ABSTRACT:The use of potentially toxic ripening agents is common in developing countries. Four ripening agents namely calcium carbide, potash, African mango and jathropha curcas leaf were used and compared with a control with no ripening agent. Result showed that RB1 and RB2 were the first to ripen at 3days with RB5 at 6 th day. Protein content reduced in the ripened samples in the order of 4.12>3.68>3.04>2.52>1.99>1.77%. Protein value was lowest when calcium carbide was used. Fat ash and fiber contents range between 0.28-1.72, 0.75-2.75and 0.50-1.75% respectively. The moisture content increased from 65.50 to 74.0%, while carbohydrate content range is 17.49-29.29%. Pb, Cu, Zn and Mn values of 0.22, 0.87, 1.96 and 0.67ppm was highest in calcium carbide ripened banana and lowest in the control 0.09, 0.26, 0.37 and 0.19 ppm. © JASEM http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/jasem.v18 i2.14 Ripening is a biochemical process which involves a series of physiological changes in colour, aroma, flavor and texture. Banana is a climateric fruit showing an increase in respiration resulting in colour, flavor, aroma and texture changes. It is usually eaten raw when ripe and is a major starchy food common in Sub-Sahara Africa and Asia, providing more than 25% of carbohydrate (Adeniji et al, 2007). The consumption of banana cuts across every age group, from little children to adults, and it supplies necessary calories and essential micronutrients. Once harvested it is highly perishable, with short shelf life leading to high post harvest losses of about 20-50% due to poor handling and quality deterioration (Ajayi and Mbah, 2007;Zewter et al, 2012). In order to reduce the high post harvest losses, bananas are harvested when green but mature, and artificially ripened when needed with the use of ripening agents. Ripening agents are substances which hasten the ripening process, and it comes in different forms. These include ethylene gas, ethephon, ethylene glycol, etherel and calcium carbide (Singal et al, 2012); African bush mango fruit (irvingia gabonesis) and leaves, Palm nut, Cassia leaves, Yellow Pawpaw leaves, torch light battery, calcium carbide, potash and ash (Ajayi and Mbah, 2007). African mango fruits, calcium carbide and newbouldia leaves were also reported by Adewole and Duruji (2010). According to Singal et al (2012), the commercial practice is to use these ripening agents to artificially ripen the fruits at the destination market before retailing. Ethylene gas is expensive to produce so low cost indigenous ripening technologies involving the use of hazardous materials are used (Singal et al 2012;Ajayi and Mbah, 2007). The adverse potential of calcium carbide as a ripening agent has been established (Singal et al, 2012) while other chemical ripening agents like ethepon, etherel and ethylene glycol are also considered hazardous to health and they have to be used within recommended safe limits (Hakim et al 2012;Food and Beverage Online, 2010). The use of toxic and suspicious ripening agents is of great concern as the activities of human ...

The ability of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) cultures to preserve goat meat at 30°C was evaluated in the present study. Strains of Pediococcus pentosaceus GOAT 01 and Lactobacillus plantarum GOAT 012, individually and in combination, were applied as starters on sliced meat samples at 6 log cfu/g and stored for 7 days at 30°C to simulate ambient temperature in Nigeria. They were evaluated for microbiological profile during storage. Reduction in bacterial counts was recorded for enterobacteriaceae, Staphylococcus, yeasts and moulds in starter culture inoculated samples (SCIS), whereas an increase occurred in uninoculated control samples (UCS). In challenge experimental trials, two different sets of meat were inoculated individually with 6 log cfu/g each of pathogenic organisms, Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella Typhimurium. The inoculated pathogens were monitored during storage to assess the influence of starter cultures on them. Approximately 1 log reduction was recorded in the viable count of L. monocytogenes on day 1, while counts were below detection limit (<2 log) on day 2 in meat samples inoculated with P. pentosaceus alone and in combination with L. plantarum. Counts of Salmonella Typhimurium showed about 2 log reduction in SCIS, inoculated with P. pentosaceus alone and in combination with L. plantarum, on day 2 while an increase by 4 logs was observed in UCS. Our findings suggest that the protective effect of the LAB strains could be exploited in shelf life extension and control of foodborne pathogens in goat meat. If the starter strains could be improved upon, their potential as biopreservatives may be engaged in the preservation of the meat in Nigeria, where storage systems have been very inadequate.

Food security is highly instrumental to the economic growth and sustainability of any country. Unfortunately, food insecurity has had an adverse effect on people in developing countries of the world, especially in continents of Asia and Africa, most importantly Nigeria. In the midst of food insecurity ravaging these countries, the field of Food Science and Technology has vital roles to play in ameliorating the situation. The Food Scientist, who has obtained sound training in this field, can thus help proffer solutions, making use of technologies that could foster food security in developing countries. While the Food Scientist has important functions to perform in achieving and sustaining food security, it is evident that efforts of other stakeholders are required to ensure success of the exercise. It is important to note that efforts of the Food Scientist could be impaired in the absence of enabling environment and necessary incentives from the government. As in the developed countries, collaborations between the Food Scientist and other professionals alike are also fundamental towards realising the objectives of food security in developing countries particularly Nigeria. In the present review, certain professional inputs by the Food Scientist towards achieving food security are examined.

The study was carried out to determine the effectiveness of heat processing on jackbeans, an underutilized legume. Raw and processed seed flour (roasted at 1200C for 10mins and pressure cooked for 10mins) produced from jackbeans were evaluated for its nutritional quality and antinutritional factors using standard methods. The nutritional qualities determined showed that sample with 20% pressure cooked jackbeans flour supplement has the highest amount of protein, fat, fibre and ash content, while the sample with 40% supplementation of pressure cooked jackbeans flour has the highest percentage of moisture content. The cookies produced from 100% wheat flour has the highest percentage of carbohydrate, while sample with 40% roasted jackbeans flour supplement has the highest percentage of concanavanine A. The antinutritional factors of the processed flours were found to be lower than the raw seed flour. Sensory qualities determined showed that sample with 20% of pressure cooked jackbeans supplement was rated high in terms of taste, aroma, texture, and overall acceptability, while cookies with 100% wheat flour was rated high 7.7 in term of colour. This study showed that thermal processing especially pressure cooking decreased the antinutritional contents of the jackbeans flour than other processing methods used.