QUALITY ASSESSMENT OF SOLAR ENERGY DRIED TOMATO FLAKES

This study was carried out to assess the quality of solar dried tomato flakes by determining its safety, nutritive value and wholesomeness. In order to determine the safety of the dried tomato, the bacteria and mould loads were determined using three sliced thicknesses of solar energy dried samples. Two different types of agar culture media were used to culture the released bacteria and mould cells. Ascorbic acid and proximate tests were carried out to determine the nutritional value of the dried product as compared with the fresh products. To determine the wholesomeness of the dried product, the organoleptic properties in terms of colour (appearance) and taste (flavour) were examined and compared with those of three other tomato products. Results showed that the mean viable bacteria count ranged from 9 to 13 colonies/ml with the 25 mm thickness giving the highest value, followed by 20 mm thickness and the least value was from 15 mm thickness. The same pattern was observed for mould infection. The infection range for the three slice thicknesses was within the recommended safe limit of ?30 colony forming unit/ml for bacteria and mould counts in food products. There was substantial drop in ascorbic acid content from 28.2 mg/100 g for fresh ripe tomato to as low as 13.6 mg/100 g for dried tomato of 25 mm slice thickness and highest value of 20.6 mg/100 g for 20 mm thickness. The results for organoleptic properties showed the tomato dried by solar energy dryer is superior to the other tomato products.