Microbiological Evaluation of Milk Beverages Produced From African Breadfruit, Tigernut, Coconut and Date Fruit

ABSTRACT

This study was carried out to extract milk from African breadfruit, tigernut, coconut and date fruit and to observe the changes in the microbial load of milk during storage. The formulated plant milk beverages were compared to conventional plant milk beverage “Vita milk” which served as the control sample. Microbial counts, characterization and identification were carried out on the beverage samples every 7 days for up to 35 days. The total viable count of the toasted breadfruit-based samples ranged from 3.7 × 102 cfu/ml to 5.1 × 102cfu/ml and the values were lower than those recorded from the cooked breadfruit-based samples which ranged from 3.95 ×102 cfu/ml to 6.10 × 102 cfu/ml. There were no presence of coliform bacteria in the formulated beverage samples and the reference sample from 1 to 21 days of storage. After these periods, coliform bacteria were recorded in 3 samples of the formulated plant milk and in all the formulated beverage samples after 35 days of storage. The percentage occurrence of Staphylococcus species according to the result was low on the 1st day of storage (18.2%), but increases with storage period up to 28.7% after 35 days of storage. The percentage occurrence of Aspergillus species which is another organism of public health concern as recorded from the beverage samples throughout the period of storage were low and below the specified tolerable set by Codex Alimentarius which is < 50ug/ml. The overall microbial qualities of the formulated beverage were safe and stable for the 1st 21 days of storage and up until 28 days for the control sample. The study revealed that milk beverages formulated from these plants gave products that are comparable to the conventional soy bean based vitamilk. The microbiological stability of the formulated plant milk samples were relatively less compared to the vitamilk.