THE PRODUCTION OF DIET ‘ZOBO’ DRINK FROM HIBISCUS SABDARIFFA PETALS USING SACCHARIN
*1Oduwobi, O.O & 2Afuye, O.O.
The Department of Science Laboratory Technology,
The Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, Ogun State.
Email: dwheazy2012@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
Zobo drink, which is indigenously gotten from Hibiscus plants (Roselle), has been shown to be good source of natural carbohydrate, protein and vitamin C. Many medicinal applications of the Roselle plant have been developed around the world; Roselle also has certain therapeutic properties. The diet Zobo drink was prepared using saccharin and then preserved with kola nut extract. The extract was remarkably effective in preserving the diet Zobo drink for days from bacterial spoilage with a mean value of 7 x 102 Cfu/ml while the diet Zobo samples without the kola nut extract recorded a mean value of 45 x 102 Cfu/ml, after a 24hr incubation period on Nutrient agar. The pH value was 4, moisture content was 90%, the brix and alcohol contents both recorded a Zero value and the temperature of the product was 37.0 ºC respectively. The calorific value of the diet Zobo drink was 2.40Kcal for a 0.6g of saccharin used in the preparation of 1L of the drink while the calorific value of the sucrose-laden Zobo drink was 193.5Kcal for a 50g (about 5cubes) of table sugar used in the preparation of the sucrose-laden Zobo drink. By this investigation, it can thus be deduced that saccharin is indeed highly effective for dieting, as well as useful as a sweetener mainly because of its non-calorific property. Further studies on the health implication, if any, of artificial sweeteners could be carried out to ascertain their health safety mainly because of the controversies surrounding their use as food additives.
Keywords: Hibiscus Sabdariffa, Saccharin, Artificial Sweeteners, Food Additive, Calorific Value.