The study was to evaluate the effects of different processing methods on the proximate and anti-nutritional contents of Mucuna pruriens leaf meal. The Mucuna pruriens leaves were collected and processed by Air-dried Mucuna Leaf Meal (AMLM), Soaked Mucuna Leaf Meal in Cold Water (CMLM), Soaked Mucuna Leaf Meal in Hot Water (HMLM) and Fermented Mucuna Leaf Meal (FMLM). Proximate analysis showed that FMLM had the highest value (25.94±0.94%), while the lowest recorded in the CMLM (23.00±0.00%). The analysis of antinutritional factors showed that hydrocyanic acid, oxalate, phytate, saponin, reduced significantly (P<0.05) after processing the Mucuna Leaf Meal.

Freshwater is a vital medium by which fish for human consumption are cultured, thus, preserving its quality is essential. The presence and bioaccumulation pattern of some heavy metal concentrations in wild African Catfish, Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822) muscles and water samples, collected from River Kaduna during the dry season month of December was assessed, to determine their concentrations, physico-chemical parameters, and risk evaluation of selected metals and their effects on fish quality. Analysis was carried out using standard analytical procedures and methods. Risk assessment for Fe, Pb, Ni, Cd, and Hg were based on average daily dose, hazard quotient, and cancer risk was also determined. Result showed that physico-chemical parameters, were within WHO recommended threshold limits, and mean concentrations of heavy metals followed the order Fe>Pb>Hg>Ni>Cd. Carcinogenic risk ( ) via ingestion of fish muscles for Pb, Hg and Cd were higher than the acceptable limit (10 -6 ). Anthropogenic activities, especially indiscriminate waste disposal were suggested as the main contributor to environmental pollution. Findings reveals possible health implications, thus constant surveillance was suggested to guide appropriate response.

One of the major problems faced by aquaculture industry today is the high cost of fish feed and this contributes more than 50% of the total cost of production in intensification culture systems. An approach to reduce feed cost is by the substitution of fish meal with alternative cheaper protein sources like fish offal among others. Therefore, this experiment was carried out to evaluate the growth performance and survival of C. gariepinus juveniles fed with diets containing various percentages of fish offal to determine the optimum level of fish offal inclusion in diets of Clarias gariepinus. Five diets of T1(0%), T2(20%), T3(40%), T4(80%) and T5(100%) levels of fish offal's substitutions were formulated to contain 40% crude protein and similar energy levels. The total of 150 juvenile fish was randomly distributed into three replicates of five experimental groups in a (45 x 35 x 28cm 3 ) plastic rectangular container. Each replicate consist of 10 fish with a mean weight of 25g. At the end of the experiment, result showed that mean weight gain (MWG), survival rate (SR), protein intake (PI), protein efficiency ratio (PER), feed conversion ratio (FCR), specific growth rate (SGR) and relative growth rate of T0 were observed to be statistically p<0.05 similar with T1 and T2. The study showed that diets with inclusion rate of 20% and 40% fish offal gave similar result as that fed with control diet. Therefore, fish offal with inclusion rate of 20% and 40% could be fed to C. gariapinus catfish without any negative effects on the growth and survival.

Feeding trial was conducted in 18 plastic tanks (60 x 45 x 30 cm) to assess the performance of Clarias gariepinus fingerlings fed diets containing fermented Mucuna pruriens leaf meal as an alternative protein source to soya bean meal. Five isonitrogenous (crude protein-40%) diets were formulated containing fermented Mucuna leaf meal (FMLM) at A(100% FMLM), B(75% FMLM), C(50% FMLM), D(25% FMLM) and E(0% FMLM) and were fed at 5% body weight to triplicate groups of 10 fingerlings (initial mean weight ranged from 6.20± 1.96g – 6.80± 1.97 g) of C. gariepinus for a period of twelve (12) weeks. Growth performance and feed utilisation parameters indicate that E(0% FMLM) diet gave the highest weight gain (168.87± 3.97g) but did not significantly (P≥0.05) differ from D(25% FMLM), (161.30±6.12 g), and the lowest weight gain (89.70± 1.96 g) was recorded in A(100% FMLM). Similarly, the highest specific growth rate (3.79±0.03 g) was recorded in E(0% FMLM)  followed by D(25% FMLM) (3.74±0.04 g), and the least value (3.10±0.02 g) was obtained in A(100% FMLM). However, feed conversion ratio (FCR), protein efficiency ratio (PER) and gross feed conversion efficiency (GFCE) were not significantly different (P≥0.05) among the dietary treatments. The highest (1.72±0.12) and least (1.50±0.02) FCR were obtained in A(100% FMLM) and E(0% FMLM) respectively. The result from this study indicates that fermented Mucuna  leaf meal could replace soya bean meal up to 25% in the diets for C. gariepinus fingerlings without compromising growth and feed utilisation.

Freshly caught Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) samples were obtained from Sabiyel Lake in Aliero Local Government Area of Kebbi State. Oreochromis niloticus samples were descaled, degutted, cut into chunks and rinsed with clean water at Fisheries Laboratory, Department of Forestry and Fisheries, Kebbi State University of Science and Technology, Aliero. The samples were subjected to different treatments designated as; T1 (oven drying), T2 (Frying), T3 (smoking), T4 (oven-dried + 5% ginger-garlic), T5 (Fried + 5% ginger-garlic), T6 (smoked + 5% ginger-garlic), T7 (oven-dried + 10% ginger-garlic), T8 (Fried + 10% ginger-garlic), T9 (smoked + 10% ginger-garlic), T10 (oven-dried + 15% ginger-garlic), T11 (Fried + 15% ginger-garlic), T12 (smoked + 15% ginger-garlic). The processed samples were taken to Agric. Chemical Laboratory, Faculty of Agriculture, Usmanu Danfodio University Sokoto, Nigeria, for the determination of proximate and mineral compositions. The treatments were analysed in 2 phases: at week 0 for the first phase of analysis and after 8 weeks of storage in an airtight plastic container at room temperature. The samples were then taken to the laboratory for the second phase of analysis. This study revealed that processing (oven drying, frying and smoking) of Oreochromis niloticus with ginger-garlic gave high nutritive content after 8 weeks of storage and thus might prevent the use of obnoxious substances as a means of preservation and substantially improve consumer’s satisfaction and quality fish protein intake.