EVALUATION OF POTENTIALS OF ALLIGATOR PEPPER AS NATURAL PRESERVATIVE ON THE MICROBIOLOGICAL QUALITY AND SHELF LIFE ON TIGER NUT (Cyperus esculentus) MILK

Abstract

The potentials of Alligator as natural preservative were evaluated on the microbiological quality and shelf life on tiger nut milk. The aqueous extract of tiger nut milk (Cyperus esculetus) was treated with Hydro-methanolic extract of Alligator pepper. Pasteurizes at 75°C for 20 minutes and stored at ambient temperature (28°C) for 14 days followed which was investigated by determining pH, total microbial counts and determination of percentage occurrences of microorganisms. Bacterial counts was at the range of 1.54±0.07^b to 1.72±0.07^a log₁₀cfu/ml of the samples preserved using Alligator pepper extract; the fungal counts recorded the range of 1.56±0.02^a to 1.83±0.05 log₁₀cfu/ml while the control tiger nut milk ranges from 2.31+0.01^a to 2.55+0.03 log₁₀cfu/ml respectively. The tiger nut milk was acidic with a range of 3.00+0.2^a to 3.36 ±0.5^a pH value. At Week 0 the samples containing preservative recorded a low microbial count. There was drastic reduction in microbial load as the effects of the preservative became evident at Week 1 and Week 2. Moreover, the antimicrobial activities of the preservative revealed that samples at concentrations 300mg/ml were most effective against microbes than the 200mg/ml and 100mg/ml. This shows that the active ingredients in the preservative exhibited more potential at higher concentration than at lower concentration. Samples without preservatives recorded high microbial counts throughout the storage period. Five bacterial species, namely Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus sp. Bacillus sp. Psuedomonas sp and Escherichia coli were isolated. While five fungal species, of Saccharomyces, Rhizopus sp, Aspergilus niger, Aspergillus flavus and Penicillum sp were also isolated. Staphylococcus aureus and Saccharomyces remained the predominant organisms throughout the storage. The role played by the organisms on microbiological quality of tiger nut milk likewise the potentials exhibited by the preservative on the organisms had been discussed. Conclusively, the use of Alligator pepper as natural preservative should be encourage because the study has shown its potentials on the shelf-life and quality on tiger nut milk. More so, the preservative is relatively cheap, accessible and available, its nutritional and medicinal values are generally acceptable by communities and void of unwanted side effects.