The Drying Effect of Varying Light Frequencies on the Proximate and Microbial Composition of Tomato

Abstract

Tomato samples were dried at different frequency of light using clothes of different colours with wooden dryingfabrication. The proximate composition and microbial count of the Tomato fruits were determined. Resultsshowed that temperature and relative humidity of the environment affected the rate of drying of tomato as wellas the growth of spoilage organisms in the fruits. Highest temperature values of tomato was observed in thecontrol and light red colour frequency which also had a slightly lower average bacterial count (53 × 103 cfu/g and62 × 103 cfu/g) respectively. The light purple colour had highest average bacterial count of 96 × 103 cfu/g whichwas significantly higher (P<0.05) compared with the control and other colour frequency. Tomato dried with lightgreen colour frequency had the highest amount of protein and carbohydrate (13.78% and 51.37%, respectively).Dark blue colour had the highest amount of fat (0.97%), light blue colour had the highest fibre (25.30%), whilethe highest percentage of ash was observed in black colour (54.30%). All data from the colour frequencies weresignificantly different (higher or lower) from the control at (P<0.05). Microorganisms isolated from tomato fruitduring drying were: Erwinia carotovora, Proteus sp, Bacillus sp, Micrococcus luteus, Aspergillus sp, Aspergillusniger, Rhizopus stolonifer, and Penicillium chrysogenum.