Effects Of Packaging Materials On The Microbiological And Sensory Characteristics Of Moin-Moin Produced From Blends Of Cowpea ( Vigna Unguiculata) - African Breadfruit (Treculia Africana)

ABSTRACT

Using a completely randomized block design, the progression of effects of packaging materials on the microbiological and sensory characteristics of moin-moinproduced from blends of cowpea(/Vigna unguiculata)-African breadfruit (Treculia Africana)was evaluated with a view of creating awareness and interest in this prestige food. Moin-moin samples were prepared from a cowpea and African breadfruit pastes at a substitution levels of 100% ( cowpea), 70:30, 30:70 (Cowpea :African bread fruit) and vice versa using similar level· of ingredients treatment. Nine (9) moin-moin samples of different substitution levels were packaged in Aluminum foil, Polyethylene bag and local plant leaves (Thaumatococcus danielli), which served as the control. The cooked moin-moin samples were subjected to both Microbiological analysis and sensory evaluation and result showed that all the moin-moin samples packaged in polyethylene bag were significantly at (P>0.05) more acceptable in terms of both microbial and sensory characteristics . The isolated organisms from the moin-moin samples were Bacillus spp and Botrytis spp; at 0-3 days and the samples that were most susceptible to microbial attack and spoilage which showed the high microbial loads were cowpea-African breadfruit moin-moin samples packaged with local plant leavesfollowed by those packaged in aluminium foil, while samples moin-moin packaged in polyethylene bags had the least count