Eleazu Chinedum O, Amajor, JU and Ikpeama A
Keywords: Total antioxidant capacity, nutrient composition, microbial load, percentage inhibition, unripe plantain flour.
Abstract: In the present study, an evaluation of the total antioxidant capacity, nutrient composition, microbial load and percentage inhibitory activity of methanolic extract of unripe plantain flour on DPPH radical was carried out. The total antioxidant capacity of the extract as determined by the quantities of quercetin and peroxidase present was 0.532ug/ml and 52% ± 0.00 while the percentage inhibition on DPPH radical was 78.57%. Analysis of the proximate and phytochemical compositions of the flour using the AOAC methods showed that it contained 3.16 ± 0.04% protein, 0.21 ± 0.003% lipid, 5.2 ± 2.82% moisture, 5.5 ± 0.42% ash, 1.58 ± 0.04% tannin,1.82 ± 0.05% saponin, 1.37 ± 0.05% alkaloid and 0.98 ± 0.00% flavonoid. Further microbial analysis carried out revealed that the flour had good viable and fungal counts in addition as indicated by the low concentrations of S. Aureus and R. Stolonifer observed in the processed flour though the fungal counts was higher than the bacterial counts. These findings suggest that unripe plantain flour could serve as a natural source of antioxidants with free radical scavenging activity and its shelf life could be extended if packaged well and stored.
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