This study investigated some quality attributes of unripe cooking banana (UBF), pigeon pea (PPF), and sweetpotato (SPF) flour blends. Simplex centroid mixture design was used to obtain 17 blends from the flours. The nutrient composition, color, and functional properties of the blends were evaluated using standard methods. Data were subjected to analysis of variance and treatment means were compared using Duncan's multiple range test at 5% probability level. There were significant (p < .05) differences in the nutrient composition, and functional and pasting properties of the blends. The crude protein, crude fiber, ash, foaming capacity, emulsion capacity, and least gelation capacity of the blends increased as the PPF level increased. The blends had Na/K ratio of <1.0. The dispersibility, bulk density, water, and oil absorption capacities of the blends increased as SPF and UBF increased. The peak, setback, and final viscosities increased as UBF and SPF inclusion increased,whereas pasting temperature and time increased as the PPF level increased. The L*, a*, and b* values of the flour blends which were significantly (p < .05) different ranged from 79.58 to 102.71, −0.15 to 2.79, and 13.82 to 23.69, respectively. Cooking banana-pigeon pea-sweetpotato flour blends are desirable for alleviating malnutrition in Nigeria and developing new food formulations. K E Y W O R D SFunctional properties, nutrient composition, pigeon pea, sweetpotato, unripe cooking banana | INTRODUCTIONAccording to Noorfarahzihah, Lee, Sharifudin, Mohd-Fadzelly, and Hasmadi (2014), composite flour is defined as a mixture of flours from tubers (e.g. cassava, yam, sweetpotato) and/or legumes (e.g. soybean, pigeon pea, peanut) and/or cereal (e.g. maize, wheat, rice, millet, buckwheat). The use of composite flour has been identified by researchers as possible avenue of producing high-quality nutritious food productsand a means of reducing the huge amount of foreign exchange spent by Nigeria in the importation of wheat flour (Olaoye, Onilude, & Idowu, 2006;Nwosu, 2013;Vaughan, Afolami, Oyekale, & Ayegbokiki, 2014).Basically, banana is an essential source of minerals (iron, zinc, selenium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, and potassium), vitamins (A, B1, B2, B6, and C), polyphenols, resistant starch, and antioxidants , 2015). The objective of this study was therefore to determine the nutrient composition, functional, and pasting properties of flour blends from unripe cooking banana, pigeon pea, and sweet potato. | MATERIALS AND METHODS | Materials | Production of unripe banana flourThe procedure described by Daramola and Osanyinlusi (2006) in | Production of pigeon pea flourThe method described by Fasoyiro et al. (2010) seeds were cleaned, sorted, and cooked in boiling water for 20 min.The seed coats were dehulled using a Philips blender, drained, and dried in the Genlab Cabinet dryer at 60°C for 48 hr. The dried pigeon pea seeds were allowed to cool at room temperature, and milled and packaged, as described for banana flour. | Production of...

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The study examined the effect of compensation practices on academic staff’s job performance in Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria. Multi stage sampling technique was used to purposively select 3 Agricultural base colleges followed by proportionate stratified sampling technique where respondents were randomly selected. One hundred and three (103) respondents from the three colleges of agriculture of the university were selected of which 92 questionnaires were retrieved. Data obtained was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics such as mean, standard deviation, chi-square and Pearson Product Moment Correlation. Finding revealed that the mean age of the respondents was 42.71 years, 71.7% of the respondents were male, 81.5% of them were married and 79.3% of the respondents were PhD holders. The mean years of experience was 10 years while their mean income was ₦217447.29. Most (79.4%) academic staff perceived that there is a pressing need to review and rationalize the pay structure to improve employee efficiency, some of the compensation packages available were; retirement benefit (100%), study leave (91.3%), career development opportunity (82.6%). The major constraints to compensation strategies identified were poor insurance scheme (21.7%), inadequate welfare package (20.7%) and poor communication network (19.6%). Furthermore, a significant relationship existed between respondents’ age (r= -0.204, P<0.05), compensation packages (r= 0.26, P<0.05) and their job performance. The results concluded that academic staff perceived a pressing need to review the compensation packages by involving them in the compensation decision making process. Effective management and implementation of compensation packages is highly recommended. , , Job Performance

Policy plays significant role in defining the food system of any country, and a sustainable food system is necessary for food security. This chapter maps out the causal interactions between food systems, food security and policy, and the challenges in transition to a sustainable food system while respecting the rights of all people to have access to adequate food in Nigeria. Explicit, rigorous, and transparent literature search was undertaken and many articles were assessed and reviewed. Although the results established a mutual relationship between food system and food security, existing literature have widely failed to take interactions between food systems, food security and policy into account. While food production is used as an entry point to improving food system sustainability, the quest for food security are undermining transition towards sustainable food systems. It was found that without right policies in place, it may be difficult to have food systems that are sustainable and ensure food security. This chapter provides a useful contribution to policy, and research on transitions towards sustainable food system. Any policy intervention to address one part of the food systems will impact on other parts and will determine whether a country is food secure or not. Enabling policy environment is therefore essential in ensuring a sustainable food system and for the attainment of food security.

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