Good Quality Protein Research Articles

Comparison of protein quality and digestibility between plant-based and meat-based burgers

Nowadays, consumers are increasingly inclined toward plant-based meat analogues for sake of food security, safety, and sustainability. This growing interest, not only from consumers but also from food companies, brought the offer on the market to be wide and vast. From our previous study it emerged that the market supply, especially the Italian one, is diversified both in terms of protein sources and nutrient content. Although these products are increasingly consumed, for most of the meat analogues today on the market, little is still known about their actual protein quality and digestibility. To fill this gap, in this study different commercial plant-based burgers (2 soy-based and 2 pea-based) were selected and compared to two beef burgers, as controls, in terms of protein quality and digestibility. The findings of this study demonstrated the essential amino acidic profile lacks lysine for almost all burgers (including the meat-based ones) compared to the amino acid scoring pattern set by FAO/WHO (for older children and adults), even if the sum of essential amino acids was within the range of sufficiency. All samples showed good initial protein integrity with low hydrolysis (above 6%) and percentage of D-enantiomers (above 15%). The study of the digestibility, performed by the validated INFOGEST in vitro model, showed better protein solubilisation in the case of meat burgers (63 ± 3% and 61 ± 8%), but a good digestibility also in the case of plant-based ones (from 55% to 40%). The degree of hydrolysis of the solubilised proteins was very high in all samples (from 65% to 40%) indicating a very good protein accessibility to digestive enzymes. The analysis of the peptide fraction of digestates indicated a high prevalence of collagen proteins in beef burgers and of reserve proteins in plant-based burgers. This study showed that the differences between these products are mostly dependent on the quality of the raw materials used, rather than on the vegetal or animal protein source. Therefore, to have a product with a good protein quality and digestibility, independently from the protein origin, the consumer needs to make an accurate choice, carefully reading the ingredient list.

Reptile Bushmeat, an Alternative for the Supply of High Biological Value Proteins?

The sustainable use of wildlife is considered a tool for conservation in addition to generating benefits for the local population. Commercial reptile hunting targets skins, generating other by-products such as meat and fat. Meat from hunted reptiles is widely available in localities where management plans are in place and is evaluated as easily accessible for hunters and their families. The objective of our research was to evaluate the percent composition, protein composition and microbiological quality of black and white tegu and yellow anaconda meat. For this study, we obtained meat samples of both species from wild specimens. The composition of both meats showed a proportion of moisture greater than 70%, a good proportion of protein (around 20%) and a low proportion of intramuscular fat (<2%). In the meat of black and white tegu, we found all of the essential amino acids in the recommended proportions, while the meat of yellow anaconda tryptophan did not reach the recommended levels to meet adult requirements. Both meats had good microbiological quality and were free from pathogenic bacteria. The results obtained reveal distinctive nutritional qualities of the meats analyzed, which can be recommended as an alternative and/or complementary source of good quality protein for human consumption.

Mecanismos asociados con la modificación del endospermo en maíz de calidad proteínica

Protein quality maize (QPM) combines the protein quality of the opaque-2 (o2) mutant with a vitreous endosperm. These characteristics have allowed breeding programs worldwide to produce QPM genotypes that help alleviate malnutrition of people in developing countries from Africa, Asia and Latin America with a cereal-based diet. However, the development of these materials has been inefficient due to the limited knowledge about the molecular basis of the conversion of the soft o2 endosperm into a vitreous phenotype in QPM. This conversion has been associated with an increase in small protein bodies rich in 27 kDa γ-zein, the synthesis of starch with a higher proportion of amylose and short-intermediate amylopectin chain branches that favors the compaction of the starch granules, as well as alterations in the amyloplast envelope that favors the interaction between starch granules and protein bodies. Additional studies about the mechanisms involved in the modification of the endosperm in QPM will contribute to produce materials with good agronomic characteristics and protein quality.

Complementary Feeding Practices and Childhood Malnutrition in South Africa: The Potential of Moringa Oleifera Leaf Powder as a Fortificant: A Narrative Review.

Poor complementary feeding is a common practice in developing regions, including South Africa (SA), and is one of the main contributing factors to childhood malnutrition. This paper reviews the literature on complementary feeding practices in SA and the potential of fortifying home-prepared complementary foods with Moringa oleifera to improve their nutritional composition. Studies that investigated complementary feeding practices, indigenous crops, nutritional benefits of Moringa oleifera, and the use of MOLP as a fortificant both locally and globally were included in this review. In SA, maize meal and commercial cereal are the most commonly used complementary infant foods. The diet consumed by children from vulnerable households commonly has insufficient nutrients. Foods consumed are generally high in starch and low in other essential nutrients, including good-quality protein. Impoverished individuals consume poor-quality foods as they are unable to afford a diversified diet with food from different food groups, such as protein, fruits, and vegetables. In SA, various programs have been implemented to reduce the incidence of childhood malnutrition. However, childhood malnutrition remains on the rise. This shows a need for complementary food-based strategies that can be implemented and sustained at a household level. This can be conducted through the use of accessible indigenous crops such as Moringa oleifera. Moringa oleifera contains essential nutrients such as proteins, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals. Therefore, it could possibly be used as a home-prepared complementary food fortificant to enhance nutritional composition. Before complementary foods can be fortified with Moringa oleifera, popular home-prepared complementary foods must be identified.

White Lupine (Lupinus albus L.) Flours for Healthy Wheat Breads: Rheological Properties of Dough and the Bread Quality.

Protein-based foods based on sweet lupine are gaining the attention of industry and consumers on account of their being one of the legumes with the highest content of proteins (28-48%). Our objective was to study the thermal properties of two lupine flours (Misak and Rumbo) and the influence of different amounts of lupine flour (0, 10, 20 and 30%) incorporations on the hydration and rheological properties of dough and bread quality. The thermograms of both lupine flours showed three peaks at 77-78 °C, 88-89 °C and 104-105 °C, corresponding to 2S, 7S and 11S globulins, respectively. For Misak flour, higher energy was needed to denature proteins in contrast to Rumbo flour, which may be due to its higher protein amount (50.7% vs. 34.2%). The water absorption of dough with 10% lupine flour was lower than the control, while higher values were obtained for dough with 20% and 30% lupine flour. In contrast, the hardness and adhesiveness of the dough were higher with 10 and 20% lupine flour, but for 30%, these values were lower than the control. However, no differences were observed for G', G″ and tan δ parameters between dough. In breads, the protein content increased ~46% with the maximum level of lupine flour, from 7.27% in wheat bread to 13.55% in bread with 30% Rumbo flour. Analyzing texture parameters, the chewiness and firmness increased with incorporations of lupine flour with respect to the control sample while the elasticity decreased, and no differences were observed for specific volume. It can be concluded that breads of good technological quality and high protein content could be obtained by the inclusion of lupine flours in wheat flour. Therefore, our study highlights the great technological aptitude and the high nutritional value of lupine flours as ingredients for the breadmaking food industry.

Moringa oleifera Leaf Powder as New Source of Protein-Based Feedstuff Improves Growth Performance and Cecal Microbial Diversity of Broiler Chicken.

Currently, the lack of protein source feed has become a pressing issue. Moringa oleifera leaf powder (MOLP) has good potential for the development of protein-derived feeds due to its good protein quality and abundance, but little is known about its effects on broiler growth performance and cecal microbiota. In this study, the chickens were fed different rates of MOLP (1%, 3%, 5%, 7%, and 9%) instead of the rape seed cake, and the effects of different levels of MOLP on growth performance, carcass characteristics, and cecal microbiota of the broilers were evaluated at two different growth stages (day 28 and day 56). In terms of growth performance, the best results were obtained at the 3% MOLP level in the early stages (p < 0.05). In terms of carcass characteristics, in the early stage, the level of 5% MOLP had the best effect; in the later stage, 5% MOLP also had the best effect. In terms of cecal microbial changes, the alpha diversity analysis revealed that 5% MOLP enhanced the richness and diversity of broiler intestinal flora. At the phylum level, the addition of 5% MOLP adjusted the relative abundance of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes to a level close to that of the A1 group on day 28, while 5% MOLP significantly reduced the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes (p < 0.05) compared to the A2 group on day 56, and the relative abundance of Firmicutes was still higher in the D2 group than in the A2 group (p < 0.05). At the genus level, MOLP addition consistently and significantly increased the relative abundance of Bacteroides (p < 0.05), except for 3% on day 28 and 1% on day 56. For Oscillospira, increasing MOLP levels in the pre- and post-period resulted in a significant decrease in the relative abundance of Oscillospira (p < 0.05). In conclusion, MOLP helps to enhance growth performance and carcass characteristics and improve the cecal microbial structure of broilers. The recommended rate of MOLP addition for broilers is 5% in both the early and late stages.

Identification and examination of nitrogen metabolic genes in Lelliottia amnigena PTJIIT1005 for their ability to perform nitrate remediation

Lelliottia amnigena PTJIIT1005 is a bacterium that utilizes nitrate as the sole nitrogen source and can remediate nitrate from media. The annotation was done related to nitrogen metabolic genes using the PATRIC, RAST tools, and PGAP from the genome sequence of this bacterium. Multiple sequence alignments and phylogenetic analysis of respiratory nitrate reductase, assimilatory nitrate reductase, nitrite reductase, glutamine synthetase, hydroxylamine reductase, nitric oxide reductase genes from PTJIIT1005 were done to find out sequence identities with the most similar species. The identification of operon arrangement in bacteria was also identified. The PATRIC KEGG feature mapped the N-metabolic pathway to identify the chemical process, and the 3D structure of representative enzymes was also elucidated. The putative protein 3D structure was analyzed using I-TASSER software. It gave good quality protein models of all nitrogen metabolism genes and showed good sequence identity with reference templates, approximately 81–99%, except for two genes; assimilatory nitrate reductase and nitrite reductase. This study suggested that PTJIIT1005 can remove N-nitrate from water because of having N-assimilation and denitrification genes.

Probing of alpha, beta and kappa-caseins polymorphic variants in Gangatiri cow milk with the use of polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and HRAMS.

This research communication aimed to probe the genetic polymorphisms of alpha, beta, and kappa caseins in Gangatiri cows (an indigenous Indian cattle). Detection of variants has received considerable research interest in the dairy industry and animal breeding in recent years as a source of good quality protein, but also of bioactive peptides that may be linked to health implications. The polymorphic nature of casein fractions and their association with milk production traits, composition, and quality also attracted several efforts in evaluating the allelic distribution of different casein locus as a potential dairy trait marker. Molecular techniques of polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and high-resolution accurate mass-spectrometry have been applied to this probe. Sequence analysis of different casein types in the cows showed the presence of four specific variants.

PERSPECTIVE ON THE PROS AND CONS, MANUFACTURING ASPECTS, AND RECENT ADVANCES IN NON-DAIRY MILK ALTERNATIVES

Cow's milk has served as a crucial part of the human diet for ages due to its nutritional benefits. However, in recent years, non-dairy milk alternatives (NDMAs) have surpassed cow's milk in its popularity due to different issues associated with cow's milk consumption. Although NDMAs contain additives, sweeteners, are deficient in good quality protein and entail a lack bioavailability of nutrients, they make for an appealing choice of consumers since they are a good source of bioactive components and carry a healthy fatty acid profile. Despite their popularity, there are concerns regarding their commercialization, as they lack stability upon storage and standardized technology for their large-scale production. The problems present a broad field for both the food industry and researchers to work synergistically in developing novel milk alternatives that are wholesome, healthy, cost-effective, and have better techno-functionality. This review comprehensively assesses the current scenario, health aspects, and production technologies in developing NDMAs, considering the accompanying challenges and promising prospects.

Hemp seeds: Nutritional value, associated bioactivities and the potential food applications in the Colombian context.

For many years, Colombia was one of the countries with the largest illegal cultivation of cannabis around the world. Currently, it is going through a period of transition with a new government law that recently allows the cultivation, transformation, and commercialization of such plant species. In this sense, the identification of strategies for the valorization of products or by-products from Cannabis sativa represent a great opportunity to improve the value chain of this crop. One of these products is hemp seeds, which are exceptionally nutritious and rich in healthy lipids (with high content of three polyunsaturated fatty acids: linoleic acid, alpha-linolenic acid, and gamma-linolenic acid), good quality protein, and several minerals. In addition, hemp seeds contain THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) or CBD (cannabidiol) in traces, molecules that are responsible for the psychoactive and therapeutic properties of cannabis. These low terpenophenolic contents make it more attractive for food applications. This fact, together with the constant search for proteins of vegetable origin and natural food ingredients, have aroused an important interest in the study of this biomass. Some bioactivities of phytochemical compounds (polyphenols and terpenoids, mainly) present in hemp seeds have provided antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties. This review summarizes and discusses the context of hemp use in Latin-American and the new opportunities for hemp seeds culture in Colombia considering the valuable nutritional value, main functional bioactivities, and recent advances in food market applications of hemp seeds.

Discriminant Analysis (DA) Technique for Identification Sex and Breed of Rabbits Depending on Morphological Traits

ABSTRACT Rabbits are a basic source of protein in many areas around the world. Rabbits are characterized by meat of good quality and high protein source. It is of importance to study and predict different rabbit characters. A total of 720 data values of three different breeds of rabbits (NewZeland White, Californian, and Rex) and both sexes were used. Discriminant analysis (DA) was used to classify the three rabbit breeds and genders based on the morphological characters (body length (BL), chest circumference (CHC), abdominal circumference (ABDC), thigh circumference (THC), ear length (EL) and ear width (EW)). Data were analyzed using the procedures of DA on SPSS 23 statistical package. The results were that ear width showed a strong participation (0.646) in discriminating the three breeds and explained most of the variance while body length (-0.608) was next in importance as a predictor followed by abdominal circumference (0.531) and the other variables were less contribution. Abdominal circumference is the most significant morphological trait as a discriminating variable (0.695) in discrimination between male and female and explained most of the variance followed by ear width (0.560) then the body length (-0.531). It is found that 59.2 % correct classification of the rabbit breeds using the discriminant functions was achieved and 70.8 % correct classification of the rabbit sexes using the discriminant functions was achieved.

Effect of Soaking and Salt-Water Blanching on the Proximate, Antinutrients and Amino Acid Profile Composition of Cream Coloured Pigeon Pea Flours

The study was on the effect of processing: soaking and salt-water blanching and cooking on the proximate, anti-nutrient and amino-acid composition of cream coloured pigeon pea seeds’ flours. The proximate composition analysis showed significant (p&gt;0.05) differences between the values obtained for crude protein, ash, fat, crude fibre, carbohydrates and moisture, in the raw/untreated and the processed pigeon pea. Healthy cleaned pigeon pea seeds (2.5kg) were divided into five portions of 500 g each. They were subjected to five different processing methods and coded AOP, BXY, CZK, DRN and EVT respectively. AOP represented the untreated flour; BXY represented salted and 1h boiled pigeon pea flour; CZK represented salted and 2h boiled pigeon pea flour; DRN represented 24h soaked and 1h boiled pigeon pea flour while EVT represented 2h boiled pigeon pea flour sample. The flours’ crude protein contents ranged from 19.54 to 21.68%, crude fat ranged from 2.40 to 3.96%; ash ranged from 3.48 to 5.20 %; fibre ranged from 9.45 to 10.19%, moisture ranged from 4.70 to 6.46 % while carbohydrates ranged from 50.48 to 57.49%. In the anti-nutrients’ assays, processing significantly reduced the levels of oxalate, saponins, alkaloids, tannins, cyanide and phytate. In addition to the significant differences, straight cooking without salt blanching or soaking yielded the highest levels of leucine, lysine, phenylaline, tryptophan, valine, methionine and histidine, 7 out of the 8 essential amino acids. The result of essential amino acid indices of the sample flours revealed that the flours are of good protein quality. This result also showed that straight-cooking yielded highest crude protein and highest levels of the essential amino acids. Also, processing generally lowered the levels of anti-nutrients in the pigeon pea seeds’ flours, thus making them safer for consumption. Salt-blanching yielded more softening and pastry product.

Chemical and microbiological quality of commercial fresh and frozen chicken drumstick in Umuhia, Nigeria

Chicken meat, an excellent source of good quality proteins, is highly susceptible to microbial contaminations and heavy metals from feeds, processing, and retailing environments, thereby posing health risks to consumers. Therefore, the proximate composition, heavy metal concentrations, and microbial loads of commercial fresh and frozen chicken drumsticks, randomly sourced from poultry farms and groceries, respectively, within Umuahia metropolis, Abia State, Nigeria, were investigated to ascertain their qualities. A total of 40 (20 each of the fresh and frozen) chicken drumstick samples were processed and analyzed for proximate (moisture, fats, ash, proteins, fibers, and carbohydrates), heavy metal (cadmium, chromium, copper, manganese, nickel, zinc, and lead) contents, and microbial loads (total viable counts, Escherichia coli counts, Salmonella counts, Staphylococcus counts and fungal counts) and characterization using standard techniques. Results were analyzed statistically (p&lt;0.01, 0.05). The fresh chicken drumstick samples had significantly higher (p&lt;0.01, 0.05) levels of moisture (61.38 ± 0.34 %), proteins (22.30 ± 0.02 %), ash (5.27 ± 0.17 %) and microbial contents (0.24 × 102 CFU/g to 2.42 × 104 CFU/g), when compared with the frozen drumstick samples with significantly higher (p&lt;0.01, 0.05) contents of fats (3.70 ± 0.13 %), carbohydrates (12.55 ± 0.27 %) and heavy metals (0.047 ± 0.017 mg/kg to 0.852 ± 0.456 mg/kg). This suggests that fresh chicken drumstick is more nutritionally beneficial, provided they are thoroughly treated with heat before consumption to prevent foodborne diseases from bacterial and fungal contaminations. Although the levels of heavy metals in both meat samples are below the toxic limits, consumers should be wary of bioaccumulation and bio-magnification of heavy metals when constantly exposed to them. Hence, constant surveillance of chicken meat is encouraged to monitor their exposure levels to these chemicals and biohazards.

Plant leaf proteins for food applications: Opportunities and challenges.

Plant-based proteins are gaining a lot of attention for their health benefits and are considered as an alternative to animal proteins for developing sustainable food systems. Against the backdrop, ensuring a healthy diet supplemented with good quality protein will be a massive responsibility of governments across the globe. Increasing the yield of food crops has its limitations, including low acceptance of genetically modified crops, land availability for cultivation, and the need for large quantities of agrochemicals. It necessitates the sensible use of existing resources and farm output to derive the proteins. On average, the protein content of plant leaves is similar to that of milk, which can be efficiently tapped for food applications across the globe. There has been limited research on utilizing plant leaf proteins for food product development over the years, which has not been fruitful. However, the current global food production scenario has pushed some leading economies to reconsider the scope of plant leaf proteins with dedicated efforts. It is evident from installing pilot-scale demonstration plants for protein extraction from agro-food residues to cater to the protein demand with product formulation. The present study thoroughly reviews the opportunities and challenges linked to the production of plant leaf proteins, including its nutritional aspects, extraction and purification strategies, anti-nutritional factors, functional and sensory properties in food product development, and finally, its impact on the environment. Practical Application: Plant leaf proteins are one of the sustainable and alternative source of proteins. It can be produced in most of the agroclimatic conditions without requiring much agricultural inputs. It's functional properties are unique and finds application in novel food product formulations.

ANALYSIS OF DIGITAL MARKETING PERFORMANCE AGAINST MAGGOT (HERMETIA ILLUCENS) MARKETING EFFECTIVENESS

Maggot or Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) is a source of good quality protein. A household business can produce maggots, so developing and increasing production and marketing using digital marketing is necessary. It is believed that improving marketing performance can increase the readiness of producers to increase their maggot production, open new business opportunities, and empower the community's economy. This study aims to determine the effectiveness of maggot marketing using digital marketing with regression analysis methods. The research tended to experimental research with a descriptive approach to measuring the effectiveness of the digital marketing of mangosteen. The study was carried out in Surabaya, Malang, and several cities in East Java at maggot production and sales centers from January until June 2022. Respondents' identities were previously identified as producers, sellers, and potential buyers and were recommended by both producers and sellers. The results showed satisfaction with conventional marketing results, fear of being unable to serve a broader market, understanding of business development strategies, and understanding of product quality. The magnitude of the influence of the five variables can be explained by 42.6% percent. Of the five significant variables, only one variable that contributes to the reduction in the effectiveness of maggot marketing is the variable of satisfaction with the acquisition of conventional marketing results.&#x0D; Keywords: Correlation; Regression analysis; Digital Marketing; Maggot.

Field Screening and Molecular Characterization of Urdbean Genotypes for Yellow Mosaic Disease

Background: Urdbean [Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper] is an important pulse crop in India as well as in South East Asia. It is an excellent source of easily digestible, good quality protein. Mungbean Yellow Mosaic Virus causing Yellow mosaic disease (YMD) is one of the most devastating diseases affecting urdbean production and productivity to a large extent. Identification of resistant genotypes is one of the most important aspects in the management of MYMV diseases. The current study aimed to identify the MYMV resistant urdbean genotypes in order to manage and control the MYMV disease. Methods: In present investigation, a total 100 urdbean genotypes were screened against MYMV under natural field conditions in the augmented design by planting 2 rows of two test entries each alternated with one row of susceptible check. Further, selected genotypes which showed disease free, highly resistant, resistant, moderately resistance and susceptible reaction in field screening were used to tag RAPD markers associated with MYMV resistance in urdbean. Result: Out of 100 genotypes tested, only one genotype, NDU 12-1 was found to be disease free, twenty seven genotypes found to be highly resistance and four genotypes showed resistance consistently for four consecutive seasons (two summer and two Kharif) during 2017-2018. However, four genotypes were found to be superior for seed yield among all the genotypes tested as well as resistant to MYMV. The RAPD analysis clearly grouped all the MYMV resistant genotypes studied in cluster I whereas the susceptible genotypes were clustered together in the cluster II. The present work has successfully identified the MYMV resistant urdbean genotypes which can be used in MYMV resistance breeding programme.

Evaluation of Aurantiochytrium mangrovei Biomass Grown on Digestate as a Sustainable Feed Ingredient of Sea Bass, Dicentrarchus labrax, Juveniles and Larvae

The use of microalgae as a sustainable source of n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) as an alternative to fish oils from small pelagic fish (e.g., anchovy, sardine) has received growing interest in the past few years. The present study aimed to: (i) produce Aurantiochytrium mangrovei biomass by heterotrophic fermentation using a medium containing anaerobic digestion liquid effluent, and (ii) evaluate a biomass rich in n-3 LC-PUFA and good quality proteins as a feed ingredient for sea bass juveniles and larvae. Two 800 L bioreactors were used to produce Aurantiochytrium biomass in non-axenic conditions. Biomass was then filtered through a crossflow filtration system (300 Kda ceramic membrane) and freeze-dried. Sea bass juveniles (32.7 ± 4.2 g) were fed both a control diet and a diet containing 15% of freeze-dried A. mangrovei biomass for 38 days. Juvenile survival percentage was 90% on average in both dietary conditions. Similar growth was observed between fish fed with both diets, demonstrating the feasibility to replace 15% of a standard fish feed by Aurantiochytrium biomass. The liver of sea bass juveniles fed with the A. mangrovei diet contained significantly higher proportions of 22:6n-3, 22:5n-6, and 20:4n-6 than those fed with the control diet, while the proportions of 16:0, 16:1n-7, and 18:1n-9 were significantly lower. The secondary oxidation, as measured by malonylaldehyde (MDA) content, in the liver and muscle of juveniles fed with the microalgae diet tended to be higher than in fish fed the control diet, but the differences were not statistically significant. Although the larvae survival percentage was low for all the tanks after 41 days of rearing, the inclusion of 15% of hydrolyzed A. mangrovei biomass in the larvae micro-diet did not impair the development of sea bass larvae and only marginally affected their lipid composition. In the future, we have to further optimize a sustainable workflow between Aurantiochytrium cultivation and fish feed production and confirm the zootechnical and biochemical results.

Backyard poultry farming with improved germplasm: Sustainable food production and nutritional security in fragile ecosystem

Approximately 3 billion people were unable to afford a healthy diet in 2019 because of poverty and inequality. Most of these people live in Asia and Africa. Furthermore, 30% of the world population was affected by moderate to severe food insecurity in 2020, and most of this population lives in low- and middle-income countries. The world is at a critical juncture, and there is an urgent need for transformative food systems that ensure the empowerment of poor and vulnerable population groups, often smallholders with limited access to resources or those living in remote locations, as well as the empowerment of women, children, and youth (FAO,2018). The backyard poultry production system (BPPS), as practiced by 80% of the world's rural population, can be that transformative change in low- and middle-income countries. Although the BPPS has low productivity, it still plays an important role in the food and nutritional security of rural people living in fragile ecosystems. Backyard poultry has been recognized as a tool for poverty alleviation and women empowerment besides ensuring food and nutritional security for rural poor. Poultry meat and eggs are the cheapest and best source of good quality protein, minerals, and vitamins. The introduction of improved backyard poultry germplasm has improved the productivity of this system in resource-poor settings and thereby improved the income and nutritional security of poor households. With these birds, the availability, access, utilization, and stability of food security have improved at household and national levels. Diseases, predation, non-availability of improved germplasm, lack of access to markets, and lack of skills are the major constraints to the adoption of improved backyard poultry. These constraints can be addressed by involving a network of community animal service providers. The improved backyard poultry germplasm will dominate the backyard poultry production system in the future and will be a tool for ensuring food and nutritional security on a sustainable basis, more particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

Proximate composition and heavy metal content of Pleurotus tuberregium mushroom grown on different substrates in (Aba) Nigeria

Mushrooms have been widely used as food and food supplements in Nigeria and other countries of the world for millennia. They are highly nutritious so they contain good quality carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and minerals. This study determined the proximate, the effects of some substrates (best medium) on the yield and the heavy metal content of mushrooms of Pleurotus tuberregium (Fr.) Sing., grown in the laboratory. Four different substrates were used in the experiment to grow the mushrooms namely: topsoil, sawdust, riversand, and mixture of riversand and sawdust respectively. The quality of the fruit body produced was measured with the use of ruler and vernier calipers. Some heavy metals (Cd, Cr and Pb) were analyzed using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. The parameters measured were: number of fruiting bodies, height of stipe, fresh weight, diameter of pileus and diameter of stipe. The result of the experiment on production of mushroom revealed that mushrooms on riversand substrate had the highest mean stipe height, the widest mean pileus and the significantly (p&lt;0.05) highest yield. Nutritional parameters were measured and it was found that highest crude fiber content was found in the mushroom grown in mixture of riversand and sawdust substrate; mushrooms on riversand substrate had the highest carbohydrate percentage content and ash content was highest in Pleurotus tuberregium mushroom grown on topsoil substrate. The contents of Cd, Cr and Pb were all below the detection limit of the instrumentation for Pleurotus tuberregium mushroom grown on all substrates. From this study, the choice of substrate for the growth of mushroom for human and industrial use should be considered to enhance yield and prevent exposure to heavy metal contaminants.

Simultaneously genetic selection of wheat yield and grain protein quality in rice-wheat and soybean-wheat cropping systems through critical nitrogen efficiency-related traits.

Analyzing the contribution of nitrogen (N) uptake and its utilization in grain yield and protein quality-related traits in rice-wheat (RW) and soybean-wheat (SW) cropping systems is essential for simultaneous improvements in the two target traits. A field experiment with nine wheat genotypes was conducted in 2018–19 and 2019–20 cropping years to investigate N uptake and utilization-related traits associated with high wheat yield and good protein quality. Results showed that N uptake efficiency (NUpE) in the RW cropping system and N utilization efficiency (NUtE) in the SW cropping system explained 77.6 and 65.2% of yield variation, respectively, due to the contribution of fertile spikes and grain number per spike to grain yield varied depending on soil water and N availability in the two rotation systems. Lower grain protein content in the RW cropping system in comparison to the SW cropping system was mainly related to lower individual N accumulation at maturity, resulting from higher fertile spikes, rather than N harvest index (NHI). However, NHI in the SW cropping system accounted for greater variation in grain protein content. Both gluten index and post-anthesis N uptake were mainly affected by genotype, and low gluten index caused by high post-anthesis N uptake may be related to the simultaneous increase in kernel weight. N remobilization process associated with gluten quality was driven by increased sink N demand resulting from high grain number per unit area in the RW cropping system; confinement of low sink N demand and source capability resulted in low grain number per spike and water deficit limiting photosynthesis of flag leaf in the SW cropping system. CY-25 obtained high yield and wet gluten content at the expense of gluten index in the two wheat cropping systems, due to low plant height and high post-anthesis N uptake and kernel weight. From these results, we concluded that plant height, kernel weight, and post-anthesis N uptake were the critically agronomic and NUE-related traits for simultaneous selection of grain yield and protein quality. Our research results provided useful guidelines for improving both grain yield and protein quality by identifying desirable N-efficient genotypes in the two rotation systems.