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