Effects of Packaging Materials, Pickling Agents and Spices on the Microbial Counts of Pickled Okra
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Date
2016
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Faculty Physical Sciences and Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Ilorin, Nigeria.
Abstract
Okra samples classified as variety 47-4 according to National Horticultural Research Institute
(NIHORT), Ibadan, Nigeria were separately pickled in olive oil, groundnut oil and vinegar (5%
acetic acid) spiced with ginger, garlic and mixture of ginger and garlic preserved in stainless
steel, glass and plastic jars (12 jars each) for 7days at room temperature. For the purpose of
comparison, the spices were controlled for using a parallel experiment with no spices added to
the pickled okra. The storage environment temperature and relative humidity ranges from 260
C
to 290
C and 66% to 78% respectively. Various microbial growth or count (bacteria and fungi)
such as Total Viable Count, Coliform Count, Fecal Coliform Count and Fungal Count of each
treatment combination (packaging materials, the pickling agents and spices) were observed at the
end of the experiment and the result was evaluated using ANOVA at p ≤ 0.05. From the results
of the research, vinegar in glass jars shows an absent of some microorganisms as well as the least
microbial counts (1.0 × 105 cfu/ml) irrespective of the spice used. Mixture of spices in any
pickling agents irrespective of the packaging materials shows great increase in microbial load
beyond value gotten when individual spices were used. In general, highest microbial load were
observed in okra pickled with olive oil, spiced with ginger and preserved in stainless steel jar
while okra pickled in vinegar shows comparatively very low microbial count. Generally, the
TVC ranges within 8.6 × 105 to 1.0 × 105 cfu/ml, CC range from 6.9 × 105 to 0.00 cfu/ml, FCC
ranges from 3.7 × 105 to 0.00 cfu/ml while FC ranges from 3.2 × 103 to 1.0 × 103 cfu/ml.
Description
Keywords
Pickling, microbial, coliform count, fungal count, microorganisms