ABSTRACT

 Cocoa pulp juice was filtered using different filter aids (muslin, filter paper, membrane filters • 0.45pm and 0.2im). The proximate composition, mineral composition, vitamins, microbial and physiochemical properties were determined. Results revealed that filtration increased the moisture content of the sample from 65.3% for the control to 74.3% for the sample filtered with 0.45i.im.There were significant differences (P< 0.01) among the samples in the ash, crude protein, crude fat, and carbohydrate contents. The initial pH of all the samples was 3.6. There were significant differences (P< 0.01) in the titratabie acidity of the samples. The results of the analyses showed that the calcium contents decreased from (165.2mg/l) for the control to (103.1mg/i) for the sample filtered with 0.2tm filter membrane. The zinc and iron contents of the filtered samples were not detected when 0.2 .tm filter membrane was used, but the zinc and iron contents of the control which is the unfiltered cocoa pulp juice was 0.061mg/i and 0.010mg/i respectively. The vitamin contents increased from 23.76mg/I for the control to 26.4mg/l for the sample filtered with filter paper. There was a significant difference (P< 0.01) A between the samples in the vitamin A and vitamin B contents. The total solid decreased from 20.7brix for the control to 2.07brix for sample filtered with 0.2im filter membrane. The microbial analyses result indicated that the bacterial load decreased from 7.38X lO7cfu/ml for the control to 0.00 cuf'ml for the sample filtered with 0.2gm filter membrane. The fungi load reduced from 6.3 x 104cfu/mi for cocoa pulp juice filtered with muslin cloth, to 0.00 cfti/ml for sample filtered with 0. 2m filter membrane. Generally considering the filtration of cocoa pulp juice, membrane filters 0.45 jim and 0.2j.tm significantly reduced the microbial load of the juice.