Effects of Different Packaging Materials on the Shelf Stability of Ginger Juice

Ginger ( Zingiber officialis rosoe) is an important spice crop of the world and plays valuable roles as food additives (spices) in foods. Acceptable juice has been produced from ginger. However, there are dearths of information on its shelf life study using appropriate packaging materials. Hence, the aim of this research work is to study the effect of different packaging materials on the shelf stability of ginger juice. Ginger juice is produced from ginger rhizomes through sorting, washing, peeling, milling, juice extraction, sieving, application of additives (preservatives, sweeteners) and pasteurization. The pasteurized juice was then hotfilled and cooled into the different packaging materials (glass bottle, plastic bottle, low- density polyethylene, highdensity polyethylene materials and thin film used as control for the study. The various juice samples were subjected to chemical and microbiological assessment on storage period of twelve (12) weeks. There is generally a gradual decrease in the PH of the entire sample with storage. The decrease in the pH ranged between 5.03 and 4.72; there are steady (slow) increases in the total titratable acidity in all the samples over the storage time with the maximum increase in sample E (3.30) with sample A having the minimum value (3.10). The Total Soluble Solids (TSS) witnesses drops in values for all the samples with a gentle slope. The value ranges between 27.40 and 27.80. Minimum value range was obtained for sample A which is the glass- packaged sample. The specific gravity followed the same trend (increasing with storage time) in all the samples (ranged between 1.3727 and 1.3731) but sample A glass bottled packaged sample has the minimum reduction or drops. Microbiologically, all the samples showed low microbial load in all the counts (Total viable count, conform count and mould count) carried out. Although, all the counts were within the safe level of juice generally, sample A has the least microbiological load (5.2 x12 2 cfu/ml) at the end of the twelve (12) weeks storage period. Based on the outcome of all the analysis carried out on the juice samples, it can be concluded and recommended that glass bottle be used in the packaging of ginger juice.