Oxidative stress in poultry production.

Oxidative stress (OS) is a major concern that impacts the overall health of chickens in modern production systems. It is characterized by an imbalance between antioxidant defence mechanisms and the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). This literature review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of oxidative stress in poultry production, with an emphasis on its effects on growth performance, immune responses, and reproductive outcomes.

Seasonal Diversity and Occurrence of Filamentous Fungi in Smallholder Dairy Cattle Feeds and Feedstuffs in South Africa.

This study investigated 65 (35 in summer and 30 in winter) smallholder dairy cattle feeds from Free State and Limpopo provinces in South Africa from 2018 to 2019 for fungal contamination and assessed the impacts of seasonal variation on fungal contamination levels, isolation frequency, and diversity. Samples were examined for fungal contamination using macro- and microscopic approaches, and their identities were confirmed by molecular means. A total of 217 fungal isolates from 14 genera, including Aspergillus, Fusarium, and Penicillium, were recovered from feeds from both seasons.

Variability in metabolites produced by Talaromyces pinophilus SPJ22 cultured on different substrates.

Background: Several metabolites released by fungal species are an essential source of biologically active natural substances. Gas chromatography high resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-HRTOF-MS) is one of the techniques used in profiling the metabolites produced by microorganisms, including Talaromyces pinophilus. However, there is limited information regarding differential substrates' impacts on this fungal strain's metabolite profiling.

Participatory Causal Loop Mapping of the Adoption of Organic Farming in Nigeria.

Contrary to the expectations of promoters of organic agriculture, the adoption of the technology by smallholder farmers in Africa has been low and slow, for reasons not well understood. Existing studies on the topic mostly estimated the effect of some variables on the adoption of the technology. But adoption is characterized by complex and dynamic interactions of many interconnected factors, which existing studies overlooked.

Kinetics of Phenolic Compounds Modification during Maize Flour Fermentation.

This study aimed to investigate the kinetics of phenolic compound modification during the fermentation of maize flour at different times. Maize was spontaneously fermented into sourdough at varying times (24, 48, 72, 96, and 120 h) and, at each point, the pH, titratable acidity (TTA), total soluble solids (TSS), phenolic compounds (flavonoids such as apigenin, kaempferol, luteolin, quercetin, and taxifolin) and phenolic acids (caffeic, gallic, ferulic, -coumaric, sinapic, and vanillic acids) were investigated. Three kinetic models (zero-, first-, and second-order equations) were used to determine the kinetics of phenolic modification during the fermentation.

A modeling method for the development of a bioprocess to optimally produce umqombothi (a South African traditional beer).

Bioprocess development for umqombothi (a South African traditional beer) as with other traditional beer products can be complex. As a result, beverage bioprocess development is shifting towards new systematic protocols of experimentation. Traditional optimization methods such as response surface methodology (RSM) require further comparison with a relevant machine learning system.

Food safety, food security and genetically modified organisms in Africa: a current perspective.

Moving forward from 2020, Africa faces an eminent challenge of food safety and security in the coming years. The World Food Programme (WFP) of the United Nations (UN) estimates that 20% of Africa's population of 1.2 billion people face the highest level of undernourishment in the world, likely to worsen due to COVID-19 pandemic that has brought the entire world to its knees.

GC-HRTOF-MS dataset of metabolites extracted from sorghum and (a fermented product) produced using two strains of (singly and in combination).

This data article reports the untargeted metabolite profile of whole grain sorghum ( L.) and fermented samples obtained using two strains of . The sorghum grains were obtained from Agricol Johannesburg (South Africa) and fermentation was done at 34 °C for 24 h.

Metabolite profile of Bambara groundnut () and (an African fermented condiment) investigation using gas chromatography high resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-HRTOF-MS).

Metabolite profile provides an overview and avenue for the detection of a vast number of metabolites in food sample at a particular time. Gas chromatography high resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-HRTOF-MS) is one of such techniques that can be utilized for profiling known and unknown compounds in a food sample. In this study, the metabolite profiles of Bambara groundnut and (unhulled and dehulled) were investigated using GC-HRTOF-MS.

Metabolomic approaches for the determination of metabolites from pathogenic microorganisms: A review.

Metabolomics is a high precision analytical approach to obtaining detailed information of varieties of metabolites produced in biological systems, including foods. This study reviews the use of metabolomic approaches such as liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LCMS), gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS), matrix assisted laser desorption /ionization tandem time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) for investigating the presence of foodborne pathogens and their metabolites. Pathogenic fungi and their notable metabolites (mycotoxins) have been studied more extensively using metabolomics as compared to bacteria, necessitating further studies in this regard.

Influence of steeping duration, drying temperature, and duration on the chemical composition of sorghum starch.

The quest for high-quality starch that would meet the needs of manufacturers is ever increasing. This study investigated the effect of steeping duration, drying temperature, and duration on the chemical properties of sorghum starch, to possibly alter the characteristics of sorghum starch for food applications. Steeping duration, drying temperature, and drying time of starch isolation were optimized using a central composite design and nine parameters including pH, amylose content, moisture, protein, ash, crude fiber, fat, carbohydrate, and total energy determined.

Comparison of nutritional quality and sensory acceptability of biscuits obtained from native, fermented, and malted pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) flour.

The effects of fermentation and malting on the proximate composition, mineral content, amino acids and total phenolic content of pearl millet flour and biscuits were studied. Consumer tests of the biscuits samples were also done using two sets of panelists. The results showed that fermentation and malting improved the crude fiber, crude protein, carbohydrate and energy values of the pearl millet flour.

Fermented and malted millet products in Africa: Expedition from traditional/ethnic foods to industrial value-added products.

With the prevalent food insecurity in Africa, there is a growing need to utilize the available crops to develop nutritious, affordable and palatable food for the populace. Millet is critical in this role, relative to its abundance in the continent and good nutritional composition. For ages, fermentation and malting have been traditionally used to transform millet into variety of produce.

Decreased thiamine and magnesium levels in the potentiation of the neurotoxicity of lead in occupational lead exposure.

The relationship between blood lead (Pb) and serum levels of calcium and of neural nutrients such as thiamine and magnesium (Mg) has been determined in a Nigerian population that is occupationally exposed to Pb. Forty-seven male Pb workers were recruited as test subjects and 25 males unexposed to Pb served as controls. The test subjects were classified into three groups, based on severity of exposure to Pb.