SEMINAR ON BACTERIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF ZOBO DRINK SOLD IN OWERRI AND AROUND FEDERAL POLYTECHNIC NEKEDE AND WITHIN OWERRI METROPOLIS

CHAPTER ONE 1.0 INTRODUCTION ‘Zobo’ drinks are aqueous extracts of the calyx of roselle, Hibiscus sabdariffa which is an annual herb that is widely cultivated in India and Africa. ‘Zobo’ is a name derived from zoborodo which is the local Hausa (Northern Nigeria) name for Hibiscus sabdariffa plant (Aliyu, 2000). The plant is considered to have antihypertensive properties. Primarily, the plant is cultivated for the production of best fibre from the stem of the plant Hibiscus specifically Roselle had been used in medicine as a diuretic, mild laxative and treatment for cardiac and nerve diseases and cancer. The red calyces of the plant are increasingly exported to America and Europe where they are used as food colourings (Chau et al., 2000). The green leaves are used like a spicy version of spinach. They give flavour to the Senegalese fish and rice dish. Also, in Mynmar, their green leaves are the main ingredient in making chin baung legend curry. In East Africa, the calyx infusion called “Sudan tea” is taken to relieve coughs. Roselle juice with salt, pepper, asafetida and molasses is taken as a remedy for odiousness (over production of bile). The heated leaves are applied to cracks in the feet and on boils and ulcers to speed maturation. The seeds are said to be diuretic and tonic in action and the brownish yellow seed oil is cleaned to heal sores on camels. In India, the decoration of the seed is given to relieve dysuria (Pau et al., 2000). In Africa, especially the Sahel, roselle is commonly used to make a sugary herbal tea that is commonly sold on the street. In Thailand, roselle is drank as tea, believed to also reduce cholesterol. In the Caribbean, sorrel drink is made from sepals of the roselle calyces and are harvested fresh to produce pro-health drinks due to high contents of vitamin C and arthocyanins. Many parts of the plants are also claimed to have various medicinal values. They have been used for such purposes ranging from Mexico through Africa and India to Thailand. Roselle is associated with traditional medicine and is reported to be used as treatment for several diseases such as hypertension and urinary tract infection (Paul et al., 2002). The non-alcoholic drink is quite popular especially when served chilled in a social gathering. The drink is prepared by boiling the dry calyces of Hibiscus sabdariffa in water for about 10 - 15 minutes from which the pigment or flavour embedded is extracted. After extraction, the filtrate may be taken hot as tea or allowed to cool and packaged in plastic sachet container, then taken as a refreshing drink when chilled. The sharp sour taste of the raw extract is usually sweetened with sugar cane or granulated sugar, pineapple, orange or other fruits depending on choice. The sweetness of ‘zobo’ does not taste long due to spoilage by microbial activities. There is increase in the demand for ‘zobo’ drink due to its low cost, nutritional and medicinal properties (Oboh and Eluslyan, 2004; Osueke and Ehirim, 2004). The greatest limitation for large scale production of ‘zobo’ drink is the rapid shelf life that is appropriately twenty four hours following production. If not refrigerated, micro-organisms associated with the dried calyx and processing for the production of ‘zobo’ drinks and other factors may contribute to its spoilage (Ehirim, 2004). The aim of this work therefore, is to determine the bacterial quality of ‘zobo’ drinks sold in Owerri and around Federal Polytechnic Nekede and within Owerri metropolis.