OIL EXTRACT FROM LOCAL LEAVES - AN ALTERNATIVE TO SYNTHETIC MOSQUITO REPELLANTS

Apart from the fact that chemical based (synthetic) repellents have been discovered to have unfavourable effects on man and livestock, they are expensive, non-biodegradable and no longer efficient due to adaptation of mosquitoes to them. With these shortcomings, an eco-friendly plant based insecticide as an alternative is urgently needed. This study was based on using the oil extracts from local leaves namely: Hyptis Sauveolens, Mentha spicata, and Cymbopogon citratus leaves as mosquito repellent. The leaves’ oil extracts were screened for the presence of phytochemicals (secondary metabolites only). The phytochemical screening result showed that leaves’ oil extracts contained flavonoids, tannins, phenols, steroids, terpenoids, saponins, glycosides and anthraquinones. Different concentrations of the oil extracts were incorporated into the formulated body lotion/body cream. The lotion with the highest concentration of the oil extract (0.6 ml) had the highest repellence time lasting up to about eight (8) hours. The leaves’ oil extract was analysed using Gas chromatography- Mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) to identify the chemical composition, and only major chemical components were reported in this work

EVALUATION OF GLUCOSE SYRUP PRODUCED FROM CASSAVA HYDROLYZED WITH MALTED GRAINS (RICE, SORGHUM & MAIZE)

The crude malt obtained from the grains were hydrolyzed with cassava starch to obtain glucose syrup. 94.33% malt was produced from maize, rice had 84.46% malt, while sorghum had 84.97% malt. Glucose syrup yield was greatest using sorghum malt with percentage yield of 75.55%, 52.37% using rice malt, and while maize malt had 48.33 % syrup. Maize sample had highest malt yield but lowest glucose syrup yield showing that glucose syrup yield is in dependent on malt yield but on the quality of amylase produced during malting. Analysis on the glucose syrup obtained gave the following results: moisture content of 13.8%, 14.5%, 15.4%; ash content of 0.02%, 0.04%, 0.01%; carbohydrate 86.47%, 84.76%, 83.01%; total reducing sugar (invert sugar) 85.79%, 83.86%, 82.58%; total soluble (sugar brix) 100°Brix, 110°Brix, 105°Brix for rice, sorghum and maize samples respectively. Dextrose equivalent, viscosity, colour and taste of the end products were also analyzed. Microbial analysis was 2×101, 5×101, 3×101 cfu/mL for glucose syrup from rice, sorghum and maize samples respectively with no trace of yeast or mold growth making the glucose syrup fit for consumptio

Anaerobic Decomposition of Cattle Manure Blended with Food Waste for Biogas Production

The concern on how food and livestock waste should be managed and recycled has greatly increased in the world. This research investigated the anaerobic decomposition (digestion) process for biogas production on dairy cattle manure (CM) and food waste (FW) using a bacteria as inoculum - Pseudomonas aeruginosa. CM and FW were co-digested with bacteria (P. aeruginosa) as the substrate. FW was allowed to decompose separately without inoculum for 30 days. Digesters (Bioreactor) were prepared in five places to monitor the maximum biogas production, generation rate of methane and number of days for the production of biogas. 1 to ratio 5ml and 10ml of FW were co-digested with P. aeruginosa (bacteria) in 2 proportion and also Cow manure with 1 to ratio 1 and 0.5ml in 2 proportions [ 1:5ml; 1:10ml and 1:1; 1:5ml]. Batch process operation was used under mesophilic condition (35⁰C) for the digesters/bioreactor. Production of biogas was notices on the third and fourth day after commencement for the digesters with cattle manure, fourth to fifth day for the digester (bioreactor) with bacteria and third day for the digester with only FW. FW and CM generated highest cumulative biogas with volume of 88.5g/kg

Effect of various temperatures on the nutritional compositions of fermented African locust bean (Parkia biglobosa) seed

The effect of temperature on the nutritional values of fermented African locust bean (Parkia biglobosa) seed were studied. Temperatures ranging between 40 to 70⁰C were used for the fermentation. Biochemical and physiological analysis were evaluated. Highest nutritional values were obtained with samples fermented at lower temperatures (40 and 50⁰C) and they all had acceptable end products while all the samples fermented with higher temperature (60 and 70⁰C) gave poor nutritional values with unacceptable end products. Bacillus subtilis was used as starter culture and fermentation was carried out for 5 days (120 hours). An increase in moisture, protein, crude fat contents and decrease in total carbohydrate and crude fibre were noticed for all the fermentation temperature variation. The Organic functional groups were identified and characterized using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The effect of temperature on the morphological structure of fermented sample

Effect of Varying Drying Temperature on the Soluble Sugar and Nutritional Content of Banana

Aims: In this work, the effect of drying temperature on the available carbohydrate is investigated. Background: Nigerian climate favours the cultivation of banana and it is a ready fruit delight available in almost all homes. Hybrids and polyploids of the species musa acuminata and musa balbisiana are very common. Unfortunately, post-harvest losses of 40 – 60%, of this energy rich fruit are encountered yearly. Drying is very old method of preservation which has stood the test of time. Bananas are known to possess high carbohydrates with low glycaemic index which makes it a healthy fruit or snack. Objective: To determine the optimum drying temperature for the drying of Banana fruit. Methods: The banana fruit was peeled and sliced to about 5 mm thickness and dried in a tray dryer at varying temperatures of 40 °C, 50 °C, 60 °C and 70 °C. The control sample was air dried at the average prevailing temperature of 30 °C. Results: Results obtained showed that increased drying temperature leads to more loss of moisture from the samples and in turn, favoured an increase in the available carbohydrate in the dried fruit. The ash, fat and crude fibre content marginally changed with drying temperature. Conclusion: The optimum temperature for treated and untreated samples, from the results obtained, were 60 °C and 70 °C respectively. Drying impacts positively on the available sugar in the Banana fruit