Microbiological and Nutrional Quality of Dried Okra Sold in Abidjan Markets.

A nutritional and microbiological study was made on okra, an important food consumed in Côte d’Ivoire. The nutritional analysis made
on the 2 okra varieties (Yelen and Tomi) were to determined moisture, protein, sugar, lipid, fiber, vitamin C, -carotene and mineral.
Microbiological consist, always in the studied varieties, to evaluated germs evolution weekly from the beginning of drying process to the storage during 9 weeks under ambiant temperature. On the other hand, powdered dried okra and whole dried okra sold on Abidjan markets were analysed. The microbiological analysis consist in the research of Salmonella and Staphylococcus aureus and in the counting of faecal coliforms, yeasts, moulds and anaerobic sulfito-reductors germs. Protein rate, Lipid , Total sugar ,Vitamin C , -carotene level were different according the genus of okra. In Yelen and Tomi varieties, the others nutriments rate were different too. In this investigation, Salmonella and Staphylococcus aureus were not found. During the storage, faecal coliforms load increased. For Yeast, the load increased and decreased after a time with a peak of 1.8. 104 ± 3.4.103 CFU/g (Yelen) and 3.5.104 ± 7.4.103 CFU/g (Tomi). In powdered dried okra the presence of microorganisms differ according the market. Dried okra sold on markets have an unsatisfactory quality. To avoid sanitary risk, okra should be well dried and consumed at most during the first 5 weeks of storage.