EFFECT OF POTASSIUM PERMANGANATE (KMNO4) TREATMENT ON THE NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION, ANTIOXIDANT PROPERTIES AND MICROBIAL COUNT OF AFRICAN STAR APPLE (CHRYSOPHYLLUM ALBIDUM- LINN) FRUITS DURING STORAGE

Abstract

African star apple (ASA) fruit is consumed for its natural antioxidants, believed to fight against oxidative stress-related diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and coronary heart diseases. The seasonality and perishability of the fruit make its storage important to attract so much attention. This study made use of potassium permanganate (KMnO4) to monitor changes in the nutritional, antioxidant compositions and microbial count of the fruits. Wholesome ASA fruits were treated with different concentrations of KMnO4 stored at 28±2oC and 90±5% relative humidity and evaluated for nutritional composition, antioxidant potentials and microbial count. The moisture content, crude fibre, calcium, and potassium contents of the treated fruits increased significantly in storage, however, there were reductions in their protein, carbohydrate, and iron contents. There were no significant (p<0.05) differences in ash content, crude fat, and the sodium contents of the treated samples when compared to the freshly harvested fruits after 15 days of storage. No traces of lead and cadmium were found in any of the samples analyzed. Treated fruits showed greater enzymatic and non-enzymatic activities and with no record of microbial load as compared to untreated fruits. Saturated KMnO4 treatment proved to be the most efficient in maintaining nutritional and antioxidant qualities of ASA fruits followed by 800 ppm and 400 ppm KMnO4 treatments relative to the control. Therefore, gaseous molecules of KMnO4 may be applied for the postharvest treatment of ASA fruits in maintaining their quality attributes for 15 days at ambient temperature and 90 ± 5% relative humidity.