MICROBIOLOGICAL STUDY AND ANTIOXIDANT PROPERTIES OF MICROWAVED AND SOLAR DRIED OKRO DURING STORAGE

Abelmoschus esculentus has fruit popularly known as okro and belongs to the Malvaceae family.it is commonly used in cooking but also in traditional medicine in the treatment of worms, dysentery, inflammation, and irritation of the stomach, intestines, and kidneys, as it is a potential functional food. The Okro fruits was purchased from Bodija Market, Ibadan and divided into three portions as raw, microwave dried and solar dried samples in the microbiological laboratory to investigate the effects of microwave and solar drying on microbiological quality and antioxidant properties of okro during storage. Okro samples were dried using microwave and solar drying methods and stored in a ziplock bag. Microbiological analysis revealed that microwave-dried okro had significantly lower microbial counts compared to solar-dried okro. The antioxidant activity of okro, measured by DPPH and FRAP assays, decreased during storage but remained higher in microwave-dried okro. The results suggest that microwave drying is a more effective method for preserving the microbiological quality and antioxidant properties of okro during storage. These findings have implications for the development of sustainable drying methods for okro and other vegetables to extend it shelfs life when they are not available. The sensory evaluation of microwaved dried and solar dried okro revealed the significant variation in colour, texture, taste and odour of okro during and after various stages of the preservatory techniques.