Chemical Composition and Sensory Evaluation of Jam Produced from Pawpaw, Apple, Banana and Orange Fruit

Fruits are of high nutritional value and provide the body with the required daily allowance. To reduce post-harvest losses, they can be produced into different products like fruit juice, jellies, marmalades, and jam. This study was to determine the chemical composition and sensory evaluation of composite jam produced from four different tropical fruits. Composite jams were produced from pawpaw, apple, banana and orange in ratio AO1: 25:25:25, PH0: 20:15:40:25, SB4: 15:20:25:40, AR2: 25:40:15:20 and OM8: 40:25:20:15 respectively. Proximate composition, physicochemical, microbial and sensory analyses were carried out on the composite jam samples. The proximate result showed that the moisture content ranged from 23.93% to 49.57% with sample AO1 having the lowest moisture content, which indicates longer shelf life. Protein content was high in sample PH0 (24.50±0.04%), highlighting its potential as a protein source. Physiochemical analyses carried out SB4 had pH 4.17±0.01d, while OM8, had pH 4.56±0.01a. These pH variations are integral to taste, texture, and shelf stability. Microbial analysis carried out showed that on PDA, SB4 displayed a microbial count of 2, indicating little fungal growth, while OM8 exhibited a count categorized as "Too Numerous to Count" (TNTC). This suggests a potential for fungal contamination in OM8. Sensory evaluation a pivotal aspect of the study, highlighted that the sample A0I, had the highest value in appearance (7.30±0.92), texture (6.55±0.69), aroma (6.40±0.88), taste (7.85±1.23), spreadability (7.25±0.72), and overall acceptability (7.65±0.81). This study provided a comprehensive result of the key attributes influencing the quality and consumer acceptability of composite jams. The findings suggest that a balanced ratio of the different fruits enhanced the nutritional and sensory properties of the composite jam. Therefore, this composite jam can be recommended for the food industry.