Chemical composition and functional properties of flour produced from two varieties of tigernut (Cyperus esculentus)

The chemical composition and functional properties of flour produced from two varieties (yellow and brown) of tigernut (Cyperus esculentus) seeds were studied. The seeds were obtained in dried form, sorted, wet cleaned, dried, milled and sieved to produce flour. The flours were tagged YTF and BTF for yellow and brown varieties, respectively. The protein contents of YTF and BTF were 7.15 and 9.70%, respectively. BTF has higher fat, ash, potassium, magnesium, manganese and iron contents than YTF.On the other hand, YTF has higher carbohydrate, crude fibre, calcium, sodium and copper contents. The zinc and copper levels were low in both flours (0.01 - 0.02 mg/100 g). A low bulk density (0.55 - 0.62g/cm3), setback viscosity (6.58 - 13.75 RVU) and breakdown viscosity (0.58 - 1.50 RVU) were recorded for the flours

Biosorption of chromium(VI) using immobilized Bacillius subtilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Heavy metals like chromium do contaminate the environment that comprises of soil, water and air. It affects the growth of flora and fauna which in turn affect human health negatively. Chromium could also bio-accumulate in plants and animals and this becomes dangerous for survival of human if adequate steps are not taken for treatment of industrial and agricultural wastes. Therefore, the batch removal of Cr (VI) from environment water bodies becomes necessary. Its removal from aqueous solution using immobilized Bacillus subtilis (IBBS), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (IPBS), mixed biomass (IMBS) and Alginate alone (IABS) was carried out. The conditions of influence of initial Cr (VI) concentrations, solution pH, contact time, biomass dosage and temperature were studied. The sorption kinetic models of Cr (VI) onto the biosorbents were examined with pseudo first-order, pseudo second-order, and Elovich kinetics respectively. It was found that the experimental conditions affected the extent of removal of Cr (VI) from aqueous solution. The higher the initial concentration, the larger the amount of Cr (VI) removed while the higher the temperature the lesser the amount removed. The optimum contact time and adsorbent dose for effective removal of Cr (VI) from aqueous solution were found to be 60 mins and 0.01 g respectively. Pseudo second-order kinetic model best correlates the experimental data. Among isotherm models studied, Freundlich adsorption isotherm model gave the best fit.Key Words: Chromium (VI), Adsorption Kinetics, Adsorption Isotherms, Spectrophotometric Determination, Immobilized Biosorbent

Assessment of a treatment guideline to improve home management of malaria in children in rural south-west Nigeria

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Many Nigerian children with malaria are treated at home. Treatments are mostly incorrect, due to caregivers' poor knowledge of appropriate and correct dose of drugs. A comparative study was carried out in two rural health districts in southwest Nigeria to determine the effectiveness of a guideline targeted at caregivers, in the treatment of febrile children using chloroquine.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Baseline and post intervention knowledge, attitude and practice household surveys were conducted. The intervention strategy consisted of training a core group of mothers ("mother trainers") in selected communities on the correct treatment of malaria and distributing a newly developed treatment guideline to each household. "Mother trainers" disseminated the educational messages about malaria and the use of the guideline to their communities.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Knowledge of cause, prevention and treatment of malaria increased with the one-year intervention. Many, (70.4%) of the respondents stated that they used the guideline each time a child was treated for malaria. There was a significant increase in the correct use of chloroquine from 2.6% at baseline to 52.3% after intervention among those who treated children at home in the intervention arm compared with 4.2% to 12.7% in the control arm. The correctness of use was significantly associated with use of the guideline. The timeliness of commencing treatment was significantly earlier in those who treated febrile children at home using chloroquine than those who took their children to the chemist or health facility (p < 0.005). Mothers considered the guideline to be explicit and useful. Mother trainers were also considered to be effective and acceptable.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The use of the guideline with adequate training significantly improved correctness of malaria treatment with chloroquine at home. Adoption of this mode of intervention is recommended to improve compliance with drug use at home. The applicability for deploying artemisinin-based combination therapy at the community level needs to be investigated.</p

PRODUCTION AND DETERMINATION OF THE PROXIMATE COMPOSITION AND CONSUMER ACCEPTABILITY OF AN ENRICHED DUMPLING (MASOVITA) MADE OF MAIZE, SOYBEANS AND CASSAVA

ABSTRACT Objectives: The study aimed to produce and assess the proximate composition and consumer acceptability of an improved and enriched dumpling made from maize, soybeans and cassava. Methodology and results: A dumpling meal, &apos;masovita&apos;, was formulated from maize, soybeans and cassava flours (3:4:3, w/w) and compared to two traditional dumpling meals, maizecassava meal (3:2, w/w), 100% cassava flour meal and a commercial flour meal (Semovita). Parameters assessed were the proximate composition and consumer acceptability. Masovita has higher crude protein (19.66%), crude fat (9.0%) and energy content (386.8Kcal-g) than the traditional dumpling flours and Semovita. Masovita also compares favorably (P&lt;0.05) with Semovita and other flour meals in taste, consistency, flavor and overall acceptability. Cassava flour has the least protein and fat contents and is the least accepted. Conclusion and application of findings: The method for preparing masovita is simple and similar to what is practiced in the northern and some western parts of Nigeria where dumpling consumption is high. The masovita is acceptable to the consumers and therefore could be easily incorporated into Nigerian diets to increase protein availability

Phenolic Profile and Antioxidant Activity of Brown and Yellow Varieties of Tigernut (Cyperus esculentus L.)

Tigernut is a sedge with tuber planted and consumed in Nigeria but with no documented phenolics profile. This work determined the phenolic profile and the antioxidant activity of tigernut tubers grown and consumed in Nigeria. Tigernuts (yellow, YTG and brown, BTG)) were sorted, washed, dried, milled into powder, phenolics extracted with sodium hydroxide and analyzed with Gas chromatography (GC). The tigernuts contain significant concentration of hydroxybenzoic acids, hydrocinnamic acids and flavonoids. The major phenolic acids in YTG were ferulic acid (58.38 mg/ 100 g), p-hydroxybenzoic acid (29.12 mg/100 g), p-hydroxybenzaldehyde (16.47 mg/100 g) and vanillic acid (5.88 mg/ 100 g) while the major phenolic acids in BTG were vanillic (15.20 mg/100 g), p-coumaric (17.25 mg/100 g), caffeic (15.25 mg/100 g), ferulic (33.79 mg/100 g) and sinapinic acids (20.97 mg/100 g). Ferulic acid concentration was highest in the two samples. The concentration of the flavonoid compounds in YTG and BTG followed the same trend: flavones (52, 81%) &gt; flavonols (36, 19%) &gt; flavanones (7, 0%) &gt; flavanols (5, 0%) &gt; isoflavones (0, 0%). The 2,2'-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) values were 86.20% and 37.5% (YTG) and 38.30% and 42.8% (BTG).Keywords: Tigernut, phenolic profile, flavonoids, antioxidant activit

Effect of processing techniques on the nutrients and antinutrients contents of tigernut (cyperus esculentus l.)

No Abstract

Effects of levamisole hydrochloride on cellular immune response and flock performance of commercial broilers

Levamisole hydrochloride (Lev.HCl) has been acclaimed to boost immune response particularly in immunocompromised state. Its routine use as an immunomodulator in poultry production is yet to be well embraced, thus its effects of on cellular immunity and flock performance of commercial broilers were evaluated. One hundred and fifty Anak broiler chicks were separated into two groups of 75 each. Broilers in group 1 were sensitized with 150µg of Staphylococcus aureus antigen each at 4 and 5 weeks, while those in group 2 were not sensitized. Each group was further divided into subgroups A, B, and C. Levamisole hydrochloride (40 mg/kg) was administered orally to 1A and 2A at 45 and 46 days of age and to 1B and 2B at 47 and 48 days of age, while 1C and 2C were not treated. At 47 days of age, 12 broilers from all subgroups were challenged with 75µg of S. aureus antigen each at the right wattle. Wattle thickness was measured till 72 hours post challenge (pc) and delayed wattle reaction (DWR) was determined. Tissues were harvested at 72 hours pc for histopathology. Morbidity, mortality and live weights at 8 weeks of age were recorded. DWR peaked at 4 hours pc in 1A (2.22 ± 0.21 mm) and 1B (2.96 ± 0.21 mm) and 24 hours pc in 1C (3.39 ± 0.34 mm), the difference being significant (p<0.05). Inflammatory lesions were observed in wattles of sensitized subgroups and were more severe in 1C. Mortality rates were 4.17% and 29.17% in 1A and 1C respectively. Mean live weights in A and B i.e. 1.57± 0.06 kg and 1.56 ± 0.06 kg respectively, were significantly higher (p<0.0) than 1.43 ± 0.08 kg in C. Levamisole enhanced DTH via an early response, improved broiler liveability, and its anti-inflammatory property was confirmed