Effect of Process Parameters on Efficiency of a Mechanical Expression Rig for Almond Oil and Its Physico-chemical Properties

The process parameters that can affect the extraction efficiency of a mechanical expression rig (MER) for almond kernel (Terminalia catappa) were investigated in an optimization study using central composite design (CCD). A four factor, five levels of CCD was applied to study the effect of moisture content (6 - 10% w.b), temperature (80 – 100oC), heating time (10 – 26 min.) and applied pressure (5.84 – 7.01MPa) using the chosen rage. The physico-chemical properties of the expressed Almond oil were also determined using standard procedure. The results of the study showed that all the variables significantly affected the expression efficiency at 95% confidence level. The optimum expression efficiency of 76.35% was obtained at temperature, pressure, heating time and moisture content of 93.34oC, 6.44MPa, 17.16 minutes and 8.71% wb respectively. This indicates that the MER performed satisfactorily. The experimental values were very close to the predicted values with p<0.05.The regression model obtained has provided a basis for selecting optimal process parameters for the recovery of oil from almond kernel using the MER. The physico-chemical properties investigated showed that refractive index, viscosity, saponification value, iodine value, free fatty acid value, acid value, peroxide value, flash, and fire points are within 2 the range suitable for many purposes as it showed that it is edible and conforms to CODEX standard for edible oil

The Case for Translanguaging in Black Immigrant Literacies

Black immigrant youth in the United States tend to be considered a new model minority because of the perception that they perform academically better than their African American peers. Yet, Black immigrant youth face challenges with literacy performance that often go unnoticed by teachers, which amplifies the invisibility of their literacies. I assert that nuances presented in the literacies of Black immigrant youth as they become Black, become immigrants, and become speakers of racialized Englishes, necessitate the use of a theoretical lens that allows researchers to foreground race and mediate the linguistic and cultural expectations of these youth. To demonstrate, I propose the lens of translanguaging premised on an integrated model of multilingualism. This perspective provides a basis for foregrounding racialized language to facilitate an ideological understanding surrounding how Black immigrant youth leverage Englishes in their individual linguistic repertoires (i.e., I-languages) to enact literacies. At the same time, it provides an opportunity to understand how these youth engage the often-imposed structural rules of shared grammars within and across these Englishes (i.e., E-languages) in ways that influence these literacies. By presenting Black Caribbean immigrant youth’s literacies as a unique example to foreground racialized language via translanguaging for examining the Englishes of bidialectal youth, I encourage researchers to empower youth to navigate theoretical tensions that remain central to translanguaging research. More broadly, I invite researchers to think beyond dichotomies while clarifying what it means for youth of color from varied backgrounds to leverage their literacies and thrive