Biodeterioration of processed cashew nut (Anacardium occidentale L.) in different packaging materials

Fifty gram of processed cashew nuts were stored in packaging materials: jute, hessian, nylon, tin and paper bags for 12 weeks at an ambient temperature of 28±2°C and R.H. of 78±2% to investigate biodeterioration. Proximate compositions excepting ash crude fibre, reduced in all the packaging materials and moisture content increased from 2.6% in fresh nuts to 8.6% in nuts stored in hessian bag while bacterial growth increased from 0.0 cfu/g in fresh nuts to 330.0 cfu/g in jute bag. Microorganisms isolated included: Bacillus kaustophillus, Bacillus subtilis, Micrococcus luteus, Aspergitlus fumigatus. Aspergillus niger, Mucor mucedo and Rhizopus stolonifer. Nylon packaging proved best with least value in terms of microbial growth and moisture content, and higher value for proximate compositions. It was followed by tin, while hessian bag, with highest microbial content, moisture change and reduced proximate compositions came last.