Background: In this study, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn and Cd were determined after heat treatment of spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.), leek (Allium porrum L.), green bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), lamb’s-quarters (Chenopodium album L.) and mad parsley (Oenanthe pimpinelloides L.) grown in Samsun the city, in the Middle Black Sea region. In this way, it has been aimed to contribute to the subject whether boiled liquors are consumable or should be thrown away.

Biscuit are usually produced from wheat flour, increasing cost and limited supply of wheat demand that attention be given to the application of indigenous grains to totally or partially replace wheat in bakery products. This study evaluated the effect of substituted fermented jack bean fl our (FJF) on wheat flour on proximate, mineral, physical and sensory properties of shortbread biscuit (SBB). Jack beans were soaked in water (6 h), de-hulled, re-soaked (12 h), sundried (3 days), oven-dried (55 °C, 24 h), milled, sieved and packaged for further processing. Shortbread biscuits (SBB) were produced using different levels of wheat flour substituted with FJF in 10% and 20% and using wheat fl our as control. Sensory evaluation of the biscuits was carried out using 5 point hedonic scale. The data obtained during the study was analyzed statistically using analysis of variance. Proximate composition, mineral, physical characteristics and sensory properties of the biscuit samples were determined. Moisture, crude protein, crude fibre, fat, ash and carbohydrate of the SBB ranged from 6.85-8.77, 8.41-10.17, 1.58-2.14, 18.39-19.42, 1.81-2.11 and 59.49-61.51%, respectively. Addition of FJF significantly increased the Ca (0.11 %), P (6.38 %), Mg (0.18%), Fe (2.29 %) and Mg (2.18 %) of the SBB compared to values obtained from 100% wheat flour. SBB with 20% FJF had the highest spread factor and spread ratio of 5.73 and 6.62, while SBB with 10% FJF had the least value. Sensory evaluation showed that SBB with 10 % FJF was preferred in terms of fl avour, mouth feel and overall acceptability. It was concluded that substitution of FJF into wheat flour gave the biscuit with the best overall quality acceptability.

The study was conducted to evaluate the effects of ages at slaughtering on carcass characteristics, meat composition and haematology of extensively managed Red Sokoto bucks slaughtered in Abeokuta Metropolis, South-Western Nigeria. A total of twenty four (24) healthy and intact Red Sokoto bucks were sourced from reputable outlets within the metropolis. The animals were grouped into =1 year, 1-2 years and 2-3 years of age by the means of dentition before slaughtering. The animals were slaughtered according to the method of severing the jugular veins of the throat and trachea without stunning, meat samples from various parts of the bucks were taken for proximate composition, while the haematological analysis which include: Haemoglobin, Packed cell volume, red blood cell, white blood cell, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular haemoglobin, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration and white blood differentials was carried out. Data obtained were subjected to one-way analysis of variance using General linear model (GLM) procedures of SAS. Level of significance was taken at 5% probability, while means were separated using Duncan’s Multiple Range Test of the same statistical package. Results obtained revealed that bucks within 2-3 years had highest (p<0.05) values for carcass components such as live weight (14.63%); Slaughter weight (93.16%); Dressed weight (92.96%); and Chest weight (2.6%), while bucks =1year had highest (p<0.05) values for Empty carcass weight (70.29%); Hot carcass weight (54.77%); and Half carcass weight (23.15%). For organs and offal components, bucks within =1 year had significantly (p<0.05) highest values for all the components except for lungs weight which was highest (p<0.05) for bucks within 1-2 years. Different primal cuts of the bucks were significantly (p<0.05) highest for bucks within 2-3 years, except for feet weight that was highest (p<0.05) for bucks within =1 year. For meat composition, meat cuts at different parts from slaughtered bucks within 2-3 years had overall best nutritive value. The haematological parameters examined in the study were not significantly (p>0.05) affected by the age of the animals and they fell within the range for healthy animals. The result obtained from this study indicated that Red Sokoto bucks between the ages of 2-3 years can be slaughtered for high carcass yield with best nutritive value and good health condition.

A new method based on the coprecipitation procedure (CP) for separation/speciation using flame atomic absorption spectrometric (FAAS) determination was proposed for the determination of Cr(III)/ Cr(VI) in some real samples with Co(II)/a-Benzoinoxime precipitate. It enabled a very selective, basic and rapid method for chromium determination to be developed. The analytical variables including pH, amount of a-Benzoinoxime, amount of Co(II) as carrier element, and sample volume were investigated for the quantitative recoveries Cr(III)/Cr(VI). No interfering effects were observed from the concomitant ions when present in real samples. Cr(III) was quantitatively recovered on Co(II)/a-Benzoinoxime precipitate at a pH range of 7–10, while Cr(VI) was not quantitatively recovered for any of the pHs. The calibration graph was linear in the range of 1.0–10.0 mg L-1. Under the optimized conditions, detection limits of 0.01 µg L-1 and the relative standard deviations of 1.1% were found. The pre concentration factor was found to be 1000. The precipitate was dissolved in 0.1 mL of concentrated HNO3, and made up to 1.0 mL with de ionized ultra pure water. The validation of the presented CP was checked by the analysis of certified reference materials. The method was applied for the determination of Cr(III)/Cr(VI) in real samples such as natural waters and some dairy food samples, and good results were obtained (relative standard deviations <2%, recoveries >95%).

The study was conducted in three purposively selected districts of South Wollo Zone, Tehulederie, Kalu and Dessie Zuria, intended to analyze the physicochemical properties of beeswax produced in 2015/6. Twenty-six beeswax samples were collected being sourced from honey extract, ‘Tej sefef’, old combs and purchased beeswax blocks and analyzed at Sekota Dry land Agricultural Research Center laboratory according to the standard protocols of Ethiopian Beeswax specification ET-1203-2005 developed by Quality Standard Authority of Ethiopia in 2005. The laboratory result showed that the compositional content of beeswax collected from the study areas falls within the range of good quality parameters set for national and world standards. Except for ash content, there is no significant compositional content variation (P>0.05) between the sampled districts. However, there is significant variation (P<0.05) between beeswax samples based on the source from which they were obtained. The mean values are specific gravity (0.9552±0.0034), melting point (61.5628±1.50080 C), refractive index (1.4439±0.0004), ash content (0.0345±0.0429%), total volatile matter (0.5491±0.2488%), acid value (18.9155±2.7735), saponification value (91.1901±22.3015), ester value (72.0619±20.2859), and ester to acid ratio (3.7211±0.8569). However, melting point, saponification value, ester value and ester to acid ratio values of purchased beeswax samples and beeswax samples from old combs of absconded colonies showed lower result than the national and international limit. In general, this study identified physicochemical properties of the beeswax in the study areas and contributed to the information on beeswax quality of Ethiopia suggesting legal intervention on controlling purchasing of beeswax in bulk.

The study was conducted in Adama, Lome and Adami-Tulu districts of East Shoa Zone of Oromia Regional State to assess commercial fattening practices, and to evaluate performance of commercial fattening. Multi stage sampling procedure was employed for the survey study. The questionnaire based formal survey was conducted using semi structured questioners by interviewing a total of 45feedlot operators purposively selected from the three districts and both quantitative and qualitative data on beef cattle fattening systems were obtained. For the monitoring work nine farms among those used for interview were selected for the purpose of monitoring animals’ performance during fattening period. Eight Animals from each farm were randomly selected from the farms based on age, initial body weight and body condition. The study revealed that the major criteria for selecting animals to purchase for feedlot fattening includes breed type, physical appearance and/or frame size, age, health and initial price body condition, coat color, horn size were the top priority and major breeds used was Boran breeds with an age between 3-6 years old. The feed resources used by commercial cattle fattening include crop residues and agro-industrial by products feeds. The average total weight gain and average daily weight gain of animals recorded in 90 days of fattening was significantly higher (P<0.05) for large (97.7±1.16;1.09±0.01) and medium (97.58±1.16; 1.09±0.01) as compared to small scale (91.04±1.169 kg;1.01±0.01kg) commercial fattening. It is concluded that the dependence on only Borana breed may affect the efficiency of the fattening industry by creating supply shortage and also it depletes the breed population. Moreover, the Limited feed availability, high price of supplementary feed, market fluctuation of fattened cattle, disease out breaks, and water shortage are the most challenges faced by the sectors and needs to be addressed in the study area.