Production of wine from zobo (Hibiscus sabdariffa) flower juice

Wine was produced from zobo flower juice using a yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) extracted from palm wine. The maximum alcohol productivity of 2.6 %(v/v) was achieved by the fermentation of zobo flower juice. The pH decreased from 4.20 to 3.48 and there was an increase in viable count from an 9.10x105CFU per ml to a maximum 5.92x108CFU per ml on the 5th day. Decrease in concentration of reducing sugar from an initial concentration of 0.43 mg ml-1 to a final concentration of 0.176 mg ml-1 on the eleventh day was observed. The growth kinetic studies were performed and the specific growth rate of yeast on “Zobo” juice was found to be 0.0667 s-1 and doubling time was 10.4 s-1.