Microbiological and Proximate Analysis of Fluted Pumpkin (Telfairia Occidentalis[F] Hook) Leaves and Seeds

Author(s): Lennox Josiah A., Nkra Bridget Obun

The study of the microbiology and proximate composition of fluted pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis (F) Hook) leaves and seeds was carried out. Official methods of analysis were employed. The results of the proximate analysis of the fluted pumpkin leaves were 65.40% moisture, 6.51% ash, 4.24% protein, 1.3% fat, 2.57% fibre and 20.98% carbohydrate while the seeds contained 3.40% moisture 3.40% ash,37.85% protein, 39.80% fat, 3.44% fibre and 12.51% carbohydrate. The results of the total aerobic counts were 1.45±0.01x103 cfu/mg and 1.25± 0.01 x 102 cfu/mg for the bacteria and fungi respectively for of the leaves but the seeds recorded no growth. Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Serratia marcescens and Enterobacter aerogenes were the bacteria isolates and Aspergillus sp, Candida albicans, Fusarium sp and Penicillum sp were the fungi isolates from the surface of the pumpkin leaves.

Microbiology, Proximate Composition, Fluted Pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis (F) Hook), enteric pathogens, normal flora

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