ORGANOLEPTIC

This study was carried out to evaluate the effects of selected aromatic pepper spices on the organoleptic and microbial qualities of oven-dried Oreochromis niloticus (Nile tilapia) fillets stored at ambient temperature. Fresh fillets were seasoned with 2% (w/w)
of three different pepper spices Scotch Bonnet (Capsicum chinense), Cayenne (Capsicum annuum), and Bell Pepper (Capsicum annuum) and compared with not spiced (control) samples. The spiced and not-spiced fillets were oven-dried at 100°C for 5 ours, packaged in sterile ziploc bags, and stored at room temperature (28 ± 2 °C) for 14 days. Microbiological, and sensory analyses were conducted at 7-day intervals to assess changes during storage. Results revealed that the spice treatments and storage durations significantly (P < 0.05) affected the sensory and microbial qualities of the fish samples. On Day 1, all samples exhibited high sensory ratings across appearance, aroma, taste, and overall acceptability (3.8 – 4.6), but these values declined progressively by Day 14. Cayenne and Bell Peppertreated samples retained relatively higher flavour and acceptability scores than Scotch Bonnet and the control, suggesting mild preservative or antioxidant effects. Microbial counts increased with storage time, with bacterial loads ranging from 7.0 × 10⁻³ cfu/g in Bell Pepper-treated samples to 240.0 × 10⁻³ cfu/g in Cayenne-treated fillets samples after
14 days. Proteus sp., Staphylococcus aureus, and Bacillus sp. were among the predominant bacterial isolates, while Aspergillus flavus, Mucor sp., and Penicillium species were the most common detected fungi. Ultimately, bell Pepper proved to be the most effective in inhibiting microbial proliferation and maintaining product acceptability

This study was carried out to evaluate the effects of selected aromatic pepper spices on the organoleptic and microbial qualities of oven-dried Oreochromis niloticus (Nile tilapia) fillets stored at ambient temperature. Fresh fillets were seasoned with 2% (w/w) of three different pepper spices Scotch Bonnet (Capsicum chinense), Cayenne (Capsicum annuum), and Bell Pepper (Capsicum annuum) and compared with not spiced (control) samples. The spiced and not-spiced fillets were oven-dried at 100°C for 5 hours, packaged in sterile ziploc bags, and stored at room temperature (28 ± 2 °C) for 14 days. Microbiological, and sensory analyses were conducted at 7-day intervals to assess changes during storage. Results revealed that the spice treatments and storage durations significantly (P < 0.05) affected the sensory and microbial qualities of the fish samples. On Day 1, all samples exhibited high sensory ratings across appearance, aroma, taste, and overall acceptability (3.8 – 4.6), but these values declined progressively by Day 14. Cayenne and Bell Peppertreated samples retained relatively higher flavour and acceptability scores than Scotch Bonnet and the control, suggesting mild preservative or antioxidant effects. Microbial counts increased with storage time, with bacterial loads ranging from 7.0 × 10⁻³ cfu/g in Bell Pepper-treated samples to 240.0 × 10⁻³ cfu/g in Cayenne-treated fillets samples after 14 days. Proteus sp., Staphylococcus aureus, and Bacillus sp. were among the predominant bacterial isolates, while Aspergillus flavus, Mucor sp., and Penicillium species were the most common detected fungi. Ultimately, bell Pepper proved to be the most effective in inhibiting microbial proliferation and maintaining product acceptability.

Background: Herbal teas, also known as tisanes, are beverages prepared by infusing plants or plant parts such as seeds, bark, leaves, flowers, dried nuts, fruits, and grasses into hot water, producing a distinct taste with various health benefits. Insufficient comparative analysis exists for commonly consumed herbal teas in Nigeria, regarding antioxidant activity, organoleptic, and physicochemical parameters. The purpose of this study is to conduct an in vitro evaluation of organoleptic, physicochemical, and antioxidant properties of selected herbal teas. Method: Ten herbal tea brands (Ginseng tea, Adams Moringa tea, Organic Immune System Booster, 3 Ballerina Tea, Legend Tea and Herbs, Qualitea, Top Tea, Lipton, Costa Tea, and Richmond) were selected from supermarkets and local markets in Edo state, Nigeria. The selected herbal teas were assessed for their organoleptic and physicochemical properties (pH, moisture content, and specific gravity). In the DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging assay, the absorbance at 517 nm of the herbal teas brewed at different temperatures (95, 28, and 10℃) was determined using an ultraviolet spectrophotometer. The percentage inhibition was calculated, and the results were recorded. Result: The organoleptic properties of the herbal tea brew were fresh and within acceptable sensory limits. The pH determination shows that the herbal teas have pH values within the acidic range (<7), from 4.83 to 6.03. From the test carried out, the moisture content ranged from 3.4% to 8.5% (<10%). The specific gravity determination showed that the teas have specific gravity similar to that of water (1.000 g/mL), ranging from 0.92 to 1.02 g/mL. The DPPH radical scavenging assay shows that the percentage inhibition of the teas brewed at 95℃ ranged from 0 to 83.46%. The percentage inhibition of the teas brewed at 28℃ ranged from 59.04 to 82.02%, and the percentage inhibition of teas brewed at 10℃ ranged from 65.52 to 84.62%. Conclusion: The findings suggest that the analyzed herbal teas met the basic quality requirements. The majority of the herbal teas exhibited high antioxidant activity (high percentage inhibition) when brewed at lower temperatures. Costa tea did not show activity at 95℃.