Comparative Study on the Proximate, Physicochemical and Sensory Properties of Jams from Selected Tropical Fruits Spiced with Ginger, Garlic and Turmeric

Fruit jams were produced from watermelon, pineapple and apple spiced with ginger, garlic and turmeric using standard method. The sample treatments were WA (watermelon 100%), WAGI (watermelon 95% + ginger 5%), WAGA (watermelon 95% + garlic 5%), WATU (watermelon 95% + turmeric 5%), WAGGT (watermelon 95% + ginger 5% + garlic 5% + turmeric 5%), PI (pineapple 95%), PIGI (pineapple 95% + ginger 5%), PIGA (pineapple 95% + garlic 5%), PITU (pineapple 95% + turmeric 5%), PIGGT (pineapple 95% + ginger 5% + garlic 5% + turmeric 5%), AP (apple 95%), APGI (apple 95% + ginger 5%), APGA (apple 95% + garlic 5%), APTU (apple 95% + turmeric 5%) and APGGT (apple 95% + ginger 5% + garlic 5% + turmeric 5%). The proximate, physicochemical (pH, total soluble solid, titratable acidity), antioxidant and sensory characteristics of the jams were determined using standard analytical procedures. The protein content of the sample ranged from 0.50 to 7.16% for reference sample (CNTP) and watermelon-garlic jam (WAGA). The fat and ash contents of the samples ranged from 0.21 to 2.55% and 1.03 to 4.38% for pineapple jam (PA) and reference sample (CNTP) respectively. The fibre content was 0.11% for reference sample (CNTP) and 1.90% for and watermelon-garlic jam (WAGA). The pH of the jams ranged from 3.10 to 3.50 for reference sample (CNTP) and apple-ginger-garlic-tumeric jam (APGGT) while total soluble solid and titratable acidity ranged from 50.00 and 69.80 °brix for pineapple-ginger-garlic-tumeric (PIGGT) and reference sample (CNTP) and 1.13 and 1.40 g/ml for CNTP and PIGA respectively. The TSS/TTA was 37.92 to 61.22 for PIGA and CNTP. The antioxidant activity of the sample was 25.45% for CNTP and 50.67% for PIGI while the total phenolic contents was 0.10 mmGAE/100 g and 0.28 mmGAE/100 g for CNTP and PIGI. The sensory values for the color ranged from 4.30 and 7.85 for WAGGT and PIGI while the taste ranged from 6.10 and 7.80 for APTU and PIGI. The overall acceptability ranged from 5.89 and 7.88 for CNTP and PIGI. Fruit jams spiced with ginger, garlic and turmeric was highly nutritious, however the pineapple-ginger jam showed a very high nutrient and bioactive components which make it to be a functional, healthy and immune booster foods for both children and adult alike.