Formulation and evaluation of dehydrated microbiological media from avocado pear (Peasea americana Cmill)

Abstract

Avocado pear (Peasea amaricana Cmill) has an excellent nutritional quality that can support the growth of microorganisms. Different media were formulated from both defatted and undefatted dehydrated avocado pear. The proximate analyses of the pear flour show that defatted samples were better in term of minerals contents than their corresponding undefatted samples. Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli in that order thrived very well in the composed media. The test bacteria grew better in media composed with defatted pear than their corresponding undefatted samples. Undefatted samples seem to support fungal growth than defatted samples. Trichoderma sp. grew better than Aspergillus flavus and Penicillium notatum. Comparing with the performance of conventional bacteriological and mycological media, avocado pear is a good and cheap media material for the cultivation and isolation of both bacteria and fungi. © 2008 Academic Journals Inc.