Tomato remains one of the most nutritive edible berries but challenged by incessant attack and spoilage by fungi among others. The negative effects of synthetic preservatives have shifted attention to bio-preservatives. This study investigated the shelf-life of post-harvest tomato fruits treated with the two medicinal plants: Azadirachta indica (neem leaf) and Vernonia amygdalina (bitter leaf) extracts. Fresh tomato fruits and leaves of both plants were sourced from Lokoja. The leaves were air-dried, pulverized and extracted with distilled water and absolute ethanol. The extracts were analyzed phytochemically and graded concentrations (2.5 g/mL - 10.0 g/mL) were applied to the tomato samples in five replications each. Weight loss, appearance of fungal mycelia and deteriorations on the tomato samples were monitored for 30 days. Fungal isolates from the deteriorated samples were recovered and subjected to in vitro inhibitory activities. Alkaloids, glycosides, saponins, flavonoids and tannins were present in both extracts, except for A. indica, where saponins was not detected. Both extracts significantly (p<0.05) reduce the weight loss (63.4 %) and extended the shelf life of the tomato fruits to 24 days at 10.0 g/mL. Aspergillus niger, Fusarium oxysporum, Rhizopus stolonifer and Alternaria alternata were recovered from the spoilt tomatoes. The most and least susceptible isolates were R. stolonifera (84.56 %) and A. niger (71.45 %), respectively. The bioactivities of both extracts were not significantly different (p>0.05) from each other. These findings suggest that relatively higher concentrations of both plant extracts could be potential bio-preservatives to extend the shelf life of post-harvest tomatoes.

Chicken meat, an excellent source of good quality proteins, is highly susceptible to microbial contaminations and heavy metals from feeds, processing, and retailing environments, thereby posing health risks to consumers. Therefore, the proximate composition, heavy metal concentrations, and microbial loads of commercial fresh and frozen chicken drumsticks, randomly sourced from poultry farms and groceries, respectively, within Umuahia metropolis, Abia State, Nigeria, were investigated to ascertain their qualities. A total of 40 (20 each of the fresh and frozen) chicken drumstick samples were processed and analyzed for proximate (moisture, fats, ash, proteins, fibers, and carbohydrates), heavy metal (cadmium, chromium, copper, manganese, nickel, zinc, and lead) contents, and microbial loads (total viable counts, Escherichia coli counts, Salmonella counts, Staphylococcus counts and fungal counts) and characterization using standard techniques. Results were analyzed statistically (p<0.01, 0.05). The fresh chicken drumstick samples had significantly higher (p<0.01, 0.05) levels of moisture (61.38 ± 0.34 %), proteins (22.30 ± 0.02 %), ash (5.27 ± 0.17 %) and microbial contents (0.24 × 102 CFU/g to 2.42 × 104 CFU/g), when compared with the frozen drumstick samples with significantly higher (p<0.01, 0.05) contents of fats (3.70 ± 0.13 %), carbohydrates (12.55 ± 0.27 %) and heavy metals (0.047 ± 0.017 mg/kg to 0.852 ± 0.456 mg/kg). This suggests that fresh chicken drumstick is more nutritionally beneficial, provided they are thoroughly treated with heat before consumption to prevent foodborne diseases from bacterial and fungal contaminations. Although the levels of heavy metals in both meat samples are below the toxic limits, consumers should be wary of bioaccumulation and bio-magnification of heavy metals when constantly exposed to them. Hence, constant surveillance of chicken meat is encouraged to monitor their exposure levels to these chemicals and biohazards.

Produce water from Ebedei flow station (Delta State) at three points was analysed. Discharged point (A), midstream (B) and downstream (C) were a mile apart. The metal concentration of iron, zinc, cadmium, chromium, nickel, lead and manganese were carried out using standard methods. Lead levels at discharged point and down stream were higher than World Health Organization (WHO) standard limits. The polynuclear Aromatic hydrocarbon were determined using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The total PAHs of sample (A) was 3.63ppm, (B) 52.05 and (C) 59.50 ppm respectively. The pH were within WHO limits of 8.10 and 8.20, conductivity in μs/cm was 20.10 and28.10 within acceptable range. Chloride was between 8, 130.00ppm and 22, 131.53 ppm higher than WHO and effluent discharge limits, while turbidity was between 46ppm-60ppm which was also higher. Hence there is need for holistic monitoring and remediation of produce water in the environment.

Indiscriminate dumping of wastes at any available space within the vicinity of residential quarters is a common practice in many developing countries like Nigeria. The negative environmental impacts of waste dumpsites have continued to generate public health concern. In this study, the impact of waste dumpsites on the physicochemical and microbiological qualities of underground water sources located within their vicinities in Delta State, Nigeria, were assessed using standard biochemical techniques. A total of 45 water samples were collected from hand dug wells in Warri, Agbarho and Agbor (all in Delta State) at distances of about 500m, 1km and 1.5 km radius of dumpsites and analysed for physicochemical and microbiological quality using the ASTM and standard microbiological techniques respectively. The results revealed that all the analyzed parameters decreased with distances away from the dumpsites. The physicochemical parameters such as turbidity, dissolved solid were significantly (P<0.05) above the WHO regulatory limits at ≤ 1km radius of most dumpsites. The total heterotrophic bacteria count, which ranged between 2.1 × 10 3 to 6.52 × 10 6 cfu/ml, was also significantly (P<0.05) higher than regulatory limits. Findings from this study suggest that waste dumpsites could impact negatively on the microbial and some chemical qualities of hand dug well waters sited in their vicinities. Hence, the location of dumpsites at least 1km distance away from residential quarters as well as simple boiling and filtration treatment of drinking water sources in the study areas are recommended.