Nutritional composition and microbial load of <i>Eugenia caryophyllus</i> and <i>Piper guineense</i> spices

This study determined the proximate composition, mineral content and microbial load of Eugenia caryophyllus (EC) and Piper guineense (PG) obtained from Garki (gk), Wuse (ws) and Karmo (km) markets of FCT, Abuja in order to ascertain the nutritional value and their safety from being contaminated with heavy metals or microbes. The results obtained for proximate (moisture ash, fibre, protein, lipid and carbohydrates) analysis, mineral content and microbial load were within the following ranges 6.14-9.07% and 6.00-7.00% (moisture), 5.79-8.04% and 5.28-7.64% (ash), 5.44-8.62% and 6.32-8.28% (fibre),1.02-1.93% and 1.37-2.54% (protein), 2.33-7.78% and 5.33-7.34% (lipid),67.53-73.84% and 69.20-75.02% (carbohydrates); 0.1-6.5μg/g and 3.05-5.85μ g/g (Energy value); 2.006-2.6672kcal/100g (Cr), 0- 868.4 μg/g and 244-326.4μg/g (Fe), 43.45-46.75 μg/g and 9.65-81.45μg/g (Mn), 57.45-115.35 μg/g and 54- 96.9 μg/g (Mg), 233.05-261μg/g and 216.15-234.65μg/g (K), 0.25-6.80μg/g and 15.65-20.10μg/g (Zn) and 12.15- 62.90μg/g and 19.4-29.90μg/g (Pb). ANOVA results of the parameters analyzed range from significant difference (˂0.0001) to no significance difference (0.1862) among the samples. The microbial load indicated total viable count range of 1.41×10 2 cfu - 2.04×10 2 cfu for Piper guineense and 0.19×10 2 cfu - 0.69 x 10 2 cfu for Eugenia caryophyllus , while yeast/mould, coliform and pathogenic organisms were not detected. Both spices have low level of most of the proximate values with the exception of carbohydrate; but they are rich in minerals. All the samples contained lead above WHO limits (10μg/g) established for herbal medicines. Keywords: Spices; Nutritional value; Mineral content; Microbial load