Abstract

Saccharomyces cerevisae SIL 59703 was used to ferment cashew apple juice supplemented with 30% Sucrose in the laboratory incubated at room temperature (28 ± 2°C) for six days (aerobic) and six weeks (anaerobic) for wine production. Toxicological effect of the wine produced was based on histology and enzyme activities of rats’ liver.Forty-two rats were divided into three groups: group I (negative control) received no wine, group II subdivided into three sub groups A, B and C received 6.25 ml/kg body weight of 5, 7.5 and 10% alcohol content of the Red wine (positive control) respectively, while, group III also subdivided into three sub groups A, B and C received 6.25 ml/kg body weight of 5, 7.5 and 10% alcohol content of the cashew wine, respectively for eighteen days. Histological studies of the rat liver fed with both the red wine and cashew wine revealed marked alteration in cellular structure at 7.5 and 10% alcohol content which was not noticeable in the negative group. Enzyme activities indicated that both red wine and cashew wine at 7.5 and 10% alcohol content induced marked liver failure characterized by a significant increase (p < 0.05) in serum aspartate ransaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and Gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) activities. In conclusion, 5% alcohol content of the cashew wine showed no apparent disruptions of the normal liver structure by histological and enzyme activities assessment.

Key words: Enzyme activities, fermentation, histology, serum, wine.