Microbiological and Nutritional Qualities of Fermented Melon Seed Shells

Abstract

In Nigerian communities, melons seed shells are generated as waste after utilization of the pulp for economic and domestic purposes. In an attempt to derive wealth from these wastes, we decided to investigate the microbial and nutritional qualities of spontaneously fermented melon seed shells. The pulverized melon seed shells were spontaneously fermented in shake flask for a period of five (5) days at ambient temperature (30 ± 2oC). The final product was then analyzed for microbial, proximate, mineral, and anti-nutrient qualities. The microbial load decreased from 10.1 x 106 - 2.1 x 105 cfu/g after fermentation. The final pH of the fermented medium was 4.2. The microbial species belonging to genera of Bacillus, Micrococcus, Aerobacter, Rhizopus, Mucor, Aspergillus Penicillium and Candida were isolated from the unfermented sample, while Bacillus, Rhizopus, Aspergillus, Penicillium and Candida dominated the fermented sample