The Physical And Microbiological Investigation Of Some Local Beverage Drinks
[A CASE STUDY OF ILORIN METROPOLIS, KWARA STATE]

2.1.4 Soy milk
In recent years, legumes have been identified as sources of high nutritional value which could aid in addressing related dietary issues worldwide. Soybean (Glycine max) is recognized as one of these legumes with a huge protein potential (Kolapo and Oladimeji, 2008). Its edible products including; Soy milk, soy bean flour and other soy based products. They are food items consumed on purchase from vendor, hawkers and consumed immediately without any further preparation. Some of them are snacks which are also vended along highways linking several geographical areas in the country (Oranusi and Braide, 2012). But most of them are found in public places including markets, motor parks, and streets, outside schools, hospitals and even express way (Izahet al., 2015). Soy milk is rich in protein, carbohydrate and oil, made by soaking the soybeans in water before grinding and straining, the milk produced resembles cow milk in both appearance and constituency. They could be used as a potential substitute to cow milk in terms of quality and nutritive properties (Adebayo-Tayo et al., 2008; Soya.be, 2011).
Soy flour is normally manufactured with different fat levels: raw soy flour doesn’t require the roasting step; defatted soy flour is obtained from- solvent- extracted- flakes, and contains less than 1% oil and natural or full-fat soy flour made from un-extracted, de-hulled beans with about 18% - 20% oil. The quality of the flour and storage condition after milling is very important in the shelf life and hygienic quality of the flour. Although flour is generally regarded as a safe product due to its low water activity, it has been reported that a variety of pathogenic and non-pathogenic microorganisms can contaminate it during processing (Berghoferet al., 2008). Low-moisture foods and ingredients have not been discussed traditionally in terms of food safety, primarily because these products do not offer welcoming environments for microorganism growth (Akissoeet al., 2011). Food borne outbreaks has been sometimes associated with consumption of flour, although most flour-based products reportedly undergo a validated kill step at the point of production (e.g. baking or cooking), other products may be at risk (Ndifeet al., 2011). Emphasis on the improvements of microbiological safety of foods have been attributed to response to disease outbreaks; with these improvements been implemented by international standards and legislation, considered to have had an impact on diarrheal incidence as reflected in trends reported worldwide (Nawalet al., 2013). Health benefits of soybean and related products include low lactose and cholesterol, reduced bone loss, prevention and reduction of heart diseases (Adebayo-Tayoet al., 2008). However, in developed countries, the quality of Soy milk is limited by factors including biological and storage factors (Kolapo and Oladimeji, 2008). Despite these arrays of benefits derivable from soybean products, previous studies have reported that it can easily be a route for transmitting food borne illnesses. Bacterial pathogens identified with food poisoning, gastroenteritis and enteric fever can be harbored in un-hygienically prepared Soy milk (Adebayo-Tayoet al., 2008). Mycetomas in human have been caused by some potential pathogenic contaminants of dairy food (Cheesbrough, 2010).
Foodborne or waterborne microbial pathogens cause diarrheal diseases, which is a leading causes of illness and death in less developed countries, killing an estimated 1.9 million people annually at the global level (Nawalet al., 2013). Aspergillusflavusis involved in allergic aspergillosis(pulmonary aspergillosis)and produces aflatoxin that is highly carcinogenic (Prescott et al., 2010).