Proximate Analysis on Fungi Infected Vegitables (tomato and Sweet Pepper) Sold in Tudun Wada Market Zaria

Student: Peace Michael (Project, 2025)
Department of Science Laboratory Technology
Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic, Zaria, Kaduna State


Abstract

The importance of vegetables such as tomatoes and pepper in Nigeria cannot be overemphasized and therefore this study was carried to determine the proximate composition and fungi associated with tomato and pepper sold in Tudun Wada market Zaria. The result for the proximate composition of tomato showed moisture content of 93.05%,Ash 0.57%, Fat 0.17%,Protein0.40%, Fibre 1.03%, and Carbohydrate 4.78% respectively and pepper which showed moisture content of 80.70%,Ash 2.94%, Fat 2.78%, Protein 3.71%, Fibre 3.99%, and Carbohydrate5.88% respectively.While the fungi species isolated from tomato included Closporidium spp,Aspergillus spp, and Geotrichum spp and fungi isolated from pepper Curvularia spp,Paecilomycess spp and Aspergillus spp. Therefore due to the appreciable proximate compositions of these vegetables, they can serve as supplements since they are usually combined in human diet daily. It is recommended that there is need to enhance and standardize the harvesting and storage process to guarantee excellent products that are free from deterioration.Thus.devising avenues for minimizing this contamination to meet the global standards of good production practices is of paramount importance and further researches are necessary to determine precisely the different constituents present in these different dishes especially amino acid and vitamins contents. These data are important for the nutritional advice to the genera public who uses tomato and pepper as recipes.

Keywords
fungi infected vegetables proximate analysis tomato sweet pepper Tudun Wada Market Zaria food quality nutrient composition spoilage assessment food safety