, J.G. (1982) Chemical Functional and Nutritional Properties of Egusi (Colocynthis citrullus L.) Seed Products. Journal of Food Science 47:829-835.
David, O.M. and Aderibigbe, E.Y. (2010) Microbiology and Proximate Composition of Ogiri; a pastry produced from different melon seeds. New York Science Journal, 3(4), pp. 18-27.
Davis & Company Parke (1909). Manual of therapeutics. Parke, Davis & Co. pp. 262–266.
Decker, K. J. (2004). Meat Analogue enters the digital age. Food Product Design: Design Elements. http.//www.foodproductdesign.com
Duel, H.J. (1951). The Lipids: Their Chemistry and Biochemistry vol. 1, New York, International Science Publishers, Pp. 53-57.
Eidi S, Azadi HG, Rahbar N, Mehmannavaz HR (2015). “Evaluation of antifungal activity of hydroalcoholic extracts of Citrullus colocynthis fruit”. Journal of Herbal Medicine. 5 (1): 36–40.
Enwere, N.J. (1998) Foods of Plant Origin. Afro-Orbis Publishers,Nsukka, Nigeria.
Be the first to comment