Journal of Microbial & Biochemical Technology

Abstract

Effect of Retting of African Breadfruit Pulp on the Oil Characteristics of the Seeds

Uzoh CV, Oranusi SU, Braide W, Orji JO, Onuoha CO, Okeh CO, Okata-Nwali OD and Egwu-Ikechukwu MM

Effect of African breadfruit (ABF) pulp retting on the characteristics of the oil extracted from the seeds was investigated. The microbial samples identified in the retting of African breadfruit pulp were used to ret the fresh pulp. 10 ml saline suspension of these identified microbial isolates were inoculated into the different parts of fresh ABF pulp and allowed to ret while the pH, total titratable acidity (TTA) and temperature were monitored. The pH reduced from 5.4 to 5.0 in the natural retting, 5.4 to 3.8 with single microbial culture and 4.7 to 5.8 with mixed microbial culture, TTA of 0.30 to 0.86 in natural retting, 0.19 to 0.62 with single microbial culture and 0.18 to 0.60 with mixed cultures. The temperature generally ranged from 25.0 to 32.5. The percentage oil yield increased from 1.25% to 2.76%, Acid value decreased from 9.68 to 3.36, Free fatty acid decreased from 4.87 to 1.69, Saponification value increased from 90.69 mg KOH/g to 371.66 mg KOH/g, Peroxide value decreased from 12.50 to 3.11, Iodine value increased from 13.98 to 59.68, Specific gravity increased from 0.8900 to 0.9250, Melting point from 10.0 to 22.50 and Photometric colour index increased from 0.114 to 0.319.