Evaluation of the Nutritional and Microbiological Quality of Kunun(A Cereal Based Non-Alcoholic Beverage) in Rivers State, Nigeria

摘要

Evaluation of the nutritional and microbiological quality of laboratory processed and hawked kunun drinks (A Cereal Based Non-Alcoholic Beverage) in different locations of Port Harcourt Metropolis; south-south Nigeria was investigated. Chemical analysis showed that the crude protein content of the hawked kunun drinks was higher (0.67±0.01-1.98±0.01%) than that of the laboratory processed kunun samples (0.48±0.02-0.80±0.00%), while the total solids were highest in the laboratory processed samples than the hawked Kunun drinks. However, there were no significant differences between the PH and carbohydrate contents of the hawked kunun drinks and that of the laboratory processed kunun samples. Microbial analysis showed high mean total viable and coliform counts in the hawked drinks while the laboratory processed kunun drinks harbored no coliform bacteria. The microbes found associated with the hawked drinks are Bacillus sutilis, B. cereus, Streptococus feaceaum, Staphylococcus epidermis, Micrococcus acidiophilis, Escherichia coli, while Streptococus feaceaum Bacillus subtilis and Micrococcus acidiophilis were found in the laboratory prepared kunun samples Introduction Food is any substance, usually composed of carbohydrates, fats, proteins and water, which can be eaten or drunk by animals including humans for nutrition or pleasure. Items considered food may be sought from plants, animals or other categories such as fungus and fermented products (Jango-cohen, 2005). In many developing Countries like Nigeria, people depend mostly on indigenous technology for food preparations especially food of plant origin. Some of these foods that originates from plant includes on alcoholic beverages made mostly from cereal grains. In addition to filling a basic human need, beverages form part of the culture of human society (Larry).Kunun is a traditional non-alcoholic fermented beverage widely consumed in the Northern parts of Nigeria especially during the dry season (Adeyemi and Umar, 1994). Kunun is cheap and the cereals used in its preparation are widely grown throughout the savannah region of Nigeria such as Bauchi, Kano, Sokoto and Katsina States (Agoa, 1987). Kunun is consumed anytime of the day by both adult and children as breakfast drink or food complement, It is usually used as appetizer to entertain visitors in rural and urban centers and is commonly served at social gatherings Onuorah et al. (1987; Amusa and. Odunbaku, 2009). Although there are various types of Kunun processed and consumed in Nigeria including Kunun zaki, Kunun gyada, Kunun akamu, Kunun tsamiya, Kunun baule, Kunun jiko, Amshau and Kunun gayamba. However, kunun zaki is the most commonly consumed.Kunun processing is mostly done by women using simple household equipment and utensil. Depending on cereal availability, Sorghum, Maize, millet, Gunea corn or rice are commonly used for kunun preparation. According to Odunfa and Adeyeye (1985) the traditional processing of Kunu involves the steeping of grains, wet milling with spices (ginger, cloves pepper), wet sieving and partial gelatinization of the slurry, followedby the addition of sugar and bottling. The processed Kunun is usually packed for sale either in plastic bottles or in large containers and distributed under ambient temperature or cooled in a refrigerator where available. Kunun-zaki processed from sorghum grains contains 11.6% protein, 3.3% fat, 1.9% ash and 76.8% carbohydrate and arrays of amino acid (Lichtenwalner et al., 1979).However, this nonalcoholic beverage is however becoming more widely accepted in several other parts of Nigeria, including Port Harcourt metropolis, owing to its refreshing qualities.The preparation of this beverage has become technology in many homes in the rural communities and more recently in the urban areas where commercial production due to support from the government through the poverty alleviation scheme, has helped to alleviate poverty among the people.In developing nations like N