Evaluation of Food Safety and Nutritional Quality of Indigenous Beverages Vended in Informal Market of Nasarawa State, North Central, Nigeria.

Authors : Ikechukwu Nwiyi, Jasper Okoro Godwin Elechi

Pages : 100-112

View : 16 | Download : 9

Publication Date : 2022-12-31

Article Type : Research

Abstract :Food security encompasses increased production, supply and consumption of wholesome food, but poor food quality and safety jeopardizes the entire production, distribution and ultimately consumption. Expanding the food chain to accommodate indigenous species is an important way to enhance overall human health and wellbeing, and improve food security as they form an important part of people’s food intake all over local communities in developing Nations. However, due to poor food safety knowledge and practices, poverty and illiteracy among producers and vendors of indigenous foods, various unsafe and hazardous food safety practices abound that compromise the nutritional quality of the beverages and pose threat to public health, so their safety and quality requires routine scrutiny. This study was carried out to evaluate the Food Safety and Nutritional Quality of Indigenous Beverages Vended in Informal Market of Nasarawa State, North Central, Nigeria. Fifty-five (55) samples of Kunu Zaki, Zobo, Fura de Nono, Kunu Aya, Kunu Gyada were obtained from street hawkers randomly from various open markets within the metropolis. The beverages were analysed for proximate, physiochemical, micronutrient (Ca, Fe, Zn, Ca and Mg) and microbial isolates using standard methods. The proximate quality of the beverages samples were in the range of proteins (2.10 to 7.31%), ash (0.83 to 1.99%), carbohydrate (3.55 to 23.28%), moisture (66.13 to 85.38%), fat (0.90 to 7.77%). and crude fibre (0.15 to 2.15%). The physiochemical quality of the beverages was PH (4.22% to 5.53%), Titrable Acidity (0.025 to 5.85), Total soluble solid (0.485 to 10.36%), Total Solid (8.85 to 20.58%). The micronutrient result show Ca (3.37 to 46.57mg/ml), Fe (0.47 to 45.67 mg/ml), Zn (0.35 to 34.87), Mg (1.84 to 23.34mg/ml). The microbial isolates include bacterial Bacillus, Enterobacter, Lactobacillus, Micrococus, Salmonella, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Escherichia, Klebsiella, Lactobacillus and Pseudomonas. The microbial safeties of most of the beverages were not more than the recommended standard.
Keywords : Food safety, Nutritional Quality, Indigenous Beverages, Informal Market, Food borne disease, Artisanal Beverages, Nigeria