The food industry has been working to decrease artificial additives while simultaneously creating products that contain ingredients that have positive effects on human health and enhance physical and mental well-being, as well as essential nutrients. Recently, spirulina has gained increased recognition as a functional food due to its antioxidant, immune system-modulating, and cholesterol-lowering qualities. In this regard, the focus of this research was to study the nutritional characteristics of dried spirulina algae and assess the impact of spirulina powder as a novel ingredient in the construction of potato snacks by analyzing the physicochemical and sensory aspects of the snack samples containing 1.5, 2.5, 3.5 and 5% spirulina powder. According to the obtained results, spirulina recorded the highest value of protein, fat, crude fiber, ash, minerals and antioxidants, which reflected on the spirulina enriched potato snacks physicochemical and sensory aspects in comparison to the control sample. Spirulina enriched snack provides a substantial amount of protein and antioxidants including phycocyanin, chlorophyll a and carotenoids. Enrichment of snacks resulted in an improvement in texture attribute, while other attributes decreased by increasing the spirulina fortification concentration; however no significant (p≤0.05) differences were recorded among potato snack samples fortified with 1.5, 2.5 and 3.5% spirulina powder for taste, color, odor and texture, Meanwhile a significant difference was observed for overall palatability between samples 1.5 and 3.5%, which were acceptable.

Maize requires high nutrients and sensitive to zinc deficiency, which causes a disorder called “White bud” and is considered an indicator plant for zinc deficiency. Zinc deficiency is the most widespread among micronutrients and about 50 % of soils in our country are deficient it, leading yield losses in major food crops and contributing to zinc deficiency in our diet. Considering the above facts a field experiment was laid out in Randomized block design with three replications on a clay soil at the Agricultural College Farm, Bapatla. The treatments consists of soil, foliar or a combination of ZnSO4 applications at 15 & 30 DAS against control. The results revealed that the highest values for baby corn yield, green and dry fodder yield, per day productivity at 20, 40 DAS and at harvest, physical ear attributes such as ear length, girth, ear weight with and without husk, ear density and chemical quality parameters including crude protein, sugar, ash and zinc content in plant and ear were recorded with combination of soil application of zinc sulphate at 25 kg ha-1 and foliar spray @ 0.2 % at 15 DAS and 30 DAS i.e. T12 followed by T11, T10 and T9 treatments and the lowest values for crude fibre and husk percentage were also registered under the same treatment conditions.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the heterofermentative Lactobacillus brevis (MF098783) strain on the fermentation characteristics, aerobic stability, chemical and microbiological composition, and in vitro digestibility of wheat straw silage. Wheat straw was ensiled with three different concentrations of L. brevis (10⁶, 10⁸, and 10⁹ cfu/g), forming the treatment groups (WSLB6, WSLB8, WSLB9), and these were compared with a control group (WS). A total of 64 silage samples were fermented under anaerobic conditions for 90 days. After fermentation, physical (pH, temperature, color), chemical (DM, CP, EE, CF, ADF, NDF, etc.), microbiological (LAB, yeast, mold), energy, and in vitro digestibility parameters (IVOMD, GP, ME, NEL) were analyzed. Statistical analyses were performed using ANOVA and Duncan’s multiple range test with SAS software. The L. brevis inoculation significantly reduced the pH values of the silages (P<0.001), indicating improved fermentation quality. The WSLB6 and WSLB8 groups showed increased crude protein and ether extract contents, and significantly lower ADF, ADFom, and crude fiber values (P<0.05–0.001) compared to the control. These groups also demonstrated higher metabolizable energy (ME), net energy (NEL, NEM), and in vitro digestibility. Microbiological analyses revealed reduced yeast counts and no mold growth in the inoculated groups, whereas the control had higher yeast levels. Post-aerobic stability assessments confirmed better preservation and microbial control in WSLB6 and WSLB8, reflected by lower pH and yeast counts. In conclusion, Lactobacillus brevis inoculation, particularly at 10⁶ and 10⁸ cfu/g concentrations, significantly enhanced the fermentation quality, nutritional value, and digestibility of wheat straw silage. These findings suggest that L. brevis holds strong biotechnological potential as a silage additive for enhancing feed quality and supporting sustainable livestock production.

Fermentation is one way to lower tannin levels and improve nutritional quality. The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of fermentation time and various rumen liquids on the nutrient content and tannins of Calliandra leaves. In this study, two factors were used, namely Factor 1 of fermentation time (L1:0 day, L2: 7 days, L3: 14 days) and Factor 2 of various types of rumen liquids (C1: sheep, C2: cattle), which were compiled in a Factorial Complete Random Design. The factors observed were crude protein, crude fiber, crude fat, and tannins. Based on the results, the interaction of Calliandra leaves fermentation using different fermentation time and rumen liquid had a very real influence (P<0.01) on the average value of crude protein (20.03-25.13%), crude fiber (9.27-12.84%), crude fat (0.97-1.80%), and tannins (23.22–36.65 TAE mg/g). Based on the results of this study, C1L3 and C2L3 which have crude protein content of 22.18% and 25.13%, respectively, crude fiber content of 9.84% and 11.44%, and crude fat content of 1.80% and 1.25% are the most ideal treatment combinations. However, with tannin levels of 2.32% and 3.19%, sheep rumen liquid has been proven to be more successful in reducing tannin levels than bovine rumen liquid.

The study aimed to improve the nutritional quality of poultry feed through whey fermentation. Whey, a by-product of the cheese industry rich in high-quality proteins, was incorporated into feed ingredients such as maize, wheat bran, soybean meal and auto rice polish. Sweet whey fermented by lactic acid bacteria was used in five different treatments: Control T0 (without whey), T1 (20 ml whey/100g feed), T2 (30 ml whey/100g feed), T3 (40 ml whey/100g feed), and T4 (50 ml whey/100g feed), incubated for 24, 48, and 72 hours in a 5x3 factorial design. Proximate analyses revealed significant nutritional improvements in the whey-fermented feeds. The results indicated that the optimal crude protein (CP) content was achieved in soybean meal at T3 (45.41%) and wheat bran at T1 (16.88%) after 72 hours. Crude fiber (CF) content decreased significantly, with T4 showing the lowest CF values across various feed types, enhancing digestibility. Ether extract (EE) and total ash content varied, with notable EE increases at T4 treatments. The study concluded that whey fermentation significantly enhances the protein content and digestibility in poultry feed with varying impacts on other nutritional components with 40 ml whey/100g feed for 72 hours incubation being the most effective treatment, suggesting a practical approach to improving poultry nutrition and production performance. This research provides a viable strategy for utilizing whey, contributing to the sustainable development of the poultry sector in Bangladesh. J. Sylhet Agril. Univ. 11(1): 31-36, 2024

Monkey kola is one of the underutilized tropical fruits found in Central and West African forests. In Nigeria, it is found in the South between the months of June and November. The aim of this study is to determine the nutrients, anti-nutrients and phytochemical composition of yellow monkey kola. Mature yellow monkey kola fruits purchased from Ogbete market Enugu State, Nigeria were analysed chemically to determine the nutrients, phytochemicals and anti-nutrients compositions using standard methods. The result showed that yellow monkey kola fruit pulp (endocarp) has values for crude protein (3.68%), ash (0.99%), moisture (90.55%), crude fibre (1.40%), fat (2.75%), carbohydrate (6.06%), potassium (358.50 mg/100g), iron (0.54 mg/100g), zinc (0.20 mg/100g), calcium (56.45 mg/100g), magnesium (33.67 mg/100g), vitamin A (55.48 IU), vitamin B1 (0.07 mg/100g), vitamin B3 (0.16 mg/100g) and Vitamin C (0.26 mg/100g). The results of phytochemical determination revealed that the yellow monkey kola contained saponin (3.07 mg/100g), alkaloid (1.99 mg/100g), tannin (16.57 mg/100g), flavonoid (6.37 mg/100g) and no value for phenol. The anti-nutrients content of yellow monkey kola were oxalate (7.90 mg/100g) and phytate (12.17 mg/100g). There is need to preserve, conserve and promote cultivation and utilization of monkey kola because of its rich nutrient content. Keywords: Monkey kola, antinutrients, nutrients, phytochemicals, Fruits

The feed depleted livestock industry gears to exploring non-conventional animal feeds. Among them is Palm kernel cake (PKC) for its potential use as animal feed hence the need for the study. PKC samples from Kigoma, Mbeya and Morogoro were collected for analysis of its nutritional composition, Van Soest fibre analysis and digestibility (invitro and in Sacco) which were done at the Tanzania veterinary Laboratory Agency (TVLA-Dar es salaam) and department of Animal, Aquaculture and Range Sciences (DAARS)- Sokoine University of Agriculture. The study found out that PKC samples from Kigoma and Mbeya had high Crude Protein and Ash (CP 19.2% and 18.1% CP) and (7.6 and 7.3% ash) but less energy (9.6 and 9.4 MJME/kgDM) and ether extract (EE 11.1% and 11.2%EE), respectively compared with those of Morogoro (12.7%CP, 5.6% Ash, 19.8% EE and 14.4 MJME/kgDM) though they had comparable Crude Fibre (CF) value (19.1-22.1). The contents of Neutral Detergent Fibre (NDF, 68.3 and 64.4%), Acid Detergent Fibre (ADF, 34.2% and 31%) for samples of Kigoma and Mbeya, were higher than those of Morogoro (48.8% NDF and 21.4% ADF) with almost similar Acid Detergent Lignin (ADL) results (6.9, 4.7 and 5.4%, respectively). Both Invitro and In Sacco digestibility were higher for samples from Mbeya (51.2 and 53.5%) respectively in comparison to samples from Kigoma (36.8 and 38.9%) and Morogoro (34.6 and 35.8%). In conclusion the study revealed a varying nutritional composition and digestibility of PKC samples collected from different regions of Tanzania which were however within the NRC recommended level hence being suitable for ruminant feeding.

The study was conducted to evaluate the proximate composition of selected energy, protein (plant and animal origin) and fibre feedstuffs for poultry feeding. The feedstuffs were obtained from Muda Lawal market in Bauchi town and were cleaned, milled and screened to fine particle size of less than 250µm. All the feedstuffs were subjected to proximate analysis for the determination of dry matter, crude protein, ether extract, crude fibre and ash while nitrogen free extract and metabolizable energy were computed using mathematical relationships. The results revealed that energy sources are generally higher in metabolizable energy with values ranging from 2830.50-3359.97kcal/kg in Dauro millet and yellow maize, respectively which were however, mostly low in crude protein (8.64 vs 11.67%). Of the plant protein sources, groundnut cake contains the highest crude protein (43.21%) closely followed by full fat soya bean (41.68%). The lowest crude protein was obtained on Bambara nut (22.61%). Blood meal contains the highest protein (70.62%) followed by industrial fish meal (64.55%) and local fish meal (59.19%). For fibre feedstuff, wheat offal contained the highest crude protein (16.24%) while the lowest value of 6.49% was obtained in rice offal. Rice offal had the highest crude fibre value of 31.23%. The local maize offal and millet offal are richer in energy (2250vs2275kcal/kg). It recommended that major ingredients of feeds (energy, protein, fibre) must be analyzed for nutrients, availability and density before incorporation into poultry feeds.

Because of the cost and inaccessibility of laboratory facilities, animal feed formulation at the farm level, in many parts of Ethiopia, is based on feed database information. However, nowadays many laboratories are phasing out the Weende crude fiber (CF) method of analysis. The fiber content of feeds available in most feed databases (including the sub-Saharan Africa feeds composition database) are a result of detergent method analysis (NDF, ADF and lignin). However, CF is still used in poultry feed formulation and forage analysis for horses, in addition to the neutral detergent fiber (NDF) fraction for determining fiber in different countries. Since there is a statistically (P<0.01) difference between the CF and acid detergent fiber (ADF) value of a feed, ADF can’t be used directly in place of CF. Therefore, this work aims to formulate a regression equation that could roughly estimate the CF level of a feed from its NDF and ADF values. Considering the strong multicollinearity between NDF and ADF, this study developed separate models for ADF and NDF and compared them based on R² and Akaike Information Criterion (AIC), and the ADF-based model provided a better fit. The equations 0.79×ADF-0.46, 0.01+0.79×ADF, and 1.37+0.62×ADF have effectively predicted CF for cereal grains and beans, pulses and byproducts, and also oilseed meals and cakes, respectively. For grass forages, the equation 3.38+0.76×ADF, tested on 10 forages, showed potential but remains unreliable due to its R² value below 0.8. Finally, it is concluded that this approach provides a practical alternative for estimating CF where laboratory services or database information are unavailable. Keywords: Crude Fiber, Estimation, Feed database information, Prediction, Regression.

The quality of jam is significantly impacted by the storage conditions. The present study addresses the imperative need for a nutritious and low-calorie fruit preserve by focusing on the development of an unconventional low-calorie papaya (Carica papaya L.) jam with enhanced nutritional qualities, and extended shelf-life by substituting sucrose with natural sweeteners Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana) and Chia Seed (Salvia hispanica) as a functional ingredient. Incorporating these natural sweeteners and functional ingredients is anticipated to improve the nutritional properties of jam while also addressing health issues linked to traditional high-sugar jams. Through a comprehensive investigation of the formulation, this research aims to elucidate the impact of stevia and chia seed on the product's nutritional value. Various low calorie papaya jam samples were formulated using nineteen different treatments. These jams were stored in pre-sterilized glass jars at ambient temperature. All nutritional aspects of these samples were assessed at two-month intervals over a period of six months. Results revealed that during the storage crude fibre value increased by (5.18 %-5.38 %) and crude fat content (0.78 %-0.82 %). Other end, moisture content dropped by (29.01 %-25.09 %), water activity (aw) (0.73-0.70), ash content (1.65 %-1.57 %), crude protein content (3.65 %-3.55 %), antioxidant activity (30.62 %-27.46 %), total flavonoid content (43.70 %-41.78 %) and total phenolic content (56.43 %-52.55 %), respectively. The nutritional evaluation depicted that the jam sample prepared with stevia @ 10gm/kg + chia seed @ 6.25%/kg + potassium metabisulphite @ 100mg/kg was considered best and demonstrated stability minimum for up to six months of storage, during which this period only minor changes observed in the nutritional characteristics and sensory ratings.

ABSTRAK Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui sifat fisik bakso ayam berupa susut masak, uji pH dan uji hedonik bakso ayam dengan penambahan kangkung (Ipomea aquatica), dimana kangkung ditambahkan dengan adonan bakso ayam. Penelitian dilakuakn menggunakan rancangan acak lengkap (RAL) yang terdiri dari 5 perlakuan dan 5 kali ulangan. Data yang diperoleh dianalisis menggunakan uji Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Hasil penelitian penambahan kangkung terhadap mutu hedonik dan kualitas fisik bakso ayam adalah tidak berbeda nyata terhadap susut masak dan serat kasar (P>0,05) namun berpengaruh terhadap pH dan betakaroten. Nilai susut masak tidak berpengaruh nyata (P>0,05) dengan signifikansi 9,42. Nilai pH berpengaruh nyata (P≤0,05) signifikansi 0,04. Nilai serat kasar tidak berpengaruh nyata (P>0,05) berkisar antara 29,75-40,9. Nilai betakaroten berpengaruh nyata (P>0,05) dengan rata-rata 127,8238-195,8330 meningkat seiring penambahan kangkung.Uji hedonik berdasarkan mutu sensoris warna, tekstur, aroma, dan rasa. Nilai warna penambahan kangkung tidak berpengaruh nyata (P≤0,05) rata-rata sebesar 5,32. Nilai tekstur penambahan kangkung berpengaruh nyata (P≤0,05) signifikansi sebesar 6,49. Nilai aroma penambahan kangkung berpengaruh nyata (P≤0,05) signifikansi sebesar 7,94. Nilai rasa penambahan kangkung berpengaruh nyata (P≤0,05) signifikansi sebesar 9,48. Kata kunci : Bakso ayam, Kangkung (Ipomoea Aquatica), Mutu Hedonik, Kualitas Fisik, Uji ANOVA. ABSTRACT Muhammad Faqih Minded Aljundy (202410008). The Effect of Adding Water Spinach (Ipomoea aquatica) on the Hedonic and Physical Quality of Chicken Meatballs. Thesis. Animal Husbandry Study Program, Faculty of Agriculture, Muhammadiyah University of Purworejo. 2024. Supervisors: Dr. Roisu Eny Mudwaroch, S.Pt., M.P., and Ir. Hj Zulfanita, M.P. This study aims to evaluate the physical properties of chicken meatballs, including cooking loss, pH test, and hedonic tests, with the addition of water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica), which was incorporated into the chicken meatball dough. The research employed a completely randomized design (CRD) with five treatments and five replications. Data obtained were analyzed using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The results showed that the addition of water spinach to chicken meatballs did not significantly affect cooking loss and crude fiber content (P>0.05) but had a significant effect on pH and beta-carotene levels. The cooking loss value was not significantly affected (P>0.05), with a significance level of 9.42. The pH value was significantly affected (P≤0.05) with a significance level of 0.04. Crude fiber values showed no significant difference (P>0.05), ranging from 29.75 to 40.9. Beta-carotene levels significantly increased (P≤0.05), with an average range of 127.8238–195.8330, increasing along with the addition of water spinach. Hedonic tests, based on sensory quality evaluations of color, texture, aroma, and taste, showed the following results : The addition of water spinach did not significantly affect color (P>0.05), with an average score of 5.32. Texture was significantly affected (P≤0.05), with a significance level of 6.49. Aroma was significantly affected (P≤0.05), with a significance level of 7.94. Taste was significantly affected (P≤0.05), with a significance level of 9.48. Keyword : Chicken Meatball, Water Spinach (Ipomoea Aquatica), Hedonic Quality, Physical Quality, ANOVA Test.

Healthy seeds samples of Bambara groundnut (Vigna subteranea L.) and sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) commonly found in Nasarawa State, Nigeria were studied for comparative nutritional evaluation with respect to proximate and amino acid compositions using standard analytical techniques. The respective proximate composition values (%) for the Bambara groundnut (Vigna subteranea L.) and Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) samples were: (10.39 and 3.53), crude protein (25.68 and 9.67), crude fat (25.67 and 3.44), ash (7.12 and 2.42) and crude fibre (10.39 and 3.53). The calculated nitrogen-free extract (NFE) was 26.10 and 71.07% respectively. The results showed that Bambara groundnut gives appreciable values of crude protein, fat and fibre which are twice the values obtained for sesame. The anti-nutritional composition phytate, for the two samples Bambara groundnut and sesame, recorded a triple digit’s values (mg/100g) of 188.74 and 186.77, tannins double digits value of 14.91 in Bambara while a single digit value of 8.91 in sesame respectively. The amino acid profile revealed that both samples contained useful quantities of most essential amino acid. Glutamic acid had the highest value in both samples 18.31 and 18.67 g/100g crude protein while cystine recorded the lowest value of 0.60 g/100g cp in Bambara and tryptophan 1.36 g/100g cp in sesame. By comparison with the FAO/WHO standards, the EAA score value of the samples based on white hen’s egg profile, showed that both samples are mostly greater than 1.0 g/100g except for Ile, Lys, Met + Cys (TSAA) and Thr in Bambara and Ile, Lys, Thr and Val in sesame which may require supplementation based on the provisional amino acid scoring pattern. The incorporation of the seeds into diets has the capacity of enhancing its health applications due to the presence of some important nutrients containing health-protecting and disease-preventing abilities.

The demand of fish-derived proteins is growing globally and this poses a huge challenge to the aquaculture sector. As Earlier research has focused mostly on the nutrient requirements and metabolic processes of cultured species, recent findings has also acknowledged that there is a need to understand how the compositions of diets influence physiological responses in farmed fish. This study assessed the proximate nutrient composition of wild and cultured male and female Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus, Linnaeus, 1758). Forty Nile tilapia were sampled with twenty from both sources and equal distribution of sexes. Condition factor assessment showed that both sexes for cultured fish are in better condition compared to their wild counterparts. Proximate analyses comprised moisture, lipid, ash, crude protein, dry matter, crude fiber, and nitrogen-free extract. The means of the data were presented using means and standard error and t-tests were used to determine the differences between the groups. In most of the parameters, there were no statistically significant differences; there was no difference in dry matter, ash, or crude fiber values in the sexes and in origins. However, minimal variations were observed: male tilapia had more crude protein and lipids, and females contained more nitrogen-free extract. This finding offers useful information about the nutrient profile and condition status of O. niloticus and provide information that can support sustainable aquaculture practices, fish processing decisions, and feed formulation.

This study evaluated the effects of germinated pigeon pea addition on chemical and sensory properties of maize-pigeon pea pudding. The maize grains were cleaned, dried, milled, and sieved to produce maize flour while the pigeon peas were sorted, soaked, germinated, dried, milled, and sieved to produce germinated pigeon pea flour. Maize and pigeon pea flours were prepared and combined in varying ratios (90.00:10.00, 87.50:12.50, 85.00:15.00, 90.00:10.00, 87.50:12.50, 85.00:15.00, 86.25:13.75, 88.75:11.25 and 85.00:15.00) using D-Optimal mixture design. The flour blends were investigated for their physico-chemical properties, proximate composition, minerals and anti-nutritional composition while the pudding was assessed for sensory acceptability. The water absorption capacity and titratable acidity ranged from 161.09 - 182.70% and 0.15-0.87% respectively. The range of values for moisture content, crude fat, total ash, crude fibre, crude protein and total carbohydrates were 8.48-10.34%, 9.47-11.55%, 1.07-2.17%, 1.20-2.42%, 11.96-15.56% and 61.69-67.21% respectively. Low amounts of tan-nin, saponin, oxalate, phytate and trypsin inhibitor were present in maize-pigeon pea flour blends. The values for potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron and zinc ranged from 61.74-71.19mg/100g, 4.92-6.56 mg/100g, 11.02-12.99 mg/100g, 6.82-8.93 mg/100g and 2.02-4.16 mg/100g respectively. Colour proper-ties (Lightness, redness and yellowness) varied significantly. However, sensory scores showed that pud-ding prepared from blend of 90.00% maize and 10.00% germinated pigeon pea was most accepted by the panellists.

Poultry is one of the leading subsectors of animal husbandry. However, despite its socioeconomic importance, it is considered a significant contributor to environmental problems through its waste production, including feathers. Feathers are protective layers that make up the typical outer wrapping. It can be found on feathery and in some non-feathery winged creatures. In this context, this research was conducted to determine the proximate, mineral, fatty acid, and amino acid profile in poultry feathers. The proximate analysis revealed the values of ash (1.40%), moisture (6.30%), crude fiber (9.20%), protein (67.50%), crude fat (2.90%), and carbohydrate (12.70%). The mineral elements (ppm) indicated sodium (0.04), magnesium (0.03), potassium (0.04), calcium (0.06), phosphorus (0.05), manganese (0.01), iron (0.01), and zinc (0.01). The amino acid profile showed that it contained sixteen amino acids which includes important amino acids most especially all the essential amino acids except lysine. In contrast, the fatty acid profile revealed that it contained twelve fatty acids. Among these, it includes basic saturated fatty acids such as glycine and rich in unsaturated fatty acid contents. The finding indicates that poultry feathers can contribute useful nutrients, mineral elements, fatty acids, and amino acids to livestock feed for maximum utilization and rapid development, making it a good potential and sustainable material from waste to wealth.

Comparative analysis, nutritional properties, and in-vitro gastrointestinal digestion of the antioxidant potential of roselle leaves using drying techniques

This research was conducted to compare different agronomic characteristics of some oat (Avena sativa L.) genotypes. The research was carried out in the trial fields of Trakya Agricultural Research Institute, located in Edirne, in 2018-2020. In the experiment, 15 oat genotypes along with 5 standard varieties namely; Kırklar, Kahraman, Küçükyayla, Yeniçeri and Sebat were used. The research plan was designed according to the Randomized Complete Block Design using three replications. In the study, thousand grain weight (TGW), hectolitre weight (HW), relative feed value (RFV), metabolic energy (ME), crude fibre (CF), crude ash (CA) and dry matter digestibility (DMD) characteristics were examined. As a result of this study, all the characteristic values of oat showed significant differences in terms of years except for; DMD. Additionally, all the examined traits showed significant differences in terms of genotypes. The average mean values of TGW, HW, RFV, ME, CF, CA and DMD of examined genotypes showed variation between 24.1-43.2 g, 50.1-62.6 kg/hl, 205.0-328.3, 2.56-2.76 Mcal/kg, 7.88-13.82%, 4.35-5.83% and 73.1-78.3%, respectively. Generally, genotypes 3 and 5 took the first place in terms of grain yield, whereas the genotypes 3, 4, 6, 10 and 11 in terms of grain nutritional values. Consequently, it is concluded that the genotypes 3, 4, 6, 10 and 11 have higher values in terms of the examined traits as compared to the rest genotypes. So, these genotypes would be more suitable for oat cultivation under similar ecological conditions with the expectation of satisfactory economic benefits.

Solid-state fermentation (SSF) offers a sustainable method for enhancing the nutritional quality of agricultural residues such as red rice bran. This study aimed to determine the optimal temperature and duration for SSF of red rice bran, focusing specifically on increasing the crude protein (CP) content and reducing the crude fiber (CF) content. SFF of rice bran with Aspergillus niger (A. niger) USM F4 was conducted over 14 consecutive days at three different temperatures (25°C, 35°C, and 45°C). A total of 63 samples of rice bran were divided into three temperature groups, each containing 21 samples. Three samples per group were collected at 48-hour intervals over the 14-day fermentation period. The fermentation process for the collected samples at 48-hour intervals was halted by oven drying at 60°C for 24 hours. The fermented products were subjected to proximate analysis for crude protein (CP), ash, ether extract (EE), and crude fiber (CF) contents using the methods outlined by the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC). The results revealed a significant effect of temperature and fermentation duration on CP, ash, EE, and CF content when compared to the unfermented rice bran kept at room temperature (25oC). The peak values of CP and the highest degradation of CF across all temperature levels were observed on day 10 while the maximum increase in ash and EE content occurred on day 8. Among the temperature conditions, the highest CP values and the lowest CF values were recorded at 35°C. Conversely, the lowest improvements in CP and CF degradation were observed at 25°C on day 10. In conclusion, the optimal conditions for SSF of rice bran with A. niger to enhance CP content and degrade CF are a temperature of 35°C and a fermentation duration of 10 days.

Yoghurt is a coagulated milk product obtained by controlled fermentation of lactose in milk by the action of Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophiles. Improvement of the sensory characteristics of yoghurt has been accessed with sucrose to enhance sweetness, cream to provide smoother texture with limited information on the use of fruit juices. This study was therefore carried out to access the effect of fruit (pineapple juice) on the taste and flavor of yoghurt. Yoghurt was prepared with ripe cayenne pineapple juice incorporated at different levels; T1: 0% (Plain yoghurt), T2: 0% (2% synthetic flavour), T3: 5%, T4: 10% and T5: 15%. Yoghurt samples were analyzed for proximate and nutritional composition as well as sensory properties. Yoghurt with 15% pineapple juice had the lowest fat (5.19%) and pH (4.05) values and was significantly different (p< 0.05) from other treatments. There were significant differences (p< 0.05) in the mean values of crude protein, fats and ash of the yoghurt samples. Crude protein, fats and ash values were significantly different (p< 0.05). Crude fibre values for 5, 10 and 15% were not significantly different (p>0.05) from each other but 15% pineapple juice yoghurt had the highest crude fibre value (0.19%). There was no significant difference (P>0.05) in the mean values for odour, colour and texture of yoghurt samples while 15% pineapple juice yoghurt had the highest score for taste (5.10). Graded levels of pineapple juice had an impact on the proximate and nutritional compositions, and also the sensory properties of yoghurt.

Smoking is a preservation method which improves the nutritional value and organoleptic properties of fish. However, consumers are becoming more aware of possible hazards and detrimental health impacts arising from food they consume and are more demanding in respect of freshness, freedom from pollutant and other intrinsic qualities of smoked fish. The nutritive and organoleptic qualities of African Catfish smoked using charcoal and briquette as energy source were assessed. Sensory evaluation was conducted on tenderness, taste, juiceness, texture, colour and overall acceptability of the smoked fish samples based on 9-point Hedonic scale. Proximate and nutritive value of the smoked fish was also determined using standard methods. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The mean value of crude protein, ash, ether extract, crude fibre and moisture content were 74.02±10.70, 4.53±1.20, 8.08±0.63, 8.08±0.63, 0.08±0.05 and 6.92±0.97 respectively for charcoal smoked fish samples and 76.86±2.95, 4.73±0.15, 8.08±0.33, 0.07±0.03 and 6.31±0.80 for briquette. The mean overall acceptability was also higher in charcoal (7.85±0.89) than briquette (7.72±0.52). T-test however showed that there was no significant difference (p>0.05) in the overall acceptability between charcoal and briquette. In conclusion, briquette produce good quality smoked fish just like charcoal.