No abstract

The processing of jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam) yields a considerable amount of bio-waste. Accumulation of this waste is considered a health risk because it is a potential source of air and water pollution. Recycling of the unutilized fruit parts, therefore, reduces the quantity and the impact of the bio-waste released to the environment. The purpose of this study was to determine the phytochemical profile, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of extracts from three fruit parts (peel, fiber and the core) of jackfruit sampled from the coastal region of Kenya. Different extraction techniques and solvents were tested. The highest phenolic and flavonoid content of the peels, fiber and the core were obtained from methanol extracts following a 48-hour incubation. The values were recorded at 17.07±5.16 mg/g, 23.28±4.73 mg/g, and 15.68±3.74 mg/g for the phenolics and 28.55±12.42 mg/g, 35.4±9.53 mg/g and 36.23±2.54 mg/g for the flavonoids, respectively. The highest tannin content was obtained from distilled water extracts following homogenization recorded at 10.82±2.63 mg/g, 10.39±4.10 mg/g and 10.52±1.05 mg/g for peels, fiber and core, respectively. The fiber extracts gave the highest 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activity followed by the core at 61.51±29.90% and 51.06±33.39%, respectively. The antioxidant activity was highest for methanol fiber extracts at 61.51±29.90% for DPPH radical scavenging activity and 7.94±4.56 mg/mL for reducing power assay. The best antibacterial activity against Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. manihotis (Xam) was obtained from Ethyl acetate extracts showed. The unutilized jackfruit parts, therefore, are a potential source of natural antioxidants as well as antibacterial, for agriculture and food industry

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Frequently, forensic entomology is applied in the use of insect maggots for the identification of specimens or remains of humans. Maggot crop analysis could be valuable in criminal investigations when maggots are found at a crime scene and a corpse is absent. Human short tandem repeat (STR) has previously been used to support the association of maggots to a specific corpse but not in the period at which the body has been decomposing. The aim of this research was to assess the time period for successful STR analyses of human DNA from third instar maggots (Protophormia terraenovae) obtained from decomposing human corpses as well as to investigate the human DNA turnover and degradation in the maggot crop after they are removed from food and/ or are fed on a beef (a new/different) food source. Results showed that the amount of human DNA recovered from maggots decreased with time in all cases. For maggots fed on beef, the human DNA could only be recovered up to day two and up to day four for the starved maggots. STR analyses of human DNA from maggots' crop content using 16 loci generated profiles that matched those of reference samples although some of the alleles were not amplifiable therefore generating partial profiles for the samples starved for 4 days and those fed on beef. This may be due to nuclease activity present in the gut of larvae that may have caused degradation of DNA and consequently reduction in DNA yield. It was possible to identify the decomposing body using STRs as markers. ª 2015 Hosting by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of The International Association of Law and Forensic Sciences (IALFS).

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