No abstract

There are no detailed studies on the nutritional and microbiological characteristics of honey produced in Ogun State in the Southwestern part of Nigeria. This paper investigated these components in honeys produced from different parts of this state. A total of 10 honey samples per year were collected for the years 2008 -2010. These were separately analyzed for their physical properties, nutritional and microbiological components in the laboratory. The results of the physical properties showed that honey samples obtained from Ago-Iwoye has the lowest pH of 3.48, which was significantly different from the pH values of 5.06, 5.21 and 4.06 obtained from honey samples from Abeokuta, Ibefun and Ilisan honey samples respectively. There was significant difference in moisture contents of honey samples obtained from Ogere (16.19 %), Otta (19.14 %) and Ijebu-Ode (18.21 %), while the percentage ash contents of 0.78 % obtained from honey samples collected from Abeokuta was not significantly different from the value of 0.75 % obtained from Ago-Iwoye honey (P ≤ 0.05). However, the value of 1.11 mg 100 g -1 for hydroxymethylfurfural obtained from Ago-Iwoye honey samples was not significantly different from the value of 0.32 mg 100 g -1 in honey samples obtained from Sagamu. The value for glucose ranged from 18.42 -30.16 g 100 g -1 , while fructose sugar varied between 25.42 -38.21 g 100 g -1 . Minimum protein value of 0.02 % was obtained from Ijebu-Ode honey, while the maximum of 0.51 % was obtained from honey samples from Ilisan. Results of the elemental nutrient showed that potassium was the most abundant element in honey samples with the range value of 14.78 -17.42 mg 100 g -1 followed by calcium, which varied from 2.13 -11.25 mg 100 g -1 . However, result of microbiological properties showed that the total plate count varied from 0.2 -3.4 cfu g -1 , whereas total coliforms were not detected in honey samples collected from Ago-Iwoye, Otta, Ibefun, Ife and Sagamu. Clostridium spp, Bacillus spp and yeast were also detected at low count in all honey samples investigated. Moreover, honey samples obtained from different parts of Ogun State were found to be contaminated with Pseudomonas spp., Xanthomonas spp., Bacillus spp., E. coli and Clostridium spp, while fungi spores intercepted were Pennicillium oxalicum, Aspergilus niger, A. Flavus and Fusarium oxysporum at different levels and counts.

The study was conducted to determine the effect of graded levels of differently processed Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) seed meal on the performance and carcass characteristics of broiler chickens. One hundred and fifty (150), 28-day old birds were randomly allotted to 5 dietary treatments of 3 replicates of thirty birds each. Each replicate had 10 birds. The treatments were: T1 - control diet with 0% inclusion level of Roselle Seed Meal (RSM) while the four other diets had 50% of raw (T2: rRSM), soaked (T3: sRSM), boiled (T4: bRSM) and  fermented (T5: fRSM) Roselle Seed Meal in a complete randomized design. At the end of the 28thday of the feeding (week 8), parameters measured were on performance and carcass characteristics. The data collected were analyzed using ANOVA of SAS with the means, where significant, were separated using the Duncan's Multiple Range Test. Final weight (FW) and weight gain (WG) were highest in birds on T5. Birds on T5 had the least feed conversion ratio (FCR) value (2.62). Feed intake and percent mortality did not differ significantly among birds on the different dietary treatments. Birds on T5 had significantly (p < 0.05) higher values for live weight (LW), thigh weight (TW) and neck weight (NW). Percentage eviscerated weight, breast weight, drumstick weight, shank weight, wing weight and back weight did not differ significantly among the birds on the different treatments. The gizzard (G), liver (L) and spleen (S) had the highest values in birds on T3 (G: 2.53%), T1 (L: 2.34%), T5 (S: 0.18) being significantly (p<0.05) different from T 5 (G: 2.04% and L: 1.87%), T2 (S: 0.08%), T3 (S: 0.08%) and T4 (S: 0.09%) respectively. There were no significant (p>0.05) differences observed among the treatments for percentage heart weight. It can be concluded that processing methods enhanced the utilization of Roselle seed meal with the best being the fermentation method as revealed by its feed conversion ratio, live weight and some carcass parameters when Roselle Seed Meal was substituted for 50% of soybean meal in the broiler finisher diets.