PRODUCTION OF ANNONA MURICATA JUICE (SOURSOP) AND ITS ASCORBIC ACID DETERMINATION

PRODUCTION OF ANNONA MURICATA JUICE (SOURSOP) AND ITS ASCORBIC ACID DETERMINATION  

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.     BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Soursop (Annona Muricata) also known as guanabana belonging to the family Annonaceac and and indigenous to tropical north and south America is one of the exotic frits prized for its very pleasant, sub acid, arorratic and juicy flesh (morton et al, 1987). The fruit haroly grows intemperate countries (Janick et al, 1969) and was introduced in china, Australia and Africa (Anon, 1975) and thrives in the rain forest zone of West Africa (Glendhil et al, 1972). Observation showed that it grows throughout southern Nigeria and it is mostly Eater as fresh fruits.

According to Dalzell (1948), soursop has a pleasant aroma which is taken as desert or made into arefreshing beverage. It consists of a large heart-shaped edible fruit of various sizes. However, it is highly susceptible to spoilage, softens very rapioly during ripening and becomes mushy and difficult to consume fresh. Soursop is equally rejected at market because of external injury or uneven shape and size (Umme et al, 2001).

The economic and nutritional importance of fruits to nigerias cannot be over emphasized. It is a major source of income for farmers who cultivate them for fresh. Soursopleke other tropical fruits serves as a potential source of raw materials for fruit products such as juice, beverages, wines, jellies etc (Tressler and Ardel 2003).

Fruit Juice is the liquid naturally contained in fruit or vegetable tissue fruit and can be prepared mechanically by squeezing fresh fruits or fresh vegetables. Soursop juice is diuretic while other parts have antibacterial, anti- cancerous, astringent, sedative and other properties (Taylor 1998).

According to hedick (2000), soursop juice serves as non-alcoholic beverage drinks for thirst guenching, for pleasure and for supplying vitamin especially vitamin c.

Vitamin c or ascorbic acid is one of the major nutrient in soursop fruit and other fruits and does great work in the body. Ascorbic acid plays an important role in the tissues as an anti-oxidant, curing of scurvy, intercellular cementing to build connective tissues and help in general body metabodism (Schneeman, 1990).

In Nigeria tobody, most of the juices made from natural sources have increased and the availability of fruits is short lived due to their seasonal and highly perishable nature. A large percentage of the fruits are consumed directly as they come from the orchards. Due to lack of appropriate storage facilities, up to 30-60% losses are recorded annually during peak harvesting seasons. In order to minimize these losses, there is need to preserve and store them from time of harvest through the period of scarcity, for the purpose of retaining them as foods, an article of trade and to make them available at off season period (Tressler et al, 1980).

1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM           

Owing to the fact that there is a good demand for fruits al all times of the year, a demand which is not adequately met at present and the production of fruit crops is seasonal. Thus there is a need to preserve and store them so as to make them available in and out of season in order to meet their demands by people.

1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

In view of the fact that soursop is a seasonal fruit and as a fruit will also contain essential minerals which are beneficial to man. The aim of this research is as follows.

       i.            Production of fruit juice from edible part of Annona Muricata (Soursop).

     ii.            To determine the ascorbic acid content of the fruit juice produced.

  iii.            To compare the ascorbic acid content of the juice produced with that of a commercial juice.

                             4.            SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This research would make data available to scientist and chemical technologist on the fruit that could be consumed if vitamin C is required. The result of this work will also be beneficial to man due to subsequent availability of soursop fruit juice in and off season of the fruit.

In addition, the result of this research will highly be of an advantage to patients that have infections like urinary tract infection, would infection, scurvy etc which soursop have being found to have given a final blow

1.5 SCOPE OF THE STUDY 

The scope of this study is restricted under the following headings

       i.            Collection of soursop fruit sample

     ii.            Production of Annona Muricata (Soursop) juice

  iii.            Determination of acid content of the soursop juice produced.

   iv.            Comparism between the ascorbic acid content of the soursop juice to that of a commercial juice from the market.

REFERENCES

Anon, B. (1975). Underexploited Tropical Plants with promising economic value Washington DC Publishers.

Dalziel, J.W. (1984). The Useful plants of west Tropical Africa. London S.W I. : The Crown Agents for the colonies.

Deannis, R.L  and Cousing, J.A. (1996). Food and beverage service. London : London Bath Publisher.

Fisher, P. and Benden, A (1976). The value of food. London: Oxford University press Britain.

Frank, A.A. Cooly, R., Henning, S.M. and Custer L.J. (2005) Bioavailability and antioxidant effect of soursop juice component in human. New York, NY: Columbia University Press.

Glend hill, D. (1972). West African Trees Nature Handbook (4^th ed)London: London group Limited.

Janick, J. Sherry, R.B., Woods, F.W and Buttan, V.W (1969). Plant Science. An introduction to world Crop (2^nd ed) San Francisco: Free man and Company.

Karla, L.E. (1980). Quality food sanitation New York, NY: Wiley and Sons Publishers.

Maclaran, N. (1990). Pharmacetical Chemistry. New York, NY: MC Graw Hill Inc.

Mottram, R.F. (1982). Human Nutrition Britain: Pitman Press Ltd.

Okoye, Z. S (1992). Micronutrients in health and in disease prevention. New Delhi, ND: Prentice hall of India Private Ltd.

Schneeman, B.O. (1990). Gastro Intestinal Responses to Dietary Fibre. New York, NY: Plenium Press.

Sanchez-Nieva, F. Hernandez, I. Iguinsde George, L.M.C (1970) Frozen soursop Puree. Journal of Agriculture of the University of Puerto Rico, Pp, 207-218. Retheved from http:www.c.sulb.edul journals/ Jecrl.  

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