Effect of ginger on the quality attributes of pineapple juice during storage

Abstract

Homemade pineapple juice usually prepared without pasteurization and stored at room temperature could significantly influence the quality of the juice. This study aimed at assessing the effect of ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.) on bacteriological, physicochemical and nutritional quality of pasteurized and unpasteurized pineapple juice during storage at ambient temperature (28±2 oC) for 7 days. Unpasteurized; pineapple juice + 10 ml ginger; pineapple juice + 20 ml ginger; pineapple juice + 10 ml ginger; pineapple juice (control) were evaluated. The results obtained showed that total heterotrophic bacterial count, pH, titratable acidity and total soluble solids of the samples treated with ginger were within the range of 2.23-4.60 log₁₀CFU/mL, 4.0-4.9, 0.51-1.86 g/l and 6.9-13.4 % while the corresponding values for the control was 2.0-4.14 log₁₀CFU/mL, 3.5-4.8, 0.63-1.5 g/l, and 9.1-13.2 %, respectively. All the pineapple juice preparations met the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) requirements. The sample that had the highest vitamin C and ash content was unpasteurized pineapple juice mixed with 30 mL of ginger (7.46 mg/10 mL) and the control which was pasteurized (4.3 %) respectively. Based on the results obtained from this study, pasteurization of pineapple juice as well as addition of ginger to the juice are recommended for the production of a safe product for human consumption