Abstract: The berries of Solanumindicum L. are known to be an appreciable source of antioxidants. In this study, the effect of the green berries’ ethanolic extract on growth, RNA concentration representing the biomass and the percentage of reduced Alamar Blue indicating cell viability of Aspergillusnidulans, Aspergillusfumigatus and Aspergillusflavus was evaluated. It was noted a reduction of growth with the increasing of the extract content in the medium. Indeed, a radial growth of 90 mm was observed on the medium without extract for the three species after 7 days of incubation, while on the medium at 1 % of the berries extract, the radial growths were 0 mm for A. nidulansand A. fumigatus and 14.67 mm for A. flavus. In addition to the absence of growth of Aspergillusnidulans and Aspergillusfumigatus observed at 1 % of berries extract, an absence of their conidia germination was observed. It was noted also that the mean of RNA concentration observed in the medium without extract was about 285 times that observed in the medium at 1 % of berries extract for A. nidulans. For A. fumigatusand A. flavus, this mean of RNA concentrations observed in the medium without extract were respectively about 73 and 57 times that observed in the medium at 1 % of berries extract. The RNA bands of the three species tested observed after the electrophoresis seem to be degraded also in the medium at 1 % of berries extract. At this concentration, the percentages of surviving cells were less than 10 % for the three species tested, while that observed in the medium without the berries extract was 100 %.Thus, Solanumindicum green berries extract exhibit a real inhibitory effect against fungi with an ability of killing them.

Abstract: The most economically important of the hydrodynamic properties of a material are viscosity and density, which allow determining the intrinsic viscosity of raw materials used in the food industry. They serve as an indirect measure of molecular weight (M), hydrodynamic radius (R_H), number of Simha, (ν_(P)), Perrin parameter (P); hydration value (δ), Scheraga-Mandelkern parameter (β), and Flory parameters (₀ and P₀). Normally, these parameters are reported at a temperature of 25ºC, which limits their use at different temperatures. This work studies the temperature-dependence of whole arabic gum (WAG) in aqueous solution, finding that in aqueous solution, this biopolymer presents a random coil shape with ν_(p) ≈ 2.55. The behavior of WAG in this system indicates that it behaves as a colloidal particle that tends to compact as temperature increases (R_H decrease). The M of WAG calculated here are 760000 g/mol. The Mark-Houwink-Sakurada equation constants, a and k, for WAG in water solvent-temperature systems have been reported already, where the value of a ranges from 0.5496 to 0.5085 within a temperature range of 20 to 50°C.

Abstract: Plant-derived substances are becoming increasingly known for their antioxidant activity. The purpose of this study was to determine if pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis) extract protects against oxidative stress using animal model. 12 albino rats were procured, grouped into four groups and allowed to acclimatize for one week. Diluted acetone was used to induce oxidative stress. The extract was prepared and administered orally. Groups 1 and 2 received 250mg/kg and 500mg/kg of the extract respectively while group 3 received only acetone and group 4 received sterile normal saline and served as control. After the administration of the extract for 7 days, 4mls of blood samples were collected from the rats through ocular puncture into EDTA blood containers. The samples were analysed for Packed Cell Volume (PCV), haemoglobin concentration (Hb) and White Blood cell count (WBC) using standard manual methods. From the results, there was significant (p<0.05) increase in haemoglobin concentration in the groups that received 250mg/kg and 500mg/kg of the extract when compared with control and acetone only groups. Though there was increase in PCV of the groups that received the extract, but it was not significant. From the findings of this study, the extract of Telfairia occidentalis may possibly improve haematological parameters and confer protection in oxidative stress conditions.

Abstract: Mango ginger was ground in hammer mill with three different classifying screens and pin mill to study the particle size distribution and energy consumption. The Rosin-Rammler Bennet (RRB) model fitted well the particle size distribution data over the entire range of the size distribution for grinding in both hammer mill and pin mill with high coefficient of determination (R²) and low values of residual sum square, root mean square error and Chi-square. Relationship between RRB model parameters with hammer mill screen size was obtained with high R². All the three classical models such as Rittinger’s, Kick’s and Bond’s law were found suitable to explain the energy consumption for grinding. Energy consumption increased exponentially with decrease in classifying screen size of hammer mill. The Work index for grinding increased with increase in size reduction ratios and were in the range of 0.075-0.58 kW/kg.

Abstract: The study was conducted to evaluate the quality and safety assessment of fresh and frozen prawn of Bangladesh. Fish was assessed both fresh and frozen condition at-20°C in a deep freezer. The keeping quality of this sample during frozen storage (12 weeks) was evaluated by studying organoleptic, biochemical and bacteriological aspects. The initial protein, moisture, lipid and ash content of fresh prawn were 33.11%, 61.8%, 2.27 %, 2.13 %; On the 4^th week it were reduced to 28.25%, 67.38%, 1.87%, 1.81%; in the 8^th week the protein content were decreased to 25.41%, 70.52%, 1.52%, 1.43% and at the 12^th week finally the protein content showed 21.51%, 75.23% , 1.23%, 1.08% respectively. The initial TVB-N value of fresh prawn was 20.90 mg/100g, on the 4^th week it was increased to 23.65 mg/100g, in the 8^th week the TVB-N value increased to 26.32 mg/100g and at the 12^th week finally the TVB-N value showed 31.62 mg/100g respectively; and the microbial load of fresh prawn was 4.32×10⁵ cfu/g, on the 6^th week it was decreased to 6.73×10³ cfu/g, in the 12^th week finally the microbial load was slightly increased to 1.42×10⁴ cfu/g respectively. The chemical test mainly heavy metal concentration in the prawn observed that Cd, Cu, Mn, Zn and Pb were 0.017, 0.051, 6.935, 11.288 and 0.133 µg/g which was in consumable limit according to WHO.