Abstract

Storage life of ‘green’ locust beans condiment is less than 72 h due to inherent high moisture content (>55%) and vulnerability to peroxidation due to high fat content (> 37%). Therefore, elimination or significant reduction of moisture and fat should lead to increase in storage life hence studied. ‘Green’ locust beans condiment was dried and delipidated using three solvents. Assessment of some physiochemical, biochemical, sensory characteristics and shelf-life preliminary study on the preparation were conducted. Moisture content (<10%) of samples was at the level that samples are stable to spoilage microorganism. Lipids were extracted using three solvents in the order of diethylether > hexane > methanol with concomitant increase in proportion of protein in the delipidated sample in comparison to non-delipidated sample. Analysis of sensory scores (p = 0.05) showed that diethylether extracted sample was the most preferred and methanol extracted sample the least preferred. Using off-odour perception as accelerated storage instrument, shelf-life model insight (scale factor = 28 days, shape factor 3.8) was obtained using Weilbull distribution.

Key words: Locust beans condiment, poor storability, processing, biochemical characteristics, shelf-life model insight.