Abstract

Timipa R. Ogoun and Odangowei I. Ogidi*

ABSTRACT

Fruits are of high significance worldwide due to their nutritional and commercial values. Likewise, they are sources of essential nutrients; fortify diet with vitamins and minerals. Artificial ripening may contaminate the fruit and may cause toxicity. This study was aimed at evaluating natural and artificial ripened Pineapple (Ananas cosmosus) fruit juice on the Biochemical parameters of Wistar rats. Twenty four (24) adult Wistar rats weighing between 126.9- 213.3 g was used for this study. The experimental Wistar rats were grouped into three and were allowed to acclimatize for two weeks at libitum. Five (5) ml/kg of natural and calcium carbide ripened Pineapple fruit juice were administered orally. At the end of the four weeks feeding period, the rats were sacrificed through cervical dislocation. Blood was collected by cardiac puncture, using 5ml syringes and 23G needles into blood sample containers for biochemical analysis using the standard principles of biochemical analysis. The biochemical parameters evaluated were creatinine, urea, albumin, total protein, transaminases (AST, ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total cholesterol, total bilirubin and lactate dehydrogenase and were compared with the control and natural ripened groups. All mean values of ALT, ALP, Urea, creatinine, Albumin and total cholesterol were lower when compared with the natural ripened group. The concentrations of AST, total bilirubin, total protein and lactate dehydrogenase were observed to be higher when compared with the natural ripened group. Statistically, all biochemical parameters evaluated had significant differences at 95% confidence level (P < 0.05), except creatinine, albumin and total proteins. This indicates that, consuming calcium carbide ripened pineapple fruits formulated diets may cause myocardial infarction, hepatic dysfunction and liver and heart diseases, therefore artificial ripening by the use of calcium carbide method should be discouraged.