Abstract
The aim of this research is to determine the quality and proximate composition of Amaranthus hybridus , Celosia argentea , and Talinum triangulare obtained from open markets in Benin City, Nigeria. Microbiological and proximate analysis were carried out using standard methods. Results of the proximate analysis revealed the presence of proteins (12.86 ± 0.19 %; 9.28 ± 0.07 % and 2.82 ± 0.08 %), carbohydrates (9.06 ± 4.19 %; 8.28 ± 0.48 % and 12.22 ± 0.53 %), fibre (10.38 ± 0.25 %; 8.45 ± 0.13 % and 3.55 ± 0.17 %), lipids (0.23 ± 0.13 %; 1.44 ± 0.28 % and 1.06 ± 0.28 %), moisture (62.38 ± 4.05 %; 62.98 ± 0.38 % and 79.65 ± 0.56 %) and ash (mineral content) (5.10 ± 0.14 %; 9.58 ± 0.05% and 0.70 ± 0.12 %) in the green leaf, soko and water leaf respectively, needed for normal functioning of the body. However, microbial contaminants were observed which included bacterial and fungal species. The bacteria isolated were: Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtillis, Enterobacter sp, Klebsiella sp, Proteus vulgaris, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and E scherichia coli , while the fungal species isolated were: Rhizopus stolonifer, Aspergillus niger, Fusarium solani, Aspergillus flavus, Mucor mucedo, Penicillium notatum, and Penicillium expansum . The bacterial count, coliform count and fungal count of A. hybridus were: 1.19 x 10 5 ± 4.52 x 10 4 cfu/g, 3.30 x 10 4 ± 1.82 x 10 4 cfu/g and 6.50 x 10 3 ± 3.32 x 10 3 cfu/g respectively. C. argentea had 1.56 x 10 5 ± 7.00 x 10 4 cfu/g, 3.88 x 10 4 ± 2.56 x 10 4 cfu/g and 6.00 x 10 3 ± 3.74 x 10 3 cfu/g respectively, while T. triangulare had 1.99 x 10 5 ± 9.31 x 10 4 cfu/g, 4. 93 x 10 4 ± 4.77 x 10 4 cfu/g and 4.78 x 10 3 ± 2.18 x 10 4 cfu/g respectively. Antibiotic susceptibility pattern of the bacterial isolates revealed multi-drug resistance and plasmid-mediated resistance genes among the isolates. Public enlightenment, proper washing and cooking with potable water are therefore recommended to avoid the menance of these multi-drug resistant microbial contaminants. Keywords: Amaranthus hybridus , Celosia argentea , Talinum triangulare , Microbial analysis, Proximate composition
Highlights
Vegetables are the fresh and edible portions of herbaceous plants, which can be eaten raw or cooked Fayemi (1999); Dhellot (2006)
The results of this study showed that microbial flora (Table 1) exists on the leaves of A. hybridus, C. argentea and T. triangulare
The bacteria isolated in this study were S. aureus, B. subtilis, Enterobacter sp., Klebsiella, P. vulgaris, P. aeruginosa and E. coli. (Table 2)
Summary
Vegetables are the fresh and edible portions of herbaceous plants, which can be eaten raw or cooked Fayemi (1999); Dhellot (2006). They are valued mainly for their high carbohydrate, vitamin and mineral contents. Vegetables may be edible roots, stems, leaves, fruits or seed. Each group contributes to diet in its own way Robinson (1990). Apart from the variety which they add to the menu (Mepha and Eboh, 2007; Subukola, 2007), they are valuable sources of nutrients especially in rural areas where they contributes substantially to protein, minerals, vitamins, fibers and other nutrients which are usually in short supply in daily diets (Mohammed and Sharif, 2011). Amaranthus hybridus, Celosia argenta and Talinum triangulare are popular edible vegetables in Nigeria
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