Production And Perseveration Of Mixed Fruit Juice:- Ogbonna, Nneoma C

ABSTRACT

 Production and preservation of mixed fruit juice were investigated. Mixed fruit juice locally produced from Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) and Pawpaw (Carica papaya L) were treated with preservatives (sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, lactic acid and acetic acid). Preservatives were used singly at 0.1% and in combinations at 0.05% concentrations. Total bacterial, fungal and lactic acid bacterial counts ofthe juice were determined during the period of monitoring. Pour plate method was used for the enumeration of the microorganisms in the appropriate media. Proximate and chemical parameters of the juice were determined using standard methods before and after the addition of preservatives. The bacterial count for the untreated juice had a range of values from 3.0* 104 (cfu/ml) to 3.0x 105 (cfu/ml) while the juice with 0.1 % acetic acid had bacterial count (8.0x 103 to 2.5x 105 (cfu/ml). The juice with 0.05% (w/v) sodium benzoate and 0.05% acetic acid had lower bacterial counts .The fungal counts at 0.1% concentration oftreatments ranged from 1.2xl04 to 2.2x 105 (cfu/ml) . The fungal count was 3.5xl04 to 1.3xl05 in the juice with 0.1% (w/v) sodium benzoate. The chemical parameters of each ofthe fruitjuice before mixing showed that the total soluble solids, pH, carbohydrate and sugar contents of the pawpaw juice (9.15% ,5.80, 16.17% and 13.41%) respectively were higher than that of the watermelon juice (7.17% , 5.35, 07.49% and 10.41%).Different values of chemical parameters ofthe mixed fruit juice were obtained ,pH and titratable acidity values ranged from 3.01 to 4.55 and 0.07 to 1.72 respectively at 0.1% concentration of treatments during the storage period. This study revealed that acetic acid had more effect on the bacterial load while the fungal load was least in the juice with sodium benzoate. Therefore treatment of watermelon and pawpaw mixed fruit juice with acetic acid and sodium benzoate may help to extend the shelflife ofthe juice.