Antioxidant, Total Lycopene, Ascorbic Acid and Microbial Load Estimation in Powdered Tomato Varieties Sold in Dutsin-Ma Market

Orinya Sandra  Otokpa; Godwin Ojochogu  Adejo; Francis Akumabi  Agbali

doi:10.4236/oalib.1101768

Godwin Ojochogu Adejo¹^*, Francis Akumabi Agbali², Orinya Sandra Otokpa¹

Abstract: Tomato varieties sold in Dutsin-Ma market namely, UTC, Rukuta and Dan-Aka were subjected to drying in a laboratory oven, solar drier and under direct sunlight then, powdered. The antioxidant and total lycopene contents were examined and found to be unaffected by the three drying procedures, with values ranging between 68.46% ± 0.90% to 80.77% ± 1.11% and 123.63 to 161.98 mg/kg, respectively. The ascorbic acid was also tested and values were significantly lower in all the samples subjected to sun-drying with values ranging from 17.78 ± 1.78 μg/ml to 28.44 ± 1.78 μg/ml as against 100.15 ± 1.03 μg/ml to 164.74 ± 2.06 μg/ml for oven and solar dried tomato samples (p < 0.05), respectively. Total microbial load, yeast/mould, and coliform counts were then investigated. They were too numerous to count (TNTC) in the sun-dried samples. Although, also found among samples that were oven and solar dried, counts of the microorganisms were within the acceptable standards of <105 for bacteria and 103 - 104 for fungi. While solar and oven drying presented better preservation of the tomato samples, the former offers most incentive in terms of cost and quality to farmers and the people, considering its free availability and abundance in processing dry tomato powders.

Keywords: Antioxidant, Lycopene, Ascorbic, Microbial, Dutsin-Ma

Cite this paper: Adejo, G. , Agbali, F. and Otokpa, O. (2015) Antioxidant, Total Lycopene, Ascorbic Acid and Microbial Load Estimation in Powdered Tomato Varieties Sold in Dutsin-Ma Market. Open Access Library Journal, 2, 1-7. doi: 10.4236/oalib.1101768.

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