COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY AND PH IN HOMEMADE AND COMMERCIAL PINEAPPLE JUICES FROM BENIN CITY

In-depth knowledge of electrical properties and pH of Homemade and Industrial pineapple juice samples with temperature variation is a requisite to ascertaining which of the juice samples is preferred for consumption and at what suitable temperature. Measurements of electrical conductivity (EC), electrical potential (EP) and pH of the two pineapple juice samples were determined over a temperature range of 0 0C to 60 0C at interval of 5 0C. A 150 mL of the each sample was used for the analyses in which thirteen measurements were taken for each sample. The range of values of EC, EP and pH obtained for the Homemade pineapple juice sample were 0.0108 – 0.0357 S/m, 0.00486 – 0.00923 V and 3.20 – 4.60 respectively, whereas the range of values of EC, EP and pH obtained for the Industrial pineapple juice sample were 0.0114 – 0.0784 S/m, 0.00472 – 0.00980 V and 3.34 – 4.10 respectively. Data from the aforementioned parameters were analyzed using t-test, correlation and regression analysis software (EasyStatCalc version 1.1.1). Analyses of the results revealed that the electrical conductivity and pH of both products differed very significantly at power value (p<0.01) while the electrical potential merely showed significance at power value (p<0.05). The study revealed that homemade pineapple juice is safer for consumption owing to its higher pH value range which indicated non-inclusion of additives. However, it should not be taken when chilled at 0 0C because the pH at this temperature exceeds the U.S Food and Drug Administration recommendation