Abstract:
Studies on the nutrient quality and associated spoilage fungi of English pear (Pyruscommunis)
were carried out in the Department of Plant Science and Biotechnology Rivers University, Port
Harcourt. Healthy and spoilt samples of P. cummunis were purchased from the fruit garden
market in D. Line, Port Harcourt and used for the study. Results of Proximate analysis revealed
the presence of moisture, ash, lipid, carbohydrate, fiber and protein. It was also observed that all
the parameters assessed were higher for the spoilt samples except for moisture (87.51± 0.001)
and carbohydrate (10.02± 0.002) which were higher in healthy fruit samples. The mineral
contents indicated higher values for all parameters (calcium, phosphorus, potassium, iron,
sodium and magnesium) in the healthy samples. However, vitamins A, C, and thiamine were
available in higher quantities in healthy fruit samples with equal values recorded for niacin (0.5 ±
0.003) for both healthy and spoilt samples. Anti-nutrient and phytochemical investigations
revealed phytate, oxalate, saponin, tannin, carotenoid, polyphynol, flavonoid and lignin to be
available in appreciable amounts. Nevertheless, two spoilage fungi viz: Aspergillusflavus and A.
niger were isolated fromfrom spoilt fruit samples and implicated to cause spoilage as they both
proved pathogenic when inoculated into healthy samples of P. communis. Higher percentage
incidence (95%) was recorded for A. flavus whileA. niger had 5%. |
