An Investigation Into Organoleptic Evaluation and Phytochemical Screening of Dried Powdered Peel, Pulp of Ripped Pawpaw, Production Fresh Pawpaw Juice and Sensory Evaluation of the Pawpaw Juice

Organoleptic evaluation and phytochemical screening were carried out on dried powdered pawpaw peel, pulp of ripped pawpaw. Organoleptic characters investigated were size, colour, odour, taste and texture of the dried powdered pawpaw peel, pulp and the pawpaw drink. Phytochemical screening involved testing each of dried powdered pawpaw peel and pulp for different classes of secondary plant metabolites. The methods used for detection of the various phytochemicals include qualitative chemical tests to give general idea regarding the nature of constituents present in the different solvent extracts of the powdered Pawpaw peel and pulp. The powdered peel was found to be brown in colour, sticky and tasted bitter indicating that the peel contained alkaloids. The sweet taste of the pulp indicates the presence of carbohydrates. The results of phytochemical screening indicated that the dried powdered peel of ripped pawpaw fruit tested positive for starch, glucose, proteins, sterols, Alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids and phenolic compounds, fats and oils, glycosides and saponins while the driedpulptested positive for starch, glucose, glycosides and saponins. The dried Powdered peel of ripped pawpaw fruit contains more secondary plant metabolites than the dried pulp. It is therefore suggested that the peel should be included in the future formulation of the Pawpaw Juice. The results of the sensory evaluation of the Pawpaw Juice served to 40 semi-untrained panellists randomly selected from the various Departments of the Eastern Technical University of Sierra Leone indicated that the colour (75%), taste (87.5%), aroma (80%) and texture (60%) were general acceptable and good. It can therefore be used as food supplement for children.