Shea nuts (Vitellaria paradoxa) were cracked and sorted. Fluted pumpkin seeds (Telfairia occidentalis Hook) were dehulled and washed. The Shea kernel and Telfairia cotyledons were oven dried (60°C, 24h) separately in a hot air oven, milled into flour and oil extracted. Crude palm oil extracted from the palm fruit was used as control. The oil samples were analyzed for chemical composition, physical properties, and fatty acid profile. Shea nut oil (Shea butter) gave 58.00% ether extract, 0.88% free fatty acids, 1.7mgKOH/g acid value, 1.03mEqO 2 /kg peroxide value, 70.00g/100g iodine value, 227.94mgKOH/g saponification value, 0.95% Unsaponifiable matter, and 226.17mgKOH/g ester value. Fluted pumpkin seed oil gave 52.60% ether extract, 0.71% free fatty acids, 1.41mgKOH/g acid value, 1.17mEqO 2 /kg peroxide value, 119.67g/100g iodine value, 179.04mgKOH/g saponification value, 0.57% Unsaponifiable matter, and 177.63mgKOH/g ester value. The iodine value of Shea butter and Telfairia seed oil were significantly (p<0.05) higher than that of the control which gave 57.33g/100g iodine value. Shea butter also gave 1.461 refractive index, 0.927g/ml density, 36.57°C slip melting point, 211.00°C smoke point, 83.92cSt kinematic viscosity, and 4red and 20yellow lovibond colour. Fluted pumpkin seed oil gave 1.463 refractive index, 0.903g/ml density, 18.60°C slip melting point, 244.50°C smoke point, 34.98cSt kinematic viscosity, and 5red and 20yellow lovibond colour. Shea butter gave 50.6% total saturated fatty acids, and 49.1% total unsaturated fatty acids, with stearic (45.8%) and oleic (42.5%) as the predominant saturated, and unsaturated fatty acids respectively. Fluted pumpkin seed oil gave 18.4% total saturated fatty acids, and 80.2% total unsaturated fatty acids, with palmitic (17.5%) and linoleic (62.4%) as the predominant saturated, and unsaturated fatty acids respectively. Shea butter, with a melting point of 36.57°C will provide a good solid base for bakery fat production, while Telfairia seed oil with iodine value of 119.33(g/100g) will provide healthy fatty acids and the needed plasticity. A blend of Shea butter and fluted pumpkin seed oil in bakery fat production has potential to improve the nutritional and functional properties of the end products.

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of chemical interesterification, as a modification process on the physicochemical properties and fatty acid profile of bakery shortening produced from a blend of Shea stearin and fluted pumpkin seed oil. The Shea nut oil was fractionated, and the solid stearin fraction blended with fluted pumpkin seed oil in the following ratios: 30:70, 40:60, 50:50,and 60:40 (Shea stearin: fluted pump seed oil), The blends were stabilized with recommended additives such as; distilled monoglyceride (E471) and preservatives such as; citric acid (E330), BHT (E321), homogenized by continuous stirring and crystalized by cooling at 17°C, then tempered at 23-25°C for 48h, to attain a stable polymorphic form, used as non-interesterified blends (NIEBs). Another set of 30:70; 40:60; 50:50; and 60:40 (Shea stearin: fluted pumpkin seed oil), were chemically interesterified with sodium methoxide (CH 3 ONa) as catalyst, crystalized, stabilized, and used as chemically interesterified blends (CIEBs).The chemical properties, physical characteristics (including solid fat content), and the fatty acid profile of all the chemically interesterified (CIEB) and the non-interesterified (NIEB) samples were determined. There was no significant (p>0.05) change in the peroxide value, iodine value, and the refractive index of NIEBs and there corresponding CIEBs. The acid value, free fatty acids, slip melting point, density, and solid fat content were significantly (p<0.05) reduced after interesterification. Interesterification caused rearrangement of triacylglycerol species, resulting in increased unsaturated fraction and reduction in the saturated fraction. Interesterification gave fats with wide plastic range suitable for bakery fats, icing-shortening, filler fats, and allpurpose shortenings.

This study was aimed at investigating the presence of heavy metals and volatile organic pollutants in street-vended foods sourced from three selected locations in Lagos State, Nigeria, to ascertain their safety level. The study was carried out using complete randomization design and Cluster sampling technique to source vended street foods from three locations (Marina, Yaba and Apapa). The eight Food products studied were roasted (plantain, fish, yam, corn), suya meat, meat pie, egg roll and doughnuts. Lead, Cadmium, Copper, Mercury, Iron, Zinc and organic pollutants in Foods and particulate matter in Environment were examined. Heavy metals detected in vended street foods from Marina, Yaba and Apapa Lagos were; iron, copper, lead and zinc, at level ranging from 0.14 mg/kg–2.80 mg/kg, 0.08 mg/kg – 0.27 mg/kg, 0.01 mg/kg – 0.18 mg/kg, and 0.01 mg/kg – 0.04 mg/kg, respectively. Mercury and Cadmium were below detectable limit. Significantly (P<0.05) higher iron presence of 2.80 mg/kg and 1.99mg/kg were respectively, noticed in suya from Apapa and roasted fish also from Apapa. Significantly (P<0.05) higher lead (Pb) content of 0.18 mg/kg was observed in dough nut from Yaba, however, roasted plantain, roasted fish and meat pie all sourced from Yaba gave significantly (P<0.05) lower lead content of 0.01mg/kg. The Zinc content of roasted fish, suya and egg roll sourced from Marina, Yaba and Apapa were all significantly (P<0.05) difference, with particular respect to food type. Higher iron content of 2.80 mg/kg was noticed in suya from Apapa. Volatile organic compounds (TPH, PAHs, Phenol) were observed to be below detectable limit (<0.001 mg/kg) in all the vended street food samples. Particulate matter in air; SPM, PM1, PM2.5, PM10 and VOCs ranged from 0.34 – 0.84 mg/m3, 0.32 – 0.56 mg/m3, 0.32 – 0.68 mg/m3, 0.33 – 0.79 mg/m3 and <0.001 – 0.24 mg/m3, respectively. PM1 and PM25 from the three locations were not statistically significant (P>0.05). All the vended food samples had lead (Pb) content above the CODEX permissible limit of 0.01 mg/kg. The presence of high lead content in Vended Street food is a major source of occupational health hazards.

The presence of microbiological pathogens and proximate composition of vended street foods (VSF) in parts of Lagos State were investigated. The experiment was conducted along 3 local government areas of Lagos State (Marina, Apapa and Yaba) using two factorial design. Eight VSF products investigated were roasted (plantain, fish, yam, corn), suya, meat pie, egg roll and doughnuts, purchased from parts of Lagos State. The result for proximate analysis of VSF sourced from Marina, Yaba and Apapa showed that moisture content ranged from 4.81% to 28.56% for Suya from Yaba and roasted plantain from Apapa. Moisture content of roasted plantain from Apapa was significantly different (P<0.05) and higher than those from Yaba and Marina. Moisture content of roasted plantain, roasted fish, suya, meat pie and doughnut from the three different stations (Marina, Yaba and Apapa) were significantly different (P<0.05) with respect to food type. Ash, fat, protein, crude fibre and carbohydrate content ranged from 1.15% – 4.66%, 0.40% – 24.54%, 0.08 – 54.45%, 0.10 – 6.85% and 47.60 – 88.99%, respectively. Significantly higher protein value of 54.45% was seen in suya from Yaba. Suya samples from Apapa (SMA) gave high crude fibre of 6.85% while significantly (P<0.05) high carbohydrate of 88.99%, 87.85% and 87.51% were seen in roasted yam samples from Marina, Apapa and Yaba. Total bacteria count ranged from 3.05 log10CFU/g as seen in egg roll from Apapa to 3.83 log10CFU/g as noticed in roasted fish from Yaba. Total Fungi count ranged from 2.00 log10CFU/g – 2.60 log10CFU/g. Fungi load in roasted (plantain, fish and yam) sourced from Apapa were significantly (P<0.05) higher than those from Marina and Yaba. The energy value ranged from 255.27kcal/100g to 456.90kcal/100g, with suya sourced from Marina and Yaba were significantly different (P<0.05). The presence of high Bacteria and Fungi load in vended foods requires the attention of public health officers.

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