Baking of sourdough is a common practice and has the advantage of improving the nutritional value, sensory qualities and increasing the shelf life of the bread. This study therefore focus on the antimicrobial and antioxidant capacity of exopolysaccharides form Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) and its application in sourdough production. The Lactobacillus delbrueckii LDYG2 and Weissella confusa WCFF1 were collected from the culture collection Centre and the LABs were maintained in De Man, Rogosa and Sharpe (MRS) broth. Modified Exopolysaccharide Selection Medium (mESM) was used to produce the EPS while the total sugar concentration was determined using phenol-sulfuric acid method. The antibacterial, antioxidant, proximate, physical, organoleptic properties and the shelf life of the SDB produced were also evaluated. The quantity of EPS produced by LDYG2 and WCFF1 ranged from 4743.75 -5090.03 g/L. Eight different sugars were present in both EPSLD and EPSWC with high antibacterial activity (24 mm and 23 mm) against B. cereus and S. aureus respectively. EPSLD and EPSWC had antioxidant capacity increased in a dose dependent (0.5 -10 mg/mL) manner. EPSWCSDB had the highest proximate content except for moisture content. There was a significantly different (P ≤ 0.05) in the shelf life extension of the sourdough bread. WCEPSSDB was generally accepted in terms of colour, aroma, taste, texture and palatability. EPS produced by L. delbrueckii (EPSLD) and W. confusa (EPSWC) has antimicrobial and antioxidant capacity and can be used in pro-

Ocimum gratissimum L. is a perennial herbaceous plant used in the treatment of fungal and bacterial infections. Green synthesis has provided cost effective, environment friendly procedure and raising safe strategies for the synthesis of nanoparticles. This study was aimed at investigating the potential of O. gratissimum for the synthesis of selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) and their antimicrobial activities. Phytochemical screening on aqueous extract was carried out using standard procedures. Selenium nanoparticles was biosynthesized by O. gratissimum and characterized using Visual detection, UV-Visible spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscope, Transmission Electron Microscope, Energy dispersive X-ray, Fourier Transform Infra-red spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction spectroscopy. Antimicrobial activity of the biosynthesized selenium nanoparticles by O. gratissimum was done using agar well diffusion method. Saponins, tannins, cardiac glycosides, terpenoids and phenols were present. The biosynthesized SeNPs had a strong plasmon resonance band at 300 nm, changes in colour from dark brown to ruby red. The SeNPs were spherical and aggregated with varying shapes and size ranged from 20 – 50 nm. Strong signal of selenium element was observed. Hydroxyl, esters, aldehyde, alkane and amine are present and responsible for the efficient stabilization and bioreduction of Selenium nanoparticle. Furthermore, biosynthesized SeNPs by O. gratissimum (OGSeNPs) exhibited higher antimicrobial activity against both Gram ositive and Gram negative bacteria. Green synthesis of nanoparticles is a promising method in the biomedical field, due to its high bioactive components.

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High morbidity and mortality rate associated with pneumococcal infection globally is of major concern most especially among infant. This burden is equally worsened by multidrug resistance strains due to indiscriminate consumption of antibiotics. Hence, need for constant search for cheap and effective bioactive compounds as alternative antimicrobials for the treatment of pneumococcal infection. Bioactive compound profiling and in-vitro antibacterial activity of ginger methanol extract against two predominant pneumococcal agents; Streptococcus pneumonia and Haemophilus influenza were investigated. Gas Chromatography Mass Spectroscopy (GC-MS) was used for the identification and quantification of bioactive compounds in the ginger methanol extract. The antibacterial activity and Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of the extract was determined using Agar well diffusion. Twenty-seven (27) matched bioactive compounds were detected in the sample. Zingerone (17.70%), α-zingiberene (13.30%), (6)-shogaol (10.84%), α-Farnesene (6.26%), β-Funebrene (5.61%), 6-gingerol (5.18%), α-curcumene (4.15%) were the major compounds present. All other identified compounds had less than 4% composition by peak area each. The antibacterial activity of the ginger crude methanol extract against S. pneumonia and H. influenza were 2.33 mm and 9.33 mm. MIC of the extract against the isolates was 10%. In conclusion ginger crude methanol extract contain an array of bioactive compounds and the extract exhibited antibacterial activity against predominant pneumococcal agents. Ginger extract can be harnessed for the production of new antimicrobials to combat pneumococcal infection.