Shelf-life Estimation of Seasoning Cubes from African Locust Bean Seeds, Chicken, and Shiitake Mushrooms

Seasoning cubes are taste enhancers added to food to improve their palatability. Seasoning cubes or bouillon cubes are produced around the world for seasoning purposes. Commercial bouillon cubes are composed of ingredients such as salt, sugar, flavour enhancers (monosodium glutamate), herbs, and spices, pieces of vegetables, dyes and fragrances. Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) is a very potent flavour enhancer which elicits the umami or savoury taste at very low concentrations. The consumption of MSG has however been associated with many health hazards such and brain damage. Before the advent of seasoning cubes, Africans used local herbs and spices and fermented legumes to enhance flavour during the preparation of their food. Traditional condiments usually contain flavour enhancing compounds such as free glutamic acid found in fermented legumes, inosine monophosphate present in chicken and guanosine monophosphate found in mushrooms a proper combination of which could replace commercial seasoning cubes which are principally made from MSG. These traditional condiments have however not attained commercial status due to the very short shelf life, objectionable packaging materials, stickiness and the characteristic putrid odour. In this study, seasoning cubes were produced from different combinations (%) A (16.6/16.6/66.7), B (16.6/66.7/16.6), C (33.3/33.3/33.3 and D (66.7/16.6/16.6), of traditional condiments: fermented African locust bean (iru), chicken and shiitake mushroom powders using conventional methods for seasoning cube production. The binders used were green plantain flour and palm kernel oil. The physical, sensory properties and storage stability of these cubes were determined using standard analytical methods. Human sensory evaluation was done using a nine point hedonic scale. The seasoning cubes were found to have physical and sensory properties comparable to the standard maggi cube. The most acceptable product was found to be that which contained 66.7% fermented African locust bean ,16.6% chicken powder and 16.6% shiitake mushroom powder. The shelf life of the most acceptable product was estimated using the Arrhenius model and was found to be 15.5 months at room temperature 28 degrees Celsius and 72 months’ refrigeration temperature 4 degrees Celsius.