Abstract: The global shortage of cereal foods arising from improper processing and preservation methods adopted in some of our industries could be the sources of contamination of various food products which could lead to devastating health disorder. From this study, millet grains were subjected to different processing methods such as fermentation, alkaline boiling, oven drying and sun drying. The microorganisms associated with the processed samples were isolated and identified using standard microbiological and biochemical methods. The extraction, detection and quantification of aflatoxin from ogi slurry were quantified using thin layer chromatography. The sample fermented with ethanol and water showed higher fungal count 37.33cfu/ml while the sample fermented in sodium hypochloride shown no growth of Aspergillus flavus with fermentation time at initial inoculation. The milled fermented oven dry sample showed higher colony counts 14.50 cfu/g when compared to milled sun-dry and alkaline boiling fermented samples. The aflatoxin level of the ogi slurry ranged from 0.00ppb to 0.02ppb. Samples fermented with water and ethanol showed high effect in removal of aflatoxin B and G produced by toxigenic Aspergillus flavus while the alkaline boiling showed less effect on aflatoxin B1 and B2. Aflatoxin G1 and G2 were completely removed/destroyed from the sample fermented with ordinary water with aflatoxin level 0.00ppb. The sample subjected to oven dry and sun-dry showed complete removal/reduction in aflatoxin B1 and G1. The reduction in aflatoxin level of ogi slurry produced from millet using different processing methods showed its permissible level below the standard as recommended by National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and European Union which could be promising prior to this methods in controlling the level of contaminant in our food products for human use.Abstract: The global shortage of cereal foods arising from improper processing and preservation methods adopted in some of our industries could be the sources of contamination of various food products which could lead to devastating health disorder. From this study, millet grains were subjected to different processing methods such as fermentation, alkaline b...Show More
Abstract: Genetic variation of a prey population can be affected by a range of variables, one of which is wild birds. Many species of prey population are polymorphic and wild birds hunt by sight which may means they select one morph of their prey over the other. The aim of this investigation is to use artificial prey to examine whether birds in an urban area, such as a garden of a residence, operate via selection pressures. 20 trials in total were performed. 10 trials with 45 yellow balls and 5 red balls were presented (ratio 9 yellow: 1 red) followed by 10 trials of 45 red balls and 5 yellow balls (ratio 9 red: 1 yellow). The bird population showed evidence of operating under significant frequency-dependant selection but not under significant frequency independent selection. The results show we can reject the null hypothesis that wild birds do not exhibit selection preferences due to the colour and frequency of the artificial prey, however, the null hypothesis can be accepted when in reference to frequency dependant selection. The birds showed no preference to which colour was rare, just that if that colour was the rare colour at the time, they select it over the common.Abstract: Genetic variation of a prey population can be affected by a range of variables, one of which is wild birds. Many species of prey population are polymorphic and wild birds hunt by sight which may means they select one morph of their prey over the other. The aim of this investigation is to use artificial prey to examine whether birds in an urban area...Show More
