Abstract:
The pastoral communities of West Pokot have been using herbs to preserve both
meat and milk throughout the ages. These naturally occurring herbs are gaining
popularity as the chemical preservatives become less acceptable among consumers
due to health concerns. The purpose of this study therefore, was to determine the
preservative potential of herbs used by the pastoralists of West Pokot in the
preservation of meat, milk and their products.
The study involved collection and identification of samples using a structured
questionnaire. Water, methanol and chloroform extracts were obtained, from which,
antimicrobial, antioxidant, phytochemical and toxicity tests were performed on each
of the herbs. The quality changes during preservation of milk treated with the herb
Ozoroa insignis Del was analyzed for Titratable acidity, pH, plate and LAB count
within 14 Days of storage. The quality changes in meat were assessed by making
pork sausages and analyzing for total viable count (TVC), S. aureus and E. coli,
TVB-N and rancidity tests over a period of 14 days. Samples were stored at both
4ºC and 25ºC.
The phytochemicals mostly found in the identified herbs, Ozoroa insignis Del,
Senna didymobotrya Fresen Irwin and Barneby, Tamarindus indicus L and Ziziphus
abyssinica include, reducing compounds, sterols and steroids, alkaloids, saponins,
flavonoids and condensed tannins.
