Microbiological Changes of Extruded Snacks Made From Orange Fleshed Sweet Potato, Cassava, Plantain, Fortified With Moringa Oleifera Powder

Aim: The aim of the study was to assess the shelf life storage of these extruded-on interval of six months. The extruded snacks were developed using locally fabricated extruder from flour of different blend ratio of orange fleshed sweet potato, yellow root cassava, plantain fortified with moringa leaves powder. The microbial quality of extruded snacks was investigated in six months. Eight samples (with different blends) were analyzed for microbial counts and for organisms of public health importance. Introduction: Snacks or ready to eat foods (RTFs) sold on streets have been implicated in foodborne illnesses and its attendant economic loses Methodology: Pounds of unripe (green) plantain (Musa paradisiaca normalis) was purchased from a local market in Umuahia, Abia State. Yellow root cassava (Manihot Esculenta Cranz) tuber variety UMUCASS 45 and Orangefleshed sweet potatoes (OFSP) (Ipomoea batatas .L. Lam) was obtained from the experimental/ commercial farm of the National Root Crop Research Institute (NRCRI) Umudike. Moringa oleifera leaves was obtained from Micheal Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU) which was sprayed on a tray to dry under natural air (not sundrying). The dried moringa was milled into powder, sieved and packaged in polyethylene bag, sealed and store at room temperature (30±1 o C) until used. Yellow root cassava, Orange-fleshed sweet potato and Plantain were processed into flour. The flour were used to form a blend of eight sample (I= 65% YRC, 20% plantain, 10% OFSP, 5% moringa leaves powder. J = 70% YRC, 15% plantain, 10% OFSP, 5% moringa leaves powder, K= 75% YRC, 10% plantain, 10% OFSP, 5% moringa leaves powder, L= 80% YRC, 10% plantain, 5% OFSP, 5% moringa leaves powder, M= 85% YRC, 5% plantain, 5% OFSP, 5% moringa leaves powder, N= 95% YRC, 5% moringa leaves powder, O= 95% plantain, 5% moringa leaves powder, P= 95% OFSP, 5% moringa leaves powder. The samples were later processed into snacks.The microbial quality of extruded snackswas investigated in six months. Result: The total heterotrophic bacterial load among the samples after two months of storage were 5.53log10cfu/g (3.4x10 5 cfu/g); 5.41log10cfu/g (2.6x10 5 cfu/g) 5.59log10cfu/g (3.9x10 5 cfu/g), and 5.Yeast and mould count of the extruded and baked samples obtained in the J category ranged from 2.0x10 3 cfu/g to 1.2x10 4 cfu/g during the six months storage period; while the count recorded for samples K and M ranged between 2.0x10 3 cfu/g to 7.0x10 3 cfu/g and 2.0x10 3 cfu/g to 2.1x10 4 cfu/g respectively during the same period. Generally as expected there was an increase in total heterotrophic bacteria load of all samples with storage time. Moringa leaf aqueous extracts are good prospects for food application because they can preserve food by controlling a wide range of pathogenic microorganisms, such as bacteria and fungi, thereby increasing their shelf life. Key word: baked extruded snacks, moringa leaf, plantain, cassava, microbial load Received 29 August, 2020; Accepted 14 September, 2020 © The author(s) 2020. Published with open access at www.questjournals. org Microbiological Changes of Extruded Snacks Made From Orange Fleshed Sweet Potato, . Corresponding Author: Uzoaga. L. N 23 | Page