An 8‐week feeding trial was conducted in a recycling water system at 28 ± 1 °C to investigate protein to energy ratio (P/E ratio) in African catfish Clarias gariepinus (10.9 ± 0.04 g). Six fishmeal‐based diets of two protein levels (330 and 430 g kg−1), each with three lipid levels (40, 80 and 120 g kg−1) resulted in P/E ratios ranging from 15.5 to 21.3 mg protein kJ−1 gross energy (GE) were fed to 20 fish (per 30‐L tank) in triplicate. Fish were fed 50 g kg−1 of their body weight per day adjusted fortnightly. Significantly higher (P < 0.05) growth rates and feed conversion efficiency were evident in fish fed with higher protein diet. The highest growth rate was found by fish fed 430 g kg−1 protein, 21.2 kJ−1 GE with a P/E ratio of 20.5 mg protein kJ−1 GE. Significantly indifferent (P > 0.05) values of protein utilization were found in‐between the both (higher and lower) protein diets. Higher lipid deposition (P < 0.05) in whole body and liver was observed with increasing dietary lipid level at each protein diet and as higher (P < 0.05) for the lower protein diets. Liver glycogen tended to decrease with increasing gross energy at each protein diet and higher protein diet showed comparatively lower values (P > 0.05). Digestive enzyme activities (protease and lipase) and histological examination of intestine and liver of fish fed varying P/E diets found no significant differences in response to experimental diets. The study reveals that African catfish C. gariepinus performed best the diet containing 430 g kg−1, 21.2 kJ g−1 and 20.5 mg protein kJ g−1 GE protein, gross energy and P/E ratio, respectively.

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An 8‐week feeding trial was conducted in a recycling water system at 28 ± 1 °C to investigate compensatory growth and body composition in African catfish Clarias gariepinus (13.05 ± 0.05 g). A fishmeal‐based diet containing 350 g kg−1 protein and 17.5 kJ g−1 gross energy was fed to triplicate groups of 20 fish (per 30‐L tank). Fish were fed the diet either to satiation or feed restricted in six feeding schedules as satiation 56 days; restricted 28 days + satiation 28 days; restricted 14 days + satiation 14 days; restricted 7 days +satiation 7 days; restricted 3 days + satiation 4 days; and restricted 2 days + satiation 2 days. The restricted regime was achieved by offering fish 1% (maintenance ration) of their body weight per day adjusted after fortnightly weighing. African catfish showed partial compensatory growth under alternating periods of feed restriction and satiation feeding with significantly different values (P < 0.05) from fish fed in satiation throughout. However, significantly indifferent (P > 0.05) values of feed, protein, lipid and energy utilization were found under alternating periods of feed restriction and satiation feeding. Significantly higher (P < 0.05) feed intake was observed in treatment with satiation throughout than those in other treatments. All the feeding schedules showed no significant differences (P > 0.05) on body composition, organ indices, eviscerated carcass composition, viscera lipid and liver lipid. These studies reveals that C. gariepinus showed partial compensatory growth responses at alternating periods of restricted and satiation feeding.

Panda B.P., Javed S., Ali M. (2009): Engineering rice based medium for production of lovastatin with Monascus species. Czech J. Food Sci., 27: 352-360.Angkak (red mold rice, red yeast rice, Chinese red rice), a traditional Chinese functional food is produced by solid-state fermentation of cooked non-glutinous rice with Monascus species. The secondary metabolite of Monascus species, monacolin K (lovastatin), has been proved to lower blood lipid levels. In this study, the best Monascus purpureus strain was selected from MTCC 369, 410, 1090 based on lovastatin concentration. Four medium parameters (NH 4 Cl, MgSO 4 , NaCl, CaCl 2 ) screened by Plackett-Burman design from total nine medium variables were optimised by Box-Behnken design of response surface methodology. Maximum lovastatin production of 3.420 mg/g was predicted in the solid medium containing 20 g rice and 40 ml liquid nutrient (NH 4 Cl 14.32 g/l, MgSO 4 0.76 g/l, NaCl 14.65 g/l, and CaCl 2 0.54 g/l) by the point prediction tool of Design Expert Ver. 7.1 software at 14 th day of fermentation.

Procedures followed in the home fermentations of three date wines were investigated. Two wines, 'sherbote', and 'nabit' prepared from date slrup, are produced by a relatively quick fermentation taking about 36-48 hr. The fermentation of the third wine; 'dakkai', prepared from whole date fruits, is a slow process taking about 96 hr. The samll amounts of spices and sorghum malt used as additives in the preparation of 'sherbote' and 'nabit', respectively, contribute to the inoculum. In 'dakkai' fermentation of the inoculum comes from the natural flora of the data fruit itself. Changes in the production of ethanol, acetic and lactic acids and pH as well as in microbial populations were followed during fermentation of each wine. The most important genera of yeast, acetic and lactic acid bacteria were identified.