Abstract:
The effects of forty-one (41) bacteria previously isolated from the decomposition of some
domestic food wastes in Akure metropolis (Nigeria) on proximate and antinutrient contents
of cassava peels were determined. The bacteria of the genera: Escherichia, Acinetobacter,
Bacillus, Kurthia, Aeromonas, Paenibacillus, Listeria, Enterobacter, Klebsiella,
Alcaligenes, Pseudomonas and Lactobaccilus were provided by the Department of
Microbiology, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria. Cassava peels collected
from a cassava processing factory in Akure, were washed with tap water to free them from
soil particles, dried in the hot air oven at 40oC ± 2oC for 72 hours, milled into powdery
form and sterilized using ultraviolet light. Microbial load of the peels was determined by
pour plate method. Cassava peels were mixed with sterile distilled water in ratio 1:2,
inoculated with bacteria and left to decompose at 28±2oC to determine cassava peels’
biodegradative ability of the bacteria; proximate composition and antinutrient contents
were determined at 1 week interval for 8 weeks during the decomposition. The study
showed increase in protein, fat and moisture across the test bacteria as decomposition
progressed, with their contents as 12.5%-62.48%, 1.29%-90.72% and 14.97%-86.88%
respectively. There was a decrease in carbohydrate (43.28%-0.76%), crude fibre (13.86%-
0.16%) and ash contents (6.46%-0.24%) in the presence of the test bacteria as
decomposition time increased. The antinutrients quantity decreased as decomposition
progressed with, saponin, phytate and oxalate, 301.82 mg/g -2.9 mg/g, 28.84μmol/ml -
3.30μmol/ml, 4.68μmol/ml -0.27μmol/ml respectively. The bacteria greatly utilized the
proximate constituents of the cassava peels. It is recommended that biodegradation should
be employed to reduce the volume of the organic wastes (pollution) in the Nigerian
environment and also to eliminate the resulting health hazard of the wastes.
