MICRO-ORGANISM ASSOCIATED WITH SPOILAGE OF TOMATOES (CANNED TOMATOES)
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Tomato (lycopersicumesculentum) is an animal plant, having a weak woody stem covered with glistering red iscultivated in many parts of the world. the tomato plant is widely cultivated in many parts of the world and also has a smooth stain. It is green when immature but becomes bright red or yellow as it ripens. These products are considered important worldwide (Robins et al; 1994).
Tomato fruit is a well vegetable eaten raw as salad or for garnishing various foods in Nigeria as well as in many part of the world. The fruit contains high amount of carbohydrate, fat,organic acid,water,minerals,vitamins and pigments(Reddy,2009)
When spoilt as a result of life process of bacteria, yeast and molds, the sugar are rapidly used up being changes into acetic acid lactic acid, alcohol and carbondioxide,the amount of these substances depending on their types of organism which are most activities particular sample in question.
In generally, adequate heat processing is given to tomato paste to achieve commercial sterility (speck 1994), but subsequent abusive post process handling /storage may lead to understand microbiological changes. It is public knowledge that can of tomato paste often show external evidence of spoilage under tropical retail condition (Anon, 1980)
Tomato fruit contains a lot of water which makes them susceptible to spoilage by microorganism.Also,the high water content makes storage and transportation of vegetable difficult. The microorganism reduce not only the nutritional values but also the market value s of tomato fruit. Micro organisms also affect the seller due to the spoilage of tomato.
Hazard analysis and critical control point –HACCP identifies evaluate and control hazards that control or significant for food safety(De Rover, C. 1998)food safety (De Rover, C 1998)
The control of parameter include various factors such as time of harvesting, temperature and moisture during storage, selection of agricultural product prior to processing, decontamination conditions, addition of chemicals at final product storage (Sango, 1995).
Tomatoes were chosen for this study because they are referred to as ready-to-eat food since they are manually processed and many people take tomatoes raw directly or via meals of salad usually served cold. Microbial spoilage and contaminating pathogens on this product poses a serious problem in food safety.
Ecological factors influencing survival and growth of human pathogens or raw growth of human pathogen on raw fruit and vegetables. There are vew reports of studies on micro-organism associated with spoilage of tomato fruit in Nigeria. Similar research cost of test ripened tomato fruits sold in local markets in Benue State has tended to turn the worry public to patronize spoilt tomato fruit because they are relatively cheap. (Benchat, L.R.:2002).
The study was under taken to isolate and identify micro-organisms that are associated or responsible for the spoilage of ripened tomato fruit sold in some market within Benue State metropolis. In addition, the study investigated the toxin producing capacity and the susceptibility of micro-organisms to some antibiotics.
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