Preservation of Tomato Paste Using Chitosan Monosaccharide Complex

Abstract

This study is using one of the alternatives that are currently being investigated to replace the use of chemical preservatives to inhibit microbial growth and increase the shelf life of tomato paste. The chitosan monosaccharide complex has shown promise as a preservative in inhibiting microbial growth, extending shelf life, and retaining the quality of tomato paste. The preserved tomato paste (sample B) was stored for 70 days and its proximate and nutritional compositions were compared with those of the tomato paste (sample A). The chitosan glucose complex reduced microbial growth in tomato paste by using 0.1% glucose and 2.0% chitosan. The optimum reduction was 0.6666 log cfu/ml and 5.9102 log cfu/ml for bacteria and fungi, respectively, with a paste/complex ratio of 10 g/ml. The proximate analysis of the tomato paste (sample A) and preserved tomato paste (sample B) were 83.69% and 85.88% for moisture content and ash content, 3.31% and 2.18%, crude fat: 1.63% and 1.20%, crude fiber: 3.56% and 3.14%, and carbohydrate: 4.27, 5.0. The mineral and vitamin C contents were as follows: Ca 127 mg/100 g, Mg 37 mg/100 g, Na 113 mg/100 g and Fe 22 mg/100 g for sample A while sample B and 109, 31, 75, and 27 mg/100 g (Ca, Mg, Na and Fe). The vitamin C content of 6.53 mg/100 g for sample A and sample B 15 mg/100 g. The overall acceptability of samples A and B was 8.20 and 6.00 for the sensory qualities.