Improving the nutritional values of yellow mealworm Tenebrio molitor(Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) larvae as an animal feed ingredient: a review

Yellow mealworm larvae(YML;Tenebrio molitor) are considered as a valuable insect species for animal feed due to their high nutritional values and ability to grow under different substrates and rearing conditions. Advances in the understanding of entomophagy and animal nutrition over the past decades have propelled research areas toward testing multiple aspects of YML to exploit them better as animal feed sources. This review aims to summarize various approaches that could be exploited to maximize the nutritional values of YML as an animal feed ingredient. In addition, YML has the potential to be used as an antimicrobial or bioactive agent to improve animal health and immune function in production animals. The dynamics of the nutritional profile of YML can be influenced by multiple factors and should be taken into account when attempting to optimize the nutrient contents of YML as an animal feed ingredient. Specifically, the use of novel land-based and aquatic feeding resources, probiotics, and the exploitation of larval gut microbiomes as novel strategies can assist to maximize the nutritional potential of YML. Selection of relevant feed supplies, optimization of ambient conditions, the introduction of novel genetic selection procedures, and implementation of effective post-harvest processing may be required in the future to commercialize mealworm production. Furthermore, the use of appropriate agricultural practices and technological improvements within the mealworm production sector should be aimed at achieving both economic and environmental sustainability. The issues highlighted in this review could pave the way for future approaches to improve the nutritional value of YML.

Influence of Sorbent Type on Drying Efficiency, Production Costs and Nutritional Values of Mango By-Products Feeds for Livestock

The aim of the study was to determine the best food absorbents between wheat, rice and maize bran and palm kernel cake, from a technical and economic point of view, in order to make a better recommandation for their use in the production process of food based on mango by-products (peels, peels + pulp). To this end, series of 18 kg of fresh feed were prepared and spread out in a stall for sun-drying using a randomized Fisher system. Preparations were made using either mango peels (75%) + absorbent (25%) or pulp + mango peels (67%) + sorbent (33%). The results show that mango Peel feed loses more water (WL) with lover production yields (PY), higher mango incorporation rates into dry feed (MRI), longer drying times (UDT) and lower production costs (CPkgPD) than mango peel + pulp. The average DM, MAT, ADF and NDF fiber contents were almost equal to those of mango peels + pulp feed. The average Crude Fiber (CF) (25.13%) and DEp (2839 kcal/kgDM) contents were higher for mango skin feed than for mango skin + pulp feed, at 8.59% and 2536 for MAT and DEp respectively. Mango peels + wheat bran (PSB25) and whole mango (MESB33) feeds recorded the highest and almost equal levels of TCP, NDF and MM. Production costs per kg of feed dry mater (CPkgDM) for feed produced at 25% were on average 33% higher than for whole mango (WM) feed. Excluding mango raw material, palm kernel meal (PK), rice bran (RB), maize bran (MB) and wheat bran (WB) can be ranked 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th in terms of cumulative performance of production parameters. Producers can then choose the type of sorbent they wish to use according to this ranking and the local availability of the sorbent. These feeds can be used for both ruminants and monogastrics, but are better suited to ruminant feeding due to their high fiber content.

Implications of vitamin D for flesh quality of grass carp(Ctenopharyngodon idella):antioxidant ability,nutritional value,sensory quality,and myofiber characteristics

Background Muscle represents a unique and complex system with many components and comprises the major edible part of animals.Vitamin D is a critical nutrient for animals and is known to enhance calcium absorption and immune response.In recent years,dietary vitamin D supplementation in livestock has received increased attention due to biological responses including improving shear force in mammalian meat.However,the vitamin D acquisition and myofiber development processes in fish differ from those in mammals,and the effect of vitamin D on fish flesh quality is poorly understood.Here,the influence of dietary vitamin D on fillet quality,antioxidant ability,and myofiber development was examined in grass carp(Ctenopharyngodon idella).Methods A total of 540 healthy grass carp,with an initial average body weight of 257.24±0.63 g,were allotted in 6 experimental groups with 3 replicates each,and respectively fed corresponding diets with 15.2,364.3,782.5,1,167.9,1,573.8,and 1,980.1 IU/kg vitamin D for 70 d.Results Supplementation with 1,167.9 IU/kg vitamin D significantly improved nutritional value and sensory quality of fillets,enhancing crude protein,free amino acid,lipid,and collagen contents;maintaining an ideal pH;and reduc-ing lactate content,shear force,and cooking loss relative to respective values in the control(15.2 IU/kg)group.Average myofiber diameter and the frequency of myofibers>50μm in diameter increased under supplementation with 782.5–1,167.9 IU/kg vitamin D.Levels of oxidative damage biomarkers decreased,and the expression of antioxi-dant enzymes and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 signaling molecules was upregulated in the 1,167.9 IU/kg vitamin D treatment compared to respective values in the control group.Furthermore,vitamin D supplementation activated cell differentiation by enhancing the expression of myogenic regulatory factors and myocyte enhancer factors compared to that in the control group.In addition,supplementation with 1,167.9 IU/kg vitamin D improved protein deposition associated with protein synthesis molecule(target of rapamycin)signaling and vitamin D receptor paralogs,along with inhibition of protein degradation(forkhead box protein 1)signaling.Conclusions Overall,the results demonstrated that vitamin D strengthened antioxidant ability and myofiber devel-opment,thereby enhancing nutritional value and sensory quality of fish flesh.These findings suggest that dietary vitamin D supplementation is conducive to the production of nutrient-rich,high quality aquaculture products.

Impact of Cooking Time on the Physicochemical and Nutritional Properties of Macrotermes subhyalinus and Imbrasia obscura

Insects are considered as an important source of essential nutrients because of their nutritional value which in turn is related to proteins, lipids, and mineral elements. In order to optimise the nutritional quality of insects, there is a need to identify processing and cooking methods that will result in higher retention of quality nutrients. Several researchers have investigated the effect of cooking methods on the nutritional quality of edible insects. The effect of cooking time on physico-chemical and nutritional parameters of Macrotermes subhyalinus Rambur and Imbrasia obscura Butler was evaluated in this study. M. subhyalinus échantillons were fried and grilled at a temperature of 150°C at intervals of 3, 6, 9, and 12 minutes. I. obscura was initially boiled at 93.4°C for 6, 9, 12, and 15 minutes. Then, I. obscura which had been boiled for six minutes at 93.4°C was fried for 3, 6, 9, and 12 minutes, respectively, at 150°C. The analysis used the pre-levered samples from those various times. The results obtained for M. subhyalinus and I. obscura respectively demonstrate that these two insects comprise primarily proteins (36.83 and 59.04 g/100g DM), lipids (54.24 and 18.67 g/100g DM), and total mineral content (5.87 and 7.82 g/100g DM). With increased cooking time, physical-chemical and nutritional indicators decreased significantly (p 0.05). When the insects were fried and toasted, the total mineral content increased, but only the lipids increased considerably (p 0.05). Fry for 3 to 6 minutes and toast for 3 to 6 minutes are treatments for M. subhyalinus that better conserve nutrients. To preserve the nutritional value, scalding I. obscura for 6 minutes and combining it with frying it for 3 minutes are highly advised.

Evaluation of the Nutritional Value and Acute Toxicity of the Seeds of the Fruit of Annona muricata L. (Sursop) Consumed in Kinshasa

In this paper, the author aimed to determine the nutritional value of soursop (Annona muricata L. fruit) consumed in Kinshasa as well as the study of the acute toxicity of its seeds. The fruit of Annona muricata L. was sampled according to the ISO 7002 standard for agricultural and food products. The selected fruits were ripe, without physical damage. The usual analytical methods allowed the determination of the nutritional value of the fruit pulp of Annona muricata L. The water content was measured by the method of loss of mass on drying. The total amount of ash was determined by incineration in the oven at 550°C. The mineral elements were determined by inductively coupled plasma spectrometry (ICP0). The determination of acute toxicity was carried out on 25 female mice of the NMRI SUISSE species according to OECD 425 guidelines. For 100 grams of fresh material from the fruit pulp, we noted a very high water content of 84% ± 6%. We also note a particularly high amount of carbohydrates with a rate of 12.2% ± 2%. Protein and lipid content were relatively low at 1% ± 0.01% and 0.7% ± 0.3% respectively. The dietary fiber content was 0.8% ± 0.2%. An energy value of 49.3 Kcal per 100 grams of pulp was determined. The LD 50 obtained was 3320 mg/kg, indicating slight toxicity of soursop seeds. The results of this study show that the white pulp of the fruit of Annona muricata L. consumed in Kinshasa is rich in carbohydrates when we compare it to others biomolecules. It also contains dietary fiber and mineral salts making soursop an excellent constituent of a weight loss diet with a low energy intake.

Comparative Study of the Protein Contents of Local and Imported Rice Consumed in Senegal

Protein is essential for the growth and maintenance of the body. They play a crucial role in different biological processes. This study focuses on comparing the protein contents of local rice grown in the Senegal River valley and rice imported from Asia. The objective is to evaluate the importance of the protein nutritional value of local rice compared to imported rice. Protein contents were determined using the Kjeldahl method. The results of the protein assays show that local rice varieties such as Sahel 108 and Sahel 134 grown in the Thilène basins had protein percentages comparable to those of imported rice. The protein percentages were 15.19% ± 0.91% for the Sahel 108 variety and 16.62% ± 0.01% for the Sahel 134 variety compared to 15.8% ± 0.01% on average for imported rice. Thus from the point of view of protein content, local rice has a nutritional value identical to that of imported rice which it can validly replace. It is important in Senegal to encourage local production, which would make it possible to reduce imports on the one hand and to make quality rice available to the local Senegalese market on the other. Sahel varieties with high protein contents deserve large-scale development to meet the country’s protein needs.

Nutritional Composition of Four Underexploited Wild Fruits in Mali

Malnutrition and food insecurity are major concerns for the Malian authorities. The objective of this study was to strengthen the knowledge about the nutritional and physicochemical values of four underutilized edible wild fruits picked at two cities belonging to different bioclimatic zones of Mali. The physicochemical and nutritional parameters were performed using standard methods. The findings revealed that all these parameters varied from one fruit to another, this outcome could be associated with the provenances of the wild fruits (p-value < 0.05). The protein contents varied from 4.53 g/100g by dry matter (DM) for R. sudanica fruits to 5.34 g/100g DM for those of B. aegyptiaca, all these samples were being harvested from Sikasso. The highest concentrations of vitamins are C (150,800 to 151,000 μg/100g DM), E (1,310 to 1,350 μg/100g DM) and A (38 to 40 μg/100g DM) respectively for the fruits of Z. mauritiana, B. aegyptiaca and S. senegalensis. In addition, these fruits would constitute a potential source of minerals such as iron, phosphorus and calcium. Thereby, these fruits are promising raw materials to be used against the malnutrition linked to the micronutrients deficiencies and the management of certain pathologies related to oxidative stress.

Solid state fermentation of rapeseed cake with Aspergillus niger for degrading glucosinolates and upgrading nutritional value

Background： Rapeseed cake is a good source of protein for animal feed but its utilization is limited due to the presence of anti-nutritional substances, such as glucosinolates （GIs）, phytic acid, tannins etc. In the present study, a solid state fermentation （SSF） using Aspergillus niger was carried out with the purpose of degrading glucosinolates and improving the nutritional quality of rapeseed cake （RSC）. The effects of medium composition and incubation conditions on the GIs content in fermented rapeseed cake （FRSC） were investigated, and chemical composition and amino acid in vitro digestibility of RSC substrate fermented under optimal conditions were determined. Results： After 72 h of incubation at 34℃, a 76.89% decrease in GIs of RSC was obtained in solid medium containing 70% RSC, 30% wheat bran at optimal moisture content 60% （w/w）. Compared to unfermented RSC, trichloroacetic acid soluble protein （TCA-SP）, crude protein and ether extract contents of the FRSC were increased （P〈 0.05） 103.71, 23.02 and 23.54%, respectively. As expected, the contents of NDF and phytic acid declined （P〈 0.05） by 9.12 and 44.60%, respectively. Total amino acids （TAA） and essential amino acids （EAA） contents as well as AA in vitro digestibility of FRSC were improved significantly （P 〈 0.05）. Moreover, the enzyme activity of endoglucanase, xylanase, acid protease and phytase were increased （P 〈 0.05） during SSF. Conclusions： Our results indicate that the solid state fermentation offers an effective approach to improving the quality of proteins sources such as rapeseed cake.

Sweet potato and potato residual flours as potential nutritional and healthy food material

In this study, the proximate composition, mineral content and amino acid composition of starch processing residues from 10 cultivars of sweet potato and 10 cultivars of potato were determined, and the nutritional and health-related values of these residues were investigated. The residual flours contained 20.63-31.48 g and 17.14-28.57 g rich dietary fiber per 100 g dry weight for sweet potato and potato, respectively, as well as mineral elements, including potassium, ferrum, zinc and copper. The highest limiting amino acid score （AAS） of the almost balanced amino acid composition were observed to be 71.07 and 57.96 for sweet potato and potato residues, respectively. A grey relational analysis showed that the nutritional values of Jishu 4 at 0.7519 and LT-5 at 0.7281 were the highest among the sweet potato and potato residues, respectively. The evaluation of the sweet potato/potato residues, the by-products of the starch industry, based on recommended daily intake （RDI） standards, indicated that the residues have potential nutritional and health-related food values.

Low Light During Grain Filling Stage Deteriorates Rice Cooking Quality, but not Nutritional Value

To investigate the effect of low light （LL, 50% natural light） during grain filling （GF） stage on rice transamination, amino acid （AA） accumulation, nutritional value, and cooking quality in three different rice genotypes, transaminase activities and AA levels in grains during GF stage and the traits that significantly affected rice quality （physical appearance, cooking quality, and nutritional value） were analyzed. LL did not disturb transamination in rice grains during GF stage, as minimal impact was found on alanine and aspartate transaminase activities. Nevertheless, most AAs in caryopses, including lysine and threonine, increased in response to LL, except for sulfur-containing AAs. These results suggest that AA metabolism and accumulation in rice grains were rarely suppressed by LL during GF stage. Rice nutritional ingredients at harvest, such as major protein components including glutelin and most important essential amino acids （EAAs） including lysine and threonine, increased significantly in response to LL, whereas most protein and EAA ratios were rarely affected. However, LL markedly affected physical appearance of rice grains by reducing brown rice rate, milled rice rate, and 1000-grain weight and increasing the chalkiness rate. In addition, cooking qualities decreased in response to LL, while breakdown values and amylose levels decreased and setback values increased. We concluded that LL during GF stage decreased the cooking quality of rice, but could potentially improve the nutritional value of rice.

Physiochemical, Nutritional and Technological Properties of Instant Porridge Supplemented with Mung Bean

The present study was undertaken to prepare instant porridge from some useful and available ingredients such as bulgur powder, potato, tomato, carrot, mung bean (unsoaked, soaked and germinated), then seasoned with onion, garlic, salt, black pepper, cumin and coriander to make B1, B2 and B3 formulas. Chemical, physical properties, amino acids and sensory evaluation of instant porridge formulas were determined. The data showed that B2 formula which contained soaked mung bean had the highest calories value, total essential amino acids, biological value and water absorption index (WAI) compared to the other formulas, also it is recorded the highest degree of lightness L* values (82.39 and 56.65), least redness a* values (0.98 and 1.45) and intermediate in yellowness b* values (25.91 and 24.45) before and after rehydrated, respectively. Regarding to sensory evaluation, there was a significant increase in color, taste and overall acceptability in B2 compared to the other formulas. Based on these results, revealed that the soaked mung bean was a good source of essential amino acid and calories to enhance nutritional and technological quality of the resultant porridge.

Nutritional evaluation of Kedrostis africana (L.) Cogn:An edible wild plant of South Africa

Objective:To evaluate the nutritional composition and elemental constituents of Kedrostis africana and their safety aspect.Methods:Proximate parameters(moisture,ash,crude fibre,crude fat,proteins,and carbohydrate and energy) were evaluated using ALASA methods,and elemental analysis by ICP-OES technique.Results:The results from nutritional analysis showed that the tuber used for this study had a low content of crude fat and high content of ash,crude protein,crude fibre,carbohydrate and energy having the recommended dietary allowances.The tuber was rich in major minerals Na,K,Ca and Mg,there was sufficient amount of trace elements Fe,Cu,and Zn while the anti-nutrients oxalate,phytate,alkaloids,and saponins were detected in amounts that are not harmful according to Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization.Conclusions:The outcome of this study suggests that this wild plant has very good nutritional potentials to meet the recommended dietary allowance and it could be a cheap source of essential nutrients that may ameliorate most nutritional challenges and can contribute remarkably to the amount of nutrient intake in human and animal diet.

Nutritional and Sensory Evaluation of Novel Ice Cream Products Formulated From Kunu-Zaki Fortified with Fruit Pulp

Consumption of ice cream produced from dairy products has been reportedly associated with health hazards. To circumvent this, this study was undertaken to formulate plant-based ice cream using kunu-zaki and soymilk (as substitutes for dairy milk) fortified with mango, banana and avocado. Standard method for the preparation of ice cream was modified to formulate three variants of kunu-zaki ice cream designated as B (40% kunu-zaki, 40% banana pulp and 20% soymilk);C (40% kunu-zaki, 40% mango pulp and 20% soymilk);D (40% kunu-zaki, 40% avocado pulp and 20% soymilk), while control sample A was commercial dairy-based ice cream. Analyses of proximate, mineral and vitamin compositions were carried out on the samples following standard procedures. The results showed lower fat content in all the formulated ice cream samples, which ranged from 0.60 - 0.96 g/100g compared to the control sample with fat content of 8.15 g/100g. Similarly, the formulated ice cream samples have significant protein content with sample D recording the highest value of 3.67 g/100g compared to control sample. Samples B and C contained higher vitamin C, vitamin B6, calcium and sodium content in comparison to sample A. Sensory evaluation showed that samples B and sample C were the most acceptable ice cream variants in comparison to the control sample. These findings lend credence to the strategy of value addition for providing healthier food alternatives while contributing to the reduction in post-harvest losses of fruits utilized as fortificants.

Nutritional Value of Lippia nodiflora( L. ) Greene as Feed

To analyze the nutritional value as feed,the aerial stem and leaves of Lippia nodiflora( L.) Greene and Phyla nodiflora( L.) Greene were sampled to measure the nutritional indices. The nutritional indices were also compared with common forage grass,and the development value of L. nodiflora as feed was analyzed. Compared with P. nodiflora,L. nodiflora had obvious fast-growing and high-yield abilities. The contents of crude fat,crude fiber,crude ash,lysine,vitamin C,Ca,and Fe in L. nodiflora were obviously higher than that in P. nodiflora,but the content of crude protein and total P in L. nodiflora were significantly lower than that in P. nodiflora. Compared with common forage feed ryegrass,alfalfa,millet straw and corn straw,L. nodiflora had higher contents of crude fat and crude ash and lower contents of crude fiber and crude protein. Therefore,L. nodiflora had higher development value as feed.

Nutritional Value of Date Fruits and Potential Use in Nutritional Bars for Athletes

The date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) is one of the oldest primary staple crops in Southwest Asia and North Africa. Date palms are also grown in Australia, Mexico, South America, Southern Africa, and the United States, especially in Southern California, Arizona, and Texas. Date fruit is a high nutritional value food that is rich in carbohydrates, dietary fibers, proteins, minerals and vitamin B complex such as thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), pantothenic (B5), pyridoxine (B6), and folate (B9). Carbohydrates comprise 70% of date fruit mainly as fructose and glucose. Minerals in date fruits are calcium, iron, magnesium, selenium, copper, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, sulfur, cobalt, fluorine, and manganese. Date fruits are highly nourishing and may thus confer numerous potential health benefits. In recent years, a huge interest in the abundant health promoting properties of date fruits has led to the need to develop new food products using dates as a source of nutrients. Thus, the aim of this paper is to review the nutritional value of date fruits in the context of the potential use of dates in nutrition bars for athletes.

Dry Season Feeding Technologies: Assessing the Nutritional and Economic Benefits of Feeding Hay and Silage to Dairy Cattle in South-Western Uganda

South-western Uganda annually experiences prolonged drought that results in dramatic drop in milk production of dairy cattle. This study was conducted to assess the nutritional value and economic benefits of feeding silage and hay to dairy cattle in the sub-region. The cross-sectional study covered seven districts with 105 farmers interviewed during the wet and 45 others in the dry season. Up to 88 soil samples were collected and analyzed for soil texture, soil pH, organic matter and total Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, Calcium, Sodium and Magnesium. Likewise, 148 forage (105 fresh, 25 silage and 18 hay) tissues from 21 pasture species were collected and analyzed for nutritional values. Using a questionnaire, data on production costs and milk revenues were collected for cost-benefit analysis. Results showed that silage of Napier grass treated with molasses (10.2 MJ/kg) and hay of naturally established pastures (10.6 MJ/kg) had the highest metabolisable energy (ME) values, while the lowest (8.30 MJ/kg) was for star grass. Hay of star grass presented the highest level of crude protein (21.4%) with maize (corn) showing the lowest (9.38%). Digestibility of hay of naturally established mixed pastures was the highest (64.4%), followed by that of silage of Napier grass treated with molasses (62.0%), while star grass hay had the lowest (52.6%). With exception of silage made from maize, all the other six forms of silage had a good crude protein (CP) content. Regardless of the good CP content (≥9.9%), all silage untreated with additives was poor in quality since its ME was less than 9.9 MJ ME/kg and ration digestibility less than 67%. Nonetheless, feeding of silage and hay increased milk yield and farm productivity with a benefit-cost ratio of 5.5 and 2.7 for silage and hay respectively.

Evaluation of Nutritional Value and Acceptability of Chicken Nuggets Produced by Chicken Wings and Dehydrated Shellfish

Our study investigated the effect of utilizing chicken wings and dehydrated shellfish to produce chicken nuggets rich in protein, minerals and vitamins. The proximate composition, nutritional value, physical and sensorial properties were evaluated. The differently prepared chicken nuggets were supplemented with dehydrated shellfish CN 0%, CN 2%, CN 4% and CN 6%. There was a significantly reduction in moisture and an increasing in protein content (P < 0.05) in all Chicken Nuggets (CN) in comparison to the control. Fat content was significantly higher in CN 0% than CN 2%, CN 4% and CN 6%. Ash content was increasing with added dehydrated shellfish, while the reduction in carbohydrates and total calories of the different chicken nuggets were noticed with the significant gradual rise in pH values, TBA values showed no significant difference (P < 0.05) between chicken nuggets. Results showed that using dehydrated shellfish in preparing chicken nuggets caused a marked rise in its content of Ca, Fe, Na, K, Zn, Mg and Mn levels, CN 0% had the lowest concentration of all minerals, and had lower values of vitamins A, E and D but CN 6% had higher values of vitamins A, E and D. Control Nuggets (CN 0%) had the lowest value of yellowness and highest value of lightness but CN 6% had the highest value of yellowness and, the lowest value of lightness. The redness had a slightly reduction. All samples showed slight changes in hardness, cohesiveness, springiness, gumminess and chewiness were noticed. An increase in WHC, pick-up, and cooking loss of chicken nuggets with dehydrated shellfish was noticed. Panelists accepted all prepared chicken nuggets and the chicken nuggets CN 4% had the highest score compared with other chicken nuggets prepared.

Determination of Selected Metals and Nutritional Compositions of Pigeon Pea (<i>Cajanus cajan</i>) Cultivated in Wolaita Zone, Ethiopia

This study was aimed to determine the level of selected metals and nutritional composition of pigeon pea seed collected from seven districts of Wolaita zone. A wet digestion procedure involving the use of mixtures of (69% - 72%) HNO3 and (70%) HClO4 at an optimum temperature and time duration was used to determine metals by using flame atomic absorption spectrometry. Kjeldahl digestion method, Soxhlet extraction and furnace were used to determine nutritional values of pigeon pea, and physicochemical properties of soils were assessed using standard methods. The results showed that the levels of concentration of metals in mg/kg dry weight were ranged 105.17 to 144.07 for K, 8.95 to 12.67 for Mg, 7.74 to 12.27 for Ca, 0.247 to 0.543 for Fe, 0.122 to 0.313 for Zn, 0.061 to 0.432 for Mn, 0.087 to 0.134 for Cu and 0.0011 to 0.00196 for Cr. The proximate composition of pigeon pea was in the range of 19.28% to 25.79% for crude protein, 0.993% to 1.75% for crude fat, 3.75% to 5.31% for ash, 10.65% to 13.73% for moisture, 2.28% to 3.06% for fiber, 54.36% to 60.1% for carbohydrate and 326.8 to 345.23 Kcal for energy. The pH of the soil was in the range from pH 5.09 (strongly acidic) to 6.77 (slightly acidic), EC of the soil ranged from 0.047 to 0.14 dS/m (low), the soil OC level was from 1.6% to 2.42% (moderate), total Nitrogen was from 0.12% to 0.23% (low to moderate), the available Phosphorus content of the soil was from 6.82 to 13.52 mg/kg (low to moderate), CEC value of the soil was from 14.8 to 23.53 meq/100g (moderate). The textural classes of soil were sandy clay loam for all sites except Abela abaya. The study confirmed that pigeon pea was a good source of proteins, carbohydrates, and selected metals such as Mg, K, Ca, Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu, and Cr. The concentration of metals and nutritional compositions of pigeon pea seed were found at a permissible level.

Hygienic Quality and Nutritional Value of Attiékéfrom Local and Imported Cassava Dough Produced with Different Traditional Starters in Burkina Faso

Attiéké is an essentially flavour starchy food produced from fermented cassava root. The product is widely consumed in Burkina Faso. The objective of the present study was to investigate the biochemical and the microbiological characteristics of attiéké from Burkina Faso. The samples (36) were collected from six (6) producers. Cassava dough which is used for attiéké production contains from 70.67% ± 0.25% to 86.02% ± 0.2% as starch. The undesirable organic elements rate is about 1.28% ± 0.14% to 26.46% ± 0.53%. The inorganic impurities rate is about 0 to 7 ± 0.1 mg/100g. Cassava dough acidity varies from 1.8 ± 0.2 to 12.4 ± 0.1;and its pH from 3.48 ± 0.01 to 4.20 ± 0.01. Lactic bacteria are the main microorganisms involved in cassava dough fermentation (5.17 to 9.30 log cfu/g). Yeasts and molds number is low (<6.53 log cfu/g). Attiéké moister is about 50.6% ± 0.00% to 55.12% ± 0.7% and its protein contents from 0.77 to 1.74 ± 0.13 g/100g. The content in lipid of attiéké shows an important variation and is about 0.15 to 3.28 ± 0.32 g/100g. Carbohydrates content varies from 36.6 ± 0.04 to 47.01 ± 0.1 g/100g and its ashes content is from 140 to 780 ± 20 mg/100g. Attiéké acidity and pH are less weak than cassava dough. They vary respectively from 0.92% ± 0.05% to 4.08% ± 0.57% and from 3.7 to 4.4 ± 0.01. As a main energizer food, attiéké energizing value is from 161.95 to 215.26 Kcal/100g. All the attiéké analyzed was exempt of aflatoxin (B1, B2, G1, G2) and ochratoxin A. The local attiéké has higher acidity, fermented bacteria load, protein and minerals salt than the imported one. The process mastery is the mainly factor that determines nutritional and sanitary quality of attiéké.

Nutritional Evaluation and Palatability of Major Range Forbs from South Darfur, Sudan

The nutritive value of rangelands in Southern Darfur, Sudan could be improved by introduction and multiplication of nutritious forbs with the objective of increasing livestock production in the area. The present study was conducted to evaluate the nutritive value and palatability of eleven range forbs collected at flowering stage from Gahzal Gawazat, Southern Darfur, Sudan using chemical analysis. The crude protein (CP) ranged from 6.8% in Oxygonum atriplicifolium with lowest digestible crude protein (DCP) 2.8% to 16.4% in Zornia diphylla with highest DCP 11.73%. The highest and the lowest crude fiber (CF) values were obtained in Commelina spp (56.4%) and Sesamum alatum (25.9%), respectively. NDF and DMI values were maximum and minimum for Zornia diphylla (44.9 and 2.67%) and Alysicarpus glumaceus (35.3 and 3.4%), respectively. The total digestible nutrients (TDN) ranged from 57.1% in Blepharis linariifolia to 69.3% in Tribulus terrestris with highest digestible energy (DE) in later while the lowest DE was obtained in Commelina spp (2.4%). The calculated in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD) was highest for the Canavalia ensiformis (50.27%) and lowest value (43.17%) for Commelina spp. Zornia diphylla, Tribulus terrestris and Sesamum alatum showed highest nutritive value, while Alysicarpus glumaceus, Oldenlandia senegalensis and Chrozophora brocchiana showed highest palatability. It is concluded that these rangeland forbs are palatable and their CP and energy contents are sufficient to support different classes of livestock in South Darfur, Sudan.