ISSN: 2574-2701
Authors: Eke-Ejiofor J*, Allen JE and Ekeolisa IC
Squash fruit (Cucurbita) jam was prepared from varying compositions of squash fruit and sugar with pineapple jam used as control. The blends were 300:300, 300:360; 300: 420, 300: 480 grams of squash fruit and sugar respectively and 300:300grams of pineapple and sugar for the control. The proximate composition of the squash jam had moisture content ranging between 13.98-35.86%, ash 0.34-0.49%, protein 2.54-5.13% and carbohydrate 59.50-83.50% respectively, with a significant increase in sugar substitution. The physicochemical properties of the jam had 3.35-3.75 for pH, 60-80ᵒbrix for sugar, 64.15-86.43mg/L total solid and 0.0011-0.0022% vitamin C respectively. Total titratable acidity (TTA) ranged between 2.59-3.78%, while viscosity values ranged between 13.62-21.29pas. The pH, sugar (ᵒbrix), total solid, vitamin C, titratable acidity and viscosity were significantly different ((P ˂0.05) among the blends. The microbiological properties showed the total bacterial count for squash jam stored for four weeks. The heterotrophic count result ranged from 0-30 x 106cfu/ml and 0-2.0 x 106cfu/ml for week zero and week one, 0-3.1 x 107cfu/ml and 0-7.2 x 107cfu/ml for week two and week three respectively. The sensory properties for the jam produced from squash ranged from 4.45-8.25 and from 5.257.75 for color and aroma, 4.75-7.35 and 5.25-7.65 for taste and texture and 4.90-8.05 and 4.55 – 7.95 for spreadability and general acceptability respectively. The color, aroma, taste, texture, spreadability and general acceptability increased significantly (P˂0.05) with increased substitution of sugar. The result indicated that the jam sample with 300g: 300g (1:1) substitution for squash fruit and sugar compared favorably in the overall acceptability.
Keywords: Squash Fruits; Jam; Microbiological; Physicochemical; Sensory
