Abstract

African oil bean (Pentaclethra macrophylla Benth) seed slices were prepared, fermented and canned in three different media using conventional batch retort procedures. The canned products were subjected to sensory evaluation using a 20 man panel of judges, and to six months’ ambient storage with monthly analysis being carried out for total viable counts, peroxide values, free fatty acids and acid values of the sample oils, as well as for hardness and appearance indices of the canned seed slices. The results show that after 6 months storage the total viable counts were 9.3 x 10³ cfu/g, 1.7 x 10⁴ cfu/g, and 6.0 x 10³ cfu/g for the brine-canned, refined groundnut oil-canned and tomato sauce-canned samples, respectively. Peroxide values and free fatty acids had lowest concentrations in the product canned in refined groundnut oil; whereas the same product was least accepted organoleptically in terms of aroma and overall acceptability. The hardness and appearance indices show increased softening and colour darkening with prolonged storage period, although the samples were still considered acceptable after 6 months tropical ambient storage.

Key words: fermented oil bean seeds, canning, quality attributes, storage.