Effect Of Food Spices On The Microbiology And Nutritional Status Of Palm Wine

ABSTRACT

 Effect of food spices on the microbiological and nutritional status of palm wine was assessed in this study. Five spices were used which includes ginger, garlic, alligator pepper, negro pepper and guinea pepper. Eight micro-organisms were obtained and they consist of six probable bacteria Genra which included Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli, Micrococcus sp, Lactobacillus sp, Bacillus sp and Streptococcus sp. Two other yeasts, namely Saccharomyceres and Candida were also isolated.  From this study it was also observed that the microbial isolates decreased as fermentation progresses both in the control and treated palm wine. Only Bacillus sp,  Lactobacillus sp and saccharomyces sp survived in the palm wine after fourteen days of fermentation out of the eight microbes present at day zero. The physico-chemical quality that may affect the microbial succession in palm wine as fermentation progresses is the temperature, pH, acidity, high sugar concentration, alcoholic content and water quality. After 14 days of fermentation, the sugar content of the palm wine treated with ginger was 0.310 g/ml, but after 14 days of fermentation, the sugar content of the palm wine treated with other spices dropped to 0.00 g/ml. The initial microbial load of ginger was 2.27 x 106 cfu/ml (day zero), but the count progressively decreased as fermentation progressed  on to 14th day to a count of 0.02 x 106 cfu/ml. This implies that treating palm wine with ginger can extend the shelf-life of the nutritional quality (sugar content) more than other spices used in the study.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Cover Page ﾿

Title Page ﾿ i

Certification ﾿ ii

Dedication ﾿ iii

Acknowledgements ﾿ iv

Table of Contents ﾿ v

List of Table ﾿ ix

List of Figures ﾿ x

Abstract ﾿ xi

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ﾿ 1

1.1   Aim and Objectives ﾿ 2

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW ﾿ 3

2.1 Palm Wine ﾿ 3

2.1.1 Location of production ﾿ 5

2.1.2 Processing ﾿ 6

2.2 Origin And Taxonomy Of Raphia Palm ﾿ 6

2.3 Palm Sap/Wine ﾿ 7

2.3.1 Nutrient composition ﾿ 9

2.3.2 Health implication ﾿ 9

2.4 Microbiology Of Palm Wine ﾿ 10

2.4.1 Yeast ﾿ 12

2.4.2 Bacteria ﾿ 13

2.5 Antimicrobial Property Of Palm Wine ﾿ 13

2.6 Economic Importance Of Palm Wine ﾿ 14

2.7 Ginger  ( Zingiber Officinale) ﾿ 15

2.7.1 Chemical Structure of Active Constituents ﾿ 15

2.7.2 Mechanism of Action of Ginger in Diseases Management ﾿ 16

2.7.3 Pharmacology ﾿ 17

2.7.4 Antioxidant activity ﾿ 18

2.7.5 Anti-Inflammatory Activity ﾿ 19

2.7.6 Anti-tumour activity ﾿ 20

2.7.7 Anti-microbial activity ﾿ 22

2.7.8 Anti-diabetic activity ﾿ 23

2.7.9 Neuroprotective effect ﾿ 23

2.7.10 Gastroprotective effect ﾿ 23

2.7.11 Hepato-protective effect ﾿ 24

2.7.12 Uses and Effectiveness ﾿ 25

2.7.13 Motion sickness ﾿ 26

2.7.14 Nausea and vomiting ﾿ 26

2.7.15 Arthritis ﾿ 26

2.7.16 Vascular conditions ﾿ 27

2.7.17 Dosage ﾿ 27

2.8 Alligator Pepper (Aframomum Melegueta) ﾿ 28

2.8.1 Economic Importance of Alligator Pepper ﾿ 28

2.9 Garlic (Allium Sativum) ﾿ 29

2.9.1 Economic Importance of Garlic ﾿ 29

2.10  Negro Pepper (Xylopia Aethiopica) ﾿ 31

2.10.1 Economic Importance of Negro Pepper ﾿ 31

2.11 Guinea Pepper ﾿ 32

2.11.1 Economic importance of guinea pepper ﾿ 33

CHAPTER THREE: MATERIALS AND METHOD ﾿ 34

3.1 Source of Material ﾿ 34

3.2 Sampling and Sample Preparation ﾿ 34

3.2.1 Medium Preparation ﾿ 34

3.2.2 Preparation of Samples (Treatment) ﾿ 35

3.3 Analysis of palmwine ﾿ 35

3.3.1 Determination of pH ﾿ 35

3.3.2 Determination of Total Titrate Acidity ﾿ 35

3.3.3 Determination of Microbial Load ﾿ 36

3.3.3.1 Cultural Examination ﾿ 37

3.3.3.2 Microscopic Examination ﾿ 37

3.3.3.3 Gram Stain ﾿ 37

3.3.3.4 Lactophenol Cotton Blue Stain ﾿ 38

3.3.4 Biochemical Tests ﾿ 38

3.3.4.1 Catalase Production Test ﾿ 38

3.3.4.2 Oxidase Test ﾿ 38

3.3.4.3 Coagulase Test ﾿ 39

3.3.4.4 Citrate Test ﾿ 39

3.3.4.5 Methyl Red Test ﾿ 39

3.3.4.6 Voges-Proskaurer Test ﾿ 40

3.3.4.7 carbohydrate Utilization Test ﾿ 40

3.3.5 Determination of Sugar Content ﾿ 41

CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS ﾿ 42

4.1 Results ﾿ 42

CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION ﾿ 50

5.1 Discussion ﾿ 50

5.2 Conclusion ﾿ 52

References ﾿ 54

Appendix