IOSR-JESTFT   Volume-4 ~ Issue-5

Abstract: Three vegetables, lycopersicon esculentu (tomato), Telfaria occidentialis (Pumpkin leaves) Allium cepa (onion) were purchased from various markets in Osogbo metropolis and studied to determine their level of contamination and safety for human consumption. All the vegetables were washed with distil water, cultured with blood agar and subculture in nutrient agar to obtain pure cultures. 153 bacteria isolates made up of seven species of bacteria were made from the three vegetable groups. Bacillus species 70(45.16%) Microcaus spp .6 (3.87%), Escherichia coli 46(27.74%), Proteus vulgaris 6(3.87%), lactobacillus acidophilus 8(5.16%). Enterobacter aerogeres 12(29.68%), Alcaligen faecalis 7(4.52%) were the bacteria species were isolated bacillus, E.coli, were isolated from all the vegetables. All the seven bacteria species that isolated from tomatoes and fluted pumpkin leaves. Bacillus isolates were significantly higher than other bacteria isolates (P<0.5), variable bacteria counts from the vegetables were highest in tomatoes 9.3x107cfu 1ml; vegetable contamination with bacteria was observed in all the market highest in Alamisi market and least in Igbona market but statistically not significant (P>0.05). Poor processing by retailers and handling by sellers with unwashed hands was the attributed sources of vegetable contamination with bacteria. Row vegetable from the markets were considered unfit for human consumption and adequate cooking with proper handling before consumption is suggested.

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Abstract: This study assesses the level of potability of water samples harvested from different sources roof in Bosso LGA in Niger state, Nigeria. To achieve this goal a physiochemical analysis was carried out on three water samples collected from galvanized iron roofing sheets, a well and a borehole. The harvested water samples were analyzed for major physical and chemical quality parameters as recommended by World Health Organization (WHO) and Nigerian Standard for Drinking Water Quality (NSDWQ) and results compared. The results showed for pH (7.2, 6.6 and 7.5), alkalinity (48.7, 52, and 81.1), electrical conductivity (176, 104, and 230), total dissolved solids (88, 52, and 115), total hardness (55, 39, and 93), colour (4.0, 8.4, and 3.3), Temperature (23.2, 23.2, and 23.2), Zn (6, 4 and -), sulphate (0.9, 29, and 26), turbidity (2.1, 6.7 and 1.8), iron (0.14, 0.21, and 0.03) and TSS (0, 2.8 and 0) for galvanized iron roof sheet, well and borehole respectively. Some of the results observed met the recommended standards for drinking. Thus, rainwater from these rural settlements can be harvested and stored domestic purpose. Similarly, significant differences exist amongst the water samples collected from the three sources. Thus, rainwater from these sources should be purified before consumption.

Keywords: Borehole, domestic, physicochemical properties, rain, well

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Abstract: The escalating cost and the incidence of untoward effects associated with the use medicines of allopathic origin make the consumers incline towards alternative therapeutic agents. As dietary supplements are the most consumers' acceptable therapeutic agents used to mitigate malnutrition-induced diseases, this study was carried out to develop a symbiotic soft cheese. The Soft cheese was manufactured using substrates or starter cultures under standard physico-chemical and microbiological conditions. The moisture content, the pH values, acidity, as well as the bacteriological and organoleptic properties during storage of the soft cheese produced were evaluated. The results revealed that there was no significant difference (p<0.05) in all the properties of soft cheese evaluated. The results obtained from this research revealed that the soft cheese produced under standard physico-chemical conditions such as temperature, acidity, humidity and pH, and microbiological conditions such as the addition of starter cultures as well as Penicillium camemberti, could be a promising high quality nutraceutical for the treatment of malnutrition-induced diseases.

Keywords: Starter cultures, Nutraceuticals, Soft cheese, Whey, Rennet.

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Abstract: Organophosphorus (OP) poisoning is an important global health problem especially in developing countries like Egypt. . Estimation of erythrocyte cholinesterase (EChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) as an evidence of OP poisoning is costly, not regularly performed and shows wide inter-individual variability. Therefore, this study was designed to assess if serum creatine phosphokinase (CPK) can be used as a cheaper and easily available biomarker alternative of cholinesterase to stratify OP poisoning severity. All symptomatic patients within 6 hours of exposure to OP and without prior treatment who were admitted to Benha poisoning control unit (BPCU), Benha university hospitals, Egypt, during the period from 1st October 2012 to 31st March 2013 were enrolled in this study. The clinical severity of patients was categorized according to Peradeniya organophosphorus poisoning (POP) scale. The Glasgow coma scale (GCS), total dose of atropine "mg" and obidoxime "g" until final clinical outcome were calculated. BChE, pH and serum CPK levels were estimated following admission. ANOVA (F) test, Paired "t" test and Spearman's correlation coefficient (rho) were used as tests of significance. The total number was 60 patients; 51.7% were mild, 33.3% were moderate and 15% were severe. There was a highly significant correlation between initial serum CPK levels and severity of acute OP poisoning. This study recommends CPK as an alternative biomarker for acute OP poisoning.

Keywords: Creatine phosphokinase, Organophosphorus, Butyrylcholinesterase, Peradeniya organophosphorus Poisoning scale

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