Okra gum samples were prepared by two methods – The Conventional Method and by encapsulation. For encapsulation, okra gum solution made from 239.4g okra pod was thoroughly mixed with 303.4g of yam flour and then dried for 12 hours at 60oC using cabinet dryer. The dried product (encapsulated gum) was marked – CG1. CG1 was repeatedly employed to cumulatively carry gum samples extracted from okra pods of known weights. This way, CG2 to CG5 were made. The weights and bulk densities of each of CG1 to CG5 were recorded. The viscosity, water holding capacity (WHC) as well as moisture content (MC) of CG5 was compared with those of pure okra gum and gum Arabic. Infrared spectroscopy was done on the pure okra gum at 0.5mm path. Results showed that the 303.4g yam flour, encapsulating gum extract from a total of 904.4g okra pod weighed 217g. In other results, pure gum, encapsulated gum and gum Arabic had 0.245, 0.317 and 1.22Nm-2 respectively for viscosity. For (WHC), they had 12, 12.60 and 16.00%., MC): 10, 7 and 46%. The infrared scan on pure okra gum showed strong C-CL stretching vibration, a difference from the work of other researchers.
Keywords: Commercialization, Composition Encapsulation, Extraction, Okra Gum
