Microbiological Quality of Raw, Boiled and Fermented Breadnut Seed (Artocarpus camansi) -Used as Condiment

Aims: The aim of the study was to investigate the microbial safety and quality assessment of processing breadnut (Artocarpus camansi) into boiled and fermented product for 72 hours at room temperature (30°C±2°C) as condiment.

Methodology: The raw seed was boiled with 0.07% salt as the boiled sample and fermented breadnut seeds were washed, boiled (2hrs), dehulled and wrapped in blanched plantain leaf. It was later boiled again for 2 hours, drained, cooled and allowed to ferment naturally for 72hrs while the raw sample serve as the control. The microbiological quality of the three samples was determined. Isolates were further characterized and identified base on cultural and biochemical characteristics.

Results: The mean total viable bacterial count of raw, boiled and fermented sample decreased from 4.22±0.31 to 1.04±0.16log10cfu/g. Staphylococcus count range from 3.21±0.13 to 1.04±0.07 log10cfu/g. Coliform count range from 2.31±0.43 to 1.13±1.06 log10cfu/g. Fungi count range from 2.24±0.07 to 1.02±0.16 log10cfu/g, respectively while there was no growth of Salmonella in the samples. There were significant differences in all the attribute rated for the three samples at ( ). Bacteria isolates were identified as Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus laterosporus, Bacillus coagulans, Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus pumilus, Micrococcus luteus, Micrococcus varians, Corynebacterium sp, Enterobacter cloacae, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus sp. Fungi isolates were identified as Rhizopus nigricans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The predominant microbes in the samples are Bacillus subtilis and Saccharomyces cerevisiae which are beneficial microbes. The coliform, Micrococcus and Staphylococcus present in the 0 and 24hrs fermented seeds were completely eliminated in the 72 hrs fermented sample.

Conclusion: This research has proven that fermented breadnut seed can be used as condiment in soup because it consist of beneficial microorganisms which increases the nutritional value of food and helps to reduce food-borne diseases microbes that can be hazardous to health.