Influence of Processing Methods on Protein Quality of Atlantic Horse Mackerel (Trachurus trachurus)

Protein quality is a long-accepted paradigm for human protein needs however the quality is affected with processing methods. The protein and amino acids content of poached or charcoal or wood smoked horse mackerel fish (HMF) were determined using standard methods. Chemical analyses were carried out on the processed fillet and skin, head and bone (SHB) diets under standard conditions. A total of 40 weaned male rats were fed with processed fillet or SHB diets for 12 days to assess protein quality and amino acids digestibility. Fish samples were also analyzed for protein efficiency ratio (PER), net protein ratio (NPR), Protein Digestibility-Corrected Amino Acid Scores (PDCAAS), true and apparent protein digestibility (TPD and APD). Results showed that the wood smoked fillet had the highest PDCAAS regarding to the controls whereas PER, NPR and TPD was highest in SHB. The best results were obtained from animals fed on coal or wood smoked fillet/SHB on protein quality and amino digestibility parameters selective. The SHB could be used as a valuable source of ingredients for animal feeds and human consumption instead of being discarded as agricultural waste. Keywords: Processing methods, protein quality, growth performance; amino acids, Atlantic horse mackerel, agricultural waste/discard

Growth Performance of Weaned Male Albino Rats Fed on Processed Atlantic Horse Mackerel (Trachurus trachurus)

Trachurus trachurus is a table fish, locally called kote in south-west Nigeria. Fish processing (like poaching and smoking) generates reactive di-carbonyl compounds & poly-aromatic hydrocarbons that affect its digestibility. Study determined the effect of processing methods on growth performance of weaned male albino rats reared on Atlantic horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus). Chemical analyses were carried out on processed fillet; skin, head & bone (SHB) diets under standard conditions. 40 weaned male albino rats were fed with processed fillet or SHB diets for 14 days to assess protein digestibility via: feed intake, weight gain, feed efficiency ratio (FER), feed conversion ratio (FCR), water intake & faecal output. Animals fed on coal smoked fillet diet had the best growth, in terms of weight gained, FCR & FER respectively; followed by the wood smoked SHB diet (p<0.001) compared to the positive control. The best results were obtained from animals fed the smoked fillet / SHB. The SHB could be a significant source of valuable ingredients for animal feeds & human consumption. Keywords: Processing methods; Growth performance; Feed Efficiency Ratio; Feed Conversion Ratio; Trachurus trachurus, Agricultural waste / Discard

Variations in the Levels of Total Protein, Urea and Ureate in Weaned Male Albino Rats Fed on Processed Atlantic Horse Mackerel

Trachurus trachurus (locally called kote) is a table fish sold for human consumption in Nigeria. Processing methods like poaching and smoking interfere with nutrients and are potential sources of reactive di-carbonyl compounds (RDCs) and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). This study determined the variations in the levels of total protein, urea and ureate in weaned male albino rats fed on processed fillet; skin, head and bones (SHB), using standard methods. Chemical analyses were carried out on processed fillet & SHB diets under standard conditions. 40 male rats (40.76 ± 2.42g) were fed with processed fillet or SHB diets for 14 days to assay for on total protein, urea and ureate. All data were subjected to analysis of variance by Duncan’s multiple range test and considered significant at a minimum of p < 0.05. Results indicated that levels of serum electrolyte, proteins and urea were insignificant (p>0.05).  Study suggests that coal smoked kote SHB showed great promise as a possible protein substitute in animal feed, if gathered it could be utilized as a form of protein concentrate at little costs thus reducing costs of feeds due to highly priced casein, fish meal, soybean meal and groundnut cake (GNC) in south western Nigeria. Keywords: Processed kote; Full blood count; total protein; Urea and Ureat

Serum Electrolytes, Creatinine (CRT) & Hematological (Hg) Indices of Rats Fed on Processed Atlantic Horse Mackerel

Trachurus trachurus (locally called kote) is a low cost table fish in Nigeria. Study determined effect of processed kote fillet; skin, head and bones (SHB), on serum electrolytes (calcium, potassium, chloride, sodium & creatinine) & full blood count in weaned male albino rat using standard methods. Chemical analyses were carried out on processed fillet; skin, head & bone (SHB) diets under standard conditions. 40 male rats (40.76 ± 2.42g) were fed with processed fillet or SHB diets for 14 days to assess. Individual blood samples were analyzed for serum electrolytes & full blood count. All data were subjected to analysis of variance by Duncan’s multiple range test. Levels of calcium, potassium, chloride & sodium of rats fed with the test diets were insignificant (p>0.05) compared to the control groups. Levels of white blood cell & platelet in the wood smoked & poached fillet were elevated (p<0.05) than in the controls. Overall coal smoked fillet and SHB showed improved (p<0.05) levels of serum electrolytes, creatinine and hematological indices, at the expense of mild effects of high levels of processing on red blood count & haemoglobin. Processed kote SHB could be a good substitute for soy meal in animal feed. Keywords: Wood & coal Smoking, Poaching, Full blood count, Serum electrolyte & Trachurus trachuru

Variations in Proximate Composition of Clupea harengus (Fillet & Skin, Head and Bones (SHB)) after Different Heat Treatment

Clupea harengus is a table fish locally called sawa in south west Nigeria. It is among the freshwater fishes that are abundant and economically cheap. Present study assessed the effect of heat treatment on proximate composition and sensory qualities in the fillet and SHB (skin, head and bone) of Clupea harengus; using smoking (wood and coal) and poaching methods. Proximate analysis was done via standard analytical techniques and sensory evaluation of the processed fish was conducted by categorical ranking. All processing methods significantly (p<0.05) increased levels of protein and ash, but (p<0.05) reduced the fat and crude fibre contents in the fillet. Wood smoking of SHB recorded highest protein, ash and crude fiber contents of 55.65±4.20, 15.26± 0.53 and 13.40± 1.14 respectively. Highest protein concentration was obtained for wood & charcoal smoked in both fillet and SHB; but lowest in the poached fish (fillet and SHB). Moisture content was highest (72.07± 1.29%) in the poached SHB; but lowest in charcoal smoked fillet & SHB (44.01± 0.03 & 44.01± 0.00%) respectively. Wood and charcoal smoked fish samples were found most palatable by the panellists. Data obtained from this study demonstrated that processed fillet and SHB could be a veritable source of valuable ingredients for human consumption and animal feeds. Keywords; Heat treatment; Clupea harengus; proximate; sensory evaluation, agricultural waste; discards

The same course, different access: the digital divide between urban and rural distance education students in South Africa

Access to education is a significant determinant in future success, not only for a country but equally for individuals. Higher Education (HE) thus is an integral part of the Sustainable Development Goals and vital in supporting African development. Despite this, there is often a lack of access to HE in many parts of Africa, distance education can subsequently play an important role in increasing access to education by providing materials online. Even though institutions such as the University of South Africa, a provider of Open Distance Learning (ODL), can open access to HE for many marginalised and peripheral communities, we cannot separate access to ODL education from the debate of access to ICTs. Students in urban areas have a significantly different educational experience to students with poor ICT access in urban, peri-urban and rural areas. This paper explores the nature of access to ICT and how this affects students’ ability to access HE

The effect of solution annealing and ageing during the RSW of 6082 aluminium alloy

Abstract In the automotive industry there is a growing tendency for the application of high strength aluminium alloys. In spite of their significant role in weight reduction there are still obstacles for their wider use due to their limited formability and weldability. Hot forming and in-die quenching (HFQ) process was recently developed for the forming of car body sheets. During the HFQ technology the sheet metal forming should be performed in a solution annealed condition. In the solution annealed condition the aluminium alloys have lower strength and better formability properties. The forming process is followed by a precipitation hardening which is generally connected with the painting of body parts (bake hardening). Besides the formability the implementation of HFQ has an effect on the weldability properties, too. HFQ must have an effect on the resistance spot welding (RSW) of aluminium sheets since the weld nuggets are produced after the HFQ, in the assembly part of the production chain, when the aluminium alloy is in a solution annealed and formed condition. The final properties of the welded joints are determined by the precipitation hardening which is the final step of the whole production process. The present research work aims to investigate the effect of the HFQ process on the weldability of AA6082-T6 aluminium alloy. The properties of the RSW joints are examined in different conditions (T6 delivery condition, solution annealed, precipitation aged). The materials tests include conventional macro testing, hardness tests and tensile-shear tests extended with EDS (Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy) and EBSD (Electron Backscatter Diffraction) tests in order to characterize the distribution of alloying elements and to analyze the grain structure