Evaluation of the Nutritional and Microbiological Quality of Kunun (A Cereal Based Non-Alcoholic Beverage) in Rivers State, Nigeria

Evaluation of the nutritional and microbiological quality of laboratory processed and hawked kunun drinks (A Cereal Based NonAlcoholic Beverage) in different locations of Port Harcourt Metropolis; south-south Nigeria was investigated. Chemical analysis showed that the crude protein content of the hawked kunun drinks was higher (0.67±0.01-1.98±0.01%) than that of the laboratory processed kunun samples (0.48±0.02-0.80±0.00%), while the total solids were highest in the laboratory processed samples than the hawked Kunun drinks. However, there were no significant differences between the P and carbohydrate contents of the hawked kunun drinks and that of the laboratory processed kunun samples. Microbial analysis showed high mean total viable and coliform counts in the hawked drinks while the laboratory processed kunun drinks harbored no coliform bacteria. The microbes found associated with the hawked drinks are Bacillus sutilis, B. cereus, Streptococus feaceaum, Staphylococcus epidermis, Micrococcus acidiophilis, Escherichia coli, while Streptococus feaceaum Bacillus subtilis and Micrococcus acidiophilis were found in the laboratory prepared kunun samples