Effect of seasonal variation and farming systems on the properties of Nile tilapia gelatin extracted from scales.

Although fish gelatin has become a research hotspot in recent years, researchers and manufacturers are still looking for high-quality sources of fish galatin to meet the commercial demand for safer gelatin.became This study aimed to evaluate the impact of seasonal variation and farming systems on the properties of gelatin extracted from Nile tilapia scales. Gelatin extracted from farmed tilapia had lowest impurities, higher clarity as well as desirable color characteristics (L* = 65.95 and a* = -0.33). The protein and fat composition of Wild (91.00 ± 0.00c) and 1.94 ± 0.05a respectively were higher than farmed gelatin of protein (91.00 ± 0.00c) and fat (0.84 ± 0.08b) but gelatin from the farmed type were clearer (98.30 ± 0.28a) than wild type (94.60 ± 0.28b). In addition, the XRD analysis confirmed its amorphous structure (2θ = 11°, 21°. 29°, and 31°). The gelatin extracted from wild tilapia showed an average yield of 1.98 % and good physicochemical and functional properties. Furthermore, FTIR indicated a strong bond positioned in the amide I region (1650.88 cm-1) of the wild tilapia gelatin. Partial Least Square (PLS) confirmed that viscosity is positively correlated with melting temperature upon a unit change in gelatin yield. This work highlights the significance of farming systems and seasonal variation in extraction conditions and great parameter to comprehensively navigate the functional, biochemical, and physical properties of Nile tilapia gelatin for broadening both food and non-food industrial appliactions.

Incidences of aflatoxin contaminations in ingredients, feed and products of poultry from two regions in Ghana.

Commercial poultry feed required for proper growth of birds and egg production contains essential nutrients with maize as key component. Inadequately dried maize is prone to aflatoxin contamination and therefore when used in feed formulation for poultry may compromise the safety of the feeds and poultry products. This study investigated the levels of aflatoxins in feed ingredients, feed and poultry products sampled from Eastern and Greater -Accra regions of Ghana. The aflatoxin levels of B1, B2, G1, and G2 were determined using a High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) methodology. Main feed ingredients used were fishmeal, cotton seed cake, soya meal, rice, wheat and maize bran as well as maize grains. There was correlation between the level of aflatoxins and moisture content in poultry feed ingredients. All the poultry feeds (100 %) analysed showed the presence of aflatoxins with total aflatoxins recorded ranging from 5.32 to 29.88 µg/kg. Maize samples of the poultry feeds, from all two regions, revealed maize to be a major contributor to the overall total aflatoxin contents found in the feed. Five (5) out of ten (10) communities investigated in the two (2) regions where the poultry feeds were examined recorded total aflatoxin levels in maize above the Ghana Standard Authority (GSA) specification of 20 µg/kg. Aflatoxins G1 and G2 were not detected in all samples of chicken meat and eggs. Total aflatoxin levels recorded for all chicken meat and eggs were below GSA specification of 5 µg/kg; implying that these products were safe for consumption.

Impact of Different Oil Extraction Techniques on the Physicochemical Properties of Adansonia digitata Seed.

The seeds of baobab were found to have both industrial and domestic uses due to their essential oil qualities for topical medication. However, the seeds found in this study area in Ghana are underutilised and sometimes thrown away after being taken off the pulp. The present study is aimed at examining the impact of the two predominant techniques used for oil extraction from nonoily seeds, namely, mechanical extraction and Soxhlet (n-hexane) extraction, on both the oil yield and physicochemical properties of crude oil derived from baobab seeds. The study looked at the iodine value, peroxide value, acid value, colour, density, and other variables. Refractometers, chroma meters, and titration techniques were used for the determination of specific properties using standard methods. The Soxhlet method of oil extraction was superior in terms of maximum oil recovery, recording a value of 27.75%, in contrast to the mechanical method, which yielded a significantly lower recovery rate of 5.422%. The peroxide and iodine values were found to be 15.09 and 11.89 mEq/g and 85.89 and 88.45 g/100 g for the mechanical and Soxhlet extraction methods, respectively. Statistically significant differences (p ≤ 0.05) were observed between the two oil extraction methods in some of the properties measured. The study discussed the impact of these oil properties on the application of both food and nonfood products. Finally, the study has provided an essential set of data and information to enable product initiators in the cosmetic, food, and other industries to make informed decisions regarding the utilisation of baobab oil as a constituent in the formulation of products.

Heavy metal, microbial and pesticides residue contaminations are limiting the potential consumption of green leafy vegetables in Ghana: An overview.

Green leafy vegetables (such as cocoyam (Colocasia spp) leaves, spinach (Spinach spp), amaranths (Amaranthus spp), roselle leaves (Hibiscus spp), and lettuce (Lactuca spp)) form a major part of Ghanaian meals providing essential vitamin such as A, B and C and minerals including iron and calcium as well as essential bioactive compounds. However, the practices involved in the production, distribution and handling of these nutrient rich vegetables, by most value chain actors in Ghana, unfortunately pre-dispose them to contamination with pathogens, heavy metals and pesticides residues. These have therefore raised public health concerns regarding the safety and quality of these green leafy vegetables. Understanding the current perspectives of the type of pathogens, heavy metals and pesticide contaminants that are found in leafy vegetables and their health impacts on consumers will go a long way in helping to identify appropriate mitigation measures that could be used to improve the practices involved and thereby help safeguard human health. This review examined reported cases of microbial, heavy metal and pesticides residue contamination of green leafy vegetables in Ghana from 2005 to 2022. Notable pathogenic microorganisms were Ascaris eggs and larvae, faecal coliform, Salmonella spp., Staphylococcus aureus Streptococci, Clostridium perfringes, and Escherichia coli. In addition, Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cr), Chromium (Cr), Zinc (Zn), Iron (Fe), Copper (Cu) and Manganese (Mn) have been detected in green leafy vegetables over the years in most Ghanaian cities. Pesticides residues from organochlorine, organophosphorus and synthetic pyrethroid have also been reported. Overall, microbial, heavy metals and pesticide residue contamination of Ghanaian green leafy vegetables on the farms and markets were significant. Hence, mitigation measures to curb the contamination of these vegetables, through the food chain, is urgently required to safeguard public health.

Effect of home processing methods on the levels of heavy metal contaminants in four food crops grown in and around two mining towns in Ghana.

Unregulated small-scale mining activities, by young untrained men using some poisonous chemicals, occur in several agricultural forest belts in Ghana. These activities contaminate water bodies in these areas, which happen to be the main farming sites where food crops are intensively cultivated. The presence of these heavy metal contaminants in popular food staples is therefore worrying because of its adverse health implications. Previous studies have shown that processing is able to decrease the concentrations of heavy metals in foods. This study investigated the effectiveness of home processing methods (boiling, frying and roasting) in significantly reducing the levels of heavy metal contaminants in food crops grown in and around two main mining centers in Ghana. The heavy metals contaminants analyzed for, were Arsenic (As), Cadmium, (Cd), lead (Pb), Manganese (Mn), and Mercury (Hg), determined using atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) and inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). From the data, the average daily intakes of the heavy metals and the associated long-term health risks to consumers were assessed. Unprocessed samples from Akwatia had higher levels of contaminants than those from Obuasi. Levels of Mn, Pb and As recorded in all unprocessed samples were higher compared to WHO permissible limits in foods. The levels showed a decreasing trend in the processed samples; with the lowest As and Pb content recorded after frying and boiling. The study showed that roasting allowed for the least reduction in the heavy metal contaminations in the four food crops. The levels of Cd in both processed and unprocessed samples were within safe WHO specifications. Except for Pb in unprocessed cassava, boiled cassava and unprocessed plantain and Hg (unprocessed yam and roasted yam), the hazard indices of all metals in all food crops were less than one and posed no risk to consumers. The study therefore reveals that the normal home processing methods are able to reduce the levels of heavy metal contaminants found in cassava, cocoyam, plantain and yam considerably.