In recent years, studies have been focus not only on the nutritional properties of Vernonia amygdalina, but its pharmacological, medicinal and antioxidant values. The antioxidant, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, haematological, antiplasmodial, antimicrobial, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, pharmacological and medicinal value of Vernonia amygdalina is no longer in doubt and is comprehensively documented in this study. Some studies attribute its medicinal properties to its phytochemical compounds while other studies link its health benefits to its bioactive components. It is expected that this review will be useful to researchers, agriculturists and herbal medical practitioners and improve interest in the study and utilization of this plant in other part of the globe where it is not presently cultivated or utilize. Relevant information was obtained from online resources such as Google Search, Google Scholar, PubMed and Medline. Only literature highlighting the nutritional, medicinal, pharmacological, and antioxidant activities of the plant were selected for this review.

Quality of plain set yoghurt was investigated by varying levels of ultrafiltration concentration of cow skim milk (1-without ultrafiltration, 1.5 and 2 folds) and inoculum (2, 2.5 and 3%) of yoghurt culture (Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus 1:1). Titratable acidity development and pH reduction were significantly faster during incubation of yoghurt with increasing ultrafiltration concentration level and inoculum level. Increased ultrafiltration concentration level decreased spontaneous whey syneresis, but increased water holding capacity and firmness of the product significantly. Body & texture and overall acceptability scores were significantly better in yoghurts prepared from 1.5 fold concentrated milk irrespective of the inoculum level studied. Inoculum level did not show any significant effect on the quality of yoghurt, but higher inoculum level decreased the incubation period significantly. Optimized product was obtained with 1.5 fold concentrated skim milk standardized to 3.3% fat and incubated with 2% inoculum level in about five and a half hour of incubation. Optimized product had 13.60±0.02% total solids, 3.31±0.01% fat, 5.27±0.04% protein, 4.20±0.03% lactose and 0.82±0.02% ash. Whey syneresis, water holding capacity and firmness in optimized product were nil, 63.49% and 1.89 N, respectively. Thus, high quality plain yoghurt could be prepared by employing ultrafiltration, without addition of stabilizers, which is otherwise widely used commercially for the manufacture of yoghurt to control its wheying off and body.

Sous vide is a cooking method in which food is heat processed after vacuum packaging in heat stable pouches. Meat, chicken, fish and vegetables can be cooked by this method; even meals containing these ingredients can be preserved by heat processing after precooking and vacuum packaging steps. Meanwhile sous vide cooking is a preservation method that the product is cooled rapidly after heat processing and can be stored for long periods. By this method, food can be cooked in vacuum packed without losing its flavour, taste and nutritional value. In this review, the effects of sous vide cooking on the major nutrients of vegetables such as antioxidant compounds and vitamins will be mentioned.

Human being have been consumed mushrooms due to their aroma and flavour. The macro-nutritional properties such as ash, protein fat, carbohydrate and energy and fatty acid ingredients of Lactarius deliciosus (L.) Gray, Lactarius deterrimus Gröger, Lactarius salmonicolor R. Heim & Leclair and Lactarius semisanguifluus R. Heim & Leclair were studied. The results indicate that the moisture was between in the range of 86.8-91.1%, while the ash 5.1-9.2%, and the protein 9.4-19.0%, and the fat 0.6-1.1%, and the carbohydrate 71.8-83.9, and the energy calculated between 372.1-382.6 kcal/100 g dry weights. The major fatty acids were determines as stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid and palmitic acid in the range of 6.68-39.41%, 26.94-47.12%, 9.78-23.85% and 9.7-14.43% respectively.

The aim of this study was to investigated the effects of the egg shape index on egg quality characteristics in Guinea fowl. For this, the eggs were classified in terms of egg shape index, as ≤ 75, < 76 -77 > and ≥ 78. A total of 100 Guinea fowl eggs were evaluated to determine the egg quality traits ( egg weight, eggshell thickness, eggshell surface area, eggshell weight per unit surface area, eggshell ratio, albumen index, albumen ratio, yolk index, yolk ratio, yolk/albumen ratio, haugh unit and egg volume). In this study, eggshell thickness, eggshell weight per unit surface area, eggshell ratio, albumen index, albumen ratio, yolk index, yolk ratio, yolk/albumen ratio and haugh unit were not significantly affected by egg shape index groups. Whereas egg weight, eggshell surface area and egg volume were significantly affected by egg shape index groups. At the same time, there were found significant relationship between the egg shape index and egg quality traits. Egg shape index was found to be an important factor affecting the egg quality characteristics.

Salmonella is considered as a global problem ranking first among food borne diseases. All motile Salmonella of poultry origin are zoonotic and readily transmit to human via meat and eggs but reports on non - typhoidal Salmonella serovars circulating in layer chickens is very limited in South-East Asian countries including Bangladesh. Salmonella serovars isolated from apparently healthy chickens were characterized in the present study. Of 170 samples (cloacal swab 150 and feed 20) collected from commercial layer farms, motile Salmonella was isolated 4% (6/150) and 50% (10/20) respectively by cultural, biochemical, motility test and by detection of hisJ gene. About 5% (8/170) samples possessed serovar-specific gene fimA, suggesting that isolates were Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing demonstrated that the isolated serovars were multidrug resistant. Therefore apparently healthy layer chickens harbour and transmit S. Typhimurium to the environment, although little is alarming since it has zoonotic significance and the isolates were resistant to commonly used first line of antibiotic in Salmonella infection.

Lupin seeds of genetically improved cultivar (Golo) were subjected to different processing methods and investigated according to anti-nutritional factors content and protein quality. Results showed that tannin content of raw seeds was significantly increased in sprouted and debittered seeds before and after boiling but in fermented seeds it declined significantly. Phytate content was significantly decreased in all processed seeds with a significant reduction observed in germinated seeds. The reduction in Phytate as a result of processing was accompanied by a significant improvement in protein digestibility. The protein content of lupin seeds decreased in sprouted seeds and increased in fermented and debittered ones. Boiling of the seeds even the sprouted ones significantly increased the protein content compared to raw lupin seeds. In raw lupin seeds, globulins comprised the major fraction followed by glutelin. Debittered seeds characterized by high glutelin, fermented are characterized by high globulin while germinated characterized by both fractions. Most of the amino acids level was increased after processing of the seeds.

This study examines the impact of New Integrated Management Package (IMP) adoption on income and poverty among fodder farming household in Sahl El-Tina. The IMP such as Rate, time, and methods of nitrogen fertilization and other fertilization, Leaching requirements for some crops, Intercropping system, Use of suitable crop genotype/variety, Use of modern irrigation systems or modified systems to save water, date, rate and method of planting. The study aims mainly to improve the lives of small farmers through the level of dissemination and application of cultivation techniques forage crops tolerant to salinity through develop and disseminate technologies packages of forage production. And reducing their probability of falling below the poverty line. Therefore suggest that intensification of the investment on IMP dissemination is a reasonable policy instrument to raise incomes and reduce poverty among fodder farming household. It used instrumental variables (IV)-based estimator to estimate the Local Average Treatment Effect (LATE) of adoption of IMP on income and poverty reduction, using cross-sectional data of 200 farmers from Shal El-Tina. The findings reveal a robust positive and significant impact of IMP adoption on farm household income and welfare measured by per capita expenditure and poverty reduction. Specifically, the empirical results suggest that adoption of IMP raises household per capita expenditure and income by an average of 529.27$ and 1371$ in Shal El-Tina per cropping season respectively, thereby reducing their probability of falling below the poverty line. Therefore suggest that intensification of the investment on IMP dissemination is a reasonable policy instrument to raise incomes and reduce poverty among fodder farming household, although complementary measures are also needed. The incidence of poverty was higher among non-IMP adopters (55.2%) than IMP adopters (49.5%). In addition, both the depth and severity of poverty were also higher (20.85% and 15.42%) among non-adopters than the adopters (18.48% and 9.88%). All three poverty measures indicate that poverty was more prevalent and severe among non-adopters compared to adopters.

We evaluated the effect of saw dust ash (SDA) and poultry droppings (PD) on soil physico-chemical properties, soil carbon and nitrogen stock and their effects on the growth and yield of okra (Abelmoshus esculentus) on a typic haplusult in Owerri, Imo State Southeastern Nigeria. The experiment was a factorial experiment consisted of saw dust ash applied at the rates of 0, 5 and 10 t/ha and poultry droppings applied at the rates of 0, 5 and 10 t/ha. The treatments were laid out in a randomized complete block design and replicated four times. Results showed that plots amended with 10 t/ha PD + 10 t/ha SDA significantly reduced soil bulk density from 1.37 – 1.07 g/cm3, increased soil total porosity from 48.4 – 59.7% and the percentage of soil weight that is water (soil gravimetric moisture content) was increased by 68.4%. There were significant improvements on soil chemical properties with plots amended with 10 t/ha PD + 10 t/ha SDA recording the highest values on soil organic carbon, soil total nitrogen and exchangeable bases. Plots amended with 10 t/ha PD + 10 t/ha SDA significantly increased soil carbon stock by 24% and soil nitrogen stock by 49.5% more than other treatments. There was significant increase in the growth of okra when compared to the un-amended soil with application of 10 t/ha PD + 10 t/ha SDA increasing the fresh okra pod yield by 78.5%. Significant positive correlation existed between SCS and organic carbon (r = 0.6128), exchangeable Mg (r= 0.5035), total nitrogen (r = 0.6167) and soil pH (r = 0.5221). SNS correlated positively with organic carbon (r = 0.5834), total nitrogen (r= 0.6101) and soil pH (r = 5150). Therefore applications of these agro-wastes are effective in improving soil properties, increasing soil carbon and nitrogen stock. From the results of the work, application of 10 t/ha PD + 10 t/ha SDA which was the treatment combination that improved soil properties and growth performances of okra than other treatments studied is hereby recommended for soil carbon and nitrogen stock improvement and okra production in the region.

The aims of this study were to determine the physicochemical properties of extracted gelatins from mackerel (Scomber scombrus) and sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) bones and compare with those of commercial fish and bovine gelatins. The yield of gelatin obtained from the bone of mackerel and sea bass were 5.98 and 6.20%, respectively. Two extracted gelatins showed higher protein content, lower moisture content compared to both commercial gelatins, indicates that the gelatin has considerably high purity. Melting temperatures of mackerel and sea bass bone gelatins were 25.5 and 23°C, respectively. Mackerel bone gelatin was yellow in appearance and higher L* value than both commercial gelatins. It can be concluded from the present study that mackerel and sea bass bone are a prospective source to produce gelatin in good yield with desirable functional properties comparable to commercially available mammalian and fish gelatins.