Evaluation Of Extraction Methods And Storage Temperatures On The Quality Characteristics Of Juices From Different Pineaple Cultivars.

ABSTRACT

Production of juices from two cultivars of pineapple (Ananas comosus Merril) using two extraction methods (mechanical and manual) were investigated. Chemical (Total titratable acidity (%TTA), Total soluble sugar (TSS) and pH) and microbial characteristics of the juices stored at ambient and refrigeration temperatures for 4 days were also assessed. The results showed that % hA and microbial load increased with storage while TSS and pH decreased. This was attributed to microbial fermentation of sugar in the juices. Comparingly, 4 however the smooth cayenne pineapple juice extracted mechanically and stored at both ambient and refrigeration temperature. (27°C and 14°C respectively) gave a lower microbial count (1.4 x iO4Cfu/ml) than the queen cultivar subjected to the same treatment. The micro-organisms isolated were bacteria such as Bacillus spp, Lactobacillus spp and fungi such as Penicillum spp, Rhizopus spp and Saccharomyces spp. The result indicated that smooth cayenne pineapple produced juice which has a higher shelf life than the queen cultivar because of its low pH, slightly higher acidity and lower total soluble sugars. Microorganism were not able to spoil the juice rapidly as they did to queen pineapple juice.