FUNGAL CONTAMINANTS ASSOCIATED WITH SOME FOOD STUFF IN OWERRI, SOUTHEAST, NIGERIA

This study aimed at isolating and identifying fungal contaminants of some selected food items (rice, maize, beans, groundnut, and peanut) in Owerri, Imo State Nigeria. An oral ethical approval was obtained from the Market Master before sample collection. Different fungal contaminants were isolated from all the selected raw and boiled food items that were directly seeded unto Sabouraud Dextrose Agar (SDA) supplemented with chloramphenicol, incubated at room temperature for 7 days, and were checked for growth daily. From the results obtained, a total of six (6) fungi were isolated and identified from all the samples cultured. The total of each mycotoxin-producing fungi isolated is Aspergillus spp. 8 (29.6%), Penicillium spp. 5 (18.5%), Mucor spp. 5 (18.5%), Rhizopus spp. 5 (18.5%), Geotrichum spp. 3 (11.1%) and Botrytis spp.1 (3.7%). Out of all the fungal isolates, a frequency of 3.3 (55.6%) was identified from the raw food samples and 2.7 (44.4%) from the boiled samples. The slight dissimilarity seen between the raw and boiled food fungal isolates is a result of the denaturation of the nutrient value of the grains during boiling and the ability of the fungal spores (that are thermoduric and heat-stable) to form a biofilm that can resist deactivation

Niosomes of Nerium oleander extracts: In vitro assessment of bioactive nanovesicular structures

WOS: 000393626900019Niosomes are known as non-ionic surfactant-based vesicles and have been used quite a lot for medical applications as a novel drug delivery system in recent years. Herein we describe, the preparation and characterization of niosomes containing oleander (Nerium oleander) (ONs) extract as the herbal compound. In this context, niosomal formulations of two different extracts obtained from oleander roots were prepared by a thin film hydration technique using Tween 60 (non-ionic surfactant) with a cholesterol mixture at 1:1 M ratio. These vesicular structures were characterised by various techniques such as atomic force microscopy, zeta potential and dynamic light scattering size measurements. ONs vesicles are less than 100 nm in size with a good physical stability more than 50 days. Initially, total phenolic and flavonoid contents and antioxidant activities of the extracts were investigated. The methanol extract of oleander roots (MOE) showed higher polyphenolic content and exhibits a better antioxidant activity in compared to the hydro-methanol (20% methanol) extract (MOWE). Total phenolic contents in the MOE and MOWE were calculated as 64.51 +/- 0.945 mu g/mg and 65.05 +/- 0.37 mu g/mg gallic acid equivalents, respectively. Encapsulation efficiencies of the vesicles were found as 16.2% for MON (contain MOE) and 13.24% for MWON (contain MOWE). The significant linear correlation Was confirmed between the antioxidant activity and total phenolic content of extracts as well as ONs. Cell based cytotoxic activities of methanol extract and MON formulations were also assessed via KIT assay using Hela and A549 cell lines. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK)Turkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Arastirma Kurumu (TUBITAK) [2209/A]The project outlined in this paper was supported by The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) 2209/A Research Projects Support Program for University Students