Preservative Effects of Different Treatments and Their Flavor Acceptability in Cashew Apple and Pineapple Blend Juice
Abstract
The aim of this study is to evaluate the stability of a cashew apple and pineapple blend juice (25:75 v / v). Various treatments were applied, including pasteurization (92 C, 15 min), aqueous extract of ginger (2.5 and 10%) and potassium sorbate (1g/kg). T he physicochemical results revealed that the addition of the aqueous extract of ginger caused an increase in the content of ascorbic acid, total sugars, proteins and minerals such as magnesium, potassium, phosphorus and zinc. The microbiological analysis showed lower microbial counts of the treated samples compared to the control. The different treatments could have an antimicrobial effect. The sensory analysis reveals a general acceptability for all the samples formulated. This acceptability value is higher for the sample supplemented with 10% aqueous extract of ginger. With a view to preservation without chemical preservatives while improving nutrient content, the 10% aqueous ginger extract could help extend the shelf life of fruit juice drinks.
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Introduction
Ivory Coast is the leading producer of cashew nuts since 2015 with a production of 725 000 tons (CCA, 2016). Cashew apple, a pseudo fruit of the cashew tree, is rich in vitamins C, polyphenols (Michodjehoun-Mestres etal., 2009) and also contains a significant amount of carotenoids (Assunção and Mercadante 2003, Abreu 2012). However, almost all cashew apples are lost at harvesting sites because of their astringency and certain taboos (Soro etal., 2008). To remedy this, a drink formulation containing cashew apple and pineapple juice was produced. Pineapple (Ananas comosus) is a non-astringent, less acidic fruit that is mature and consumed much in the world. Moreover, in the fresh state, it contains several enzymes including bromelain which facilitates the digestion and assimilation of proteins, by fractionating the amino acid chains (Sekhar etal., 2013). Thus, the mixture of the two fruit juices can result in a product enriched with vitamins, minerals and good sensory characteristics when compared to the starting raw materials (Akinwale 2000, Rodrigo etal 2003, Jain and Khurdiya 2004). Like all fruit juices, this drink must retain its organoleptic and microbiological qualities over time. In deed, one of the difficulties for the large-scale production of fruit juices is their stability. The same is true for unstabilized cashew apple juice, which has a very short shelf life because yeast attacks the juice and fermentation even at refrigeration temperature.
There is a need to explore several methods of stabilization to extend the shelf life of juices. Thus, the use of certain chemical preservatives such as sorbate and benzoate improves the shelf life of beverages (Dougheri etal., 2007, Nwachukwu and Ezeigbo, 2013). However, the use of chemical preservatives in nutrition tends to have detrimental effects on consumer health (Adesokan etal., 2010). Also, the current trend is towards biological preservatives (aliu etal., 2007). Among these biological preservatives, ginger (zingiber officinale) is traditionally used as a spice in preparations (Kolapo etal., 2007) for its antioxidant and antimicrobial activity. According to Smith-Palmer etal. (1998), ginger has a bactericidal effect against E. coli and Streptococcus.
The objective of this study is to assess the preservative effects of different treatments and their flavor acceptability in cashew apple and pineapple blend juice.
Conclusion
The results obtained in this study clearly indicate the potential of ginger to extend the shelf life of a cashew apple and pineapple blend beverage. Supplementation with 10% aqueous ginger extract could be a good preservative of fruit juice and beverage thanks to a better antimicrobial effect compared to the 2.5% aqueous extract. In addition, ginger could be used to boost the nutritional quality of tropical fruits drinks while increasing their shelf life. In addition to having satisfactory biochemical properties, ginger has organoleptic qualities popularly accepted. However, the practice of good hygiene during the preparation of beverages and fruit juices should be adopted to avoid significant microbial contamination.
