MICROBIAL EVALUATION OF FRESH COW MILK ICE CREAM SWEETENED WITH DATE PALM FRUITS (Phoenix dactylifera) OR TIGER-NUT (Cyperus esculentus)

Abstract

The current study was conducted to evaluate the microbial quality of fresh cow milk ice cream sweetened with date palm fruit syrup or tiger-nut extract. The experiment was laid in completely randomized design (CRD) with four treatments at 5% v/v of sugar, date palm fruits syrup and tigernuts extract. Microbiological study revealed that, Aerobic Plate Count (APC, CFU/ml) was highest in negative control sample and lowest in ice cream samples sweetened with date palm fruit syrup while Total Staphylococcus Count (TSC, CFU/ml) was recorded highest in tiger nut sweetened ice cream samples and lowest in ice cream samples sweetened with date palm fruit syrup. It is concluded that date palm fruit syrup or tiger-nut extract can be used as natural sweetener and flavouring agent in ice cream production with high nutritional value. Therefore, it is recommended that further study should be conducted to determine the effect of using these natural sweeteners at varying levels of concentration in ice cream processing.