Abstract

Wine production from banana and pineapple wastes (Musa acuminata and Ananas comosus) was carried out by controlled fermentation for 5 days. Fermentation of these wastes was done in groups: Group 1 and 3 (test and control group for banana wastes) and group 2 and 4 (test and control group for pineapple wastes). Pumpkin leaves (Telfaria occidentalis) macerate was added to group 1 and 2 to obtain substrate: leaves: water ratio of 1.5:0.02:3.0 (kg w/v). The mixture was boiled after 18 h at 100°C for 30 min and the filtrates obtained (1.8 ± 0.2 L) was inoculated with 1.0 ml of x 10⁹ cfu/ml of Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. ellipsoides and left at room temperature (28 ± 1.0°C) for 5 days. During the fermentation period, the pH, specific gravity, temperature, percentage of alcohol content and acidity value were monitored. The microbial population in banana waste, pineapple waste and pumpkin leaves was also determined. Wine produced from substrates treated with pumpkin leaves had higher alcoholic content (0.57%) than the untreated controls (0.035 - 0.21%). The bacterial isolates from pumpkin leaves were Erwinia sp.,Serratia sp., Micrococcus sp., Bacillus sp. and Staphylococcus epidermidis, while the fungal isolates were Rhizopus sp. and yeast.

Key words: Fermentation, banana, pineapple, wine.