Cardaba banana peels (Musa acuminata) were fermented for three days and dried using solar dryer, open sun and tunnel dryer. Nonlinear regression analysis was used to fit in the experimental data.  Moisture drying was investigated using Fick’s second law. Statistical tools such as coefficient of determination (R2), reduced chi square (χ2), Mean Bias Error (MBE) and Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) were used to test the reliability of the model. Sample dried in sun had single falling rate pattern whereas samples in solar and tunnel dryer exhibited a second falling rate pattern. The values of R2 ranged from 0.872 - 0.989, χ2(1.4E-34 - 0.0624), MBE (-0.0067 - 0.0491) and RMSE (1.1E-17 - 0.2247). Effective moisture diffusivity for samples dried in solar, tunnel and sun were 2.92 E-11m2/s, 1.98 E-11m2/s and 1.09 E-11m2/s, respectively. The energy of activation in the process was 64.9kJ/mol. Page model best described drying behavior of the samples.Keywords: Fermentation, banana peels, drying, models, diffusivity, activation energy

The choice of agro waste for the production of briquettes for domestic and industrial cottage utilization depends on the residues’ physical and fuel characteristics. This study investigate the physical and fuel characteristics for both the residues and blends of rice hull, groundnut shell and corncob. The residues were subjected to size reduction process and variance analysis was used to establish the influence of each sample blends.  Different samples of briquettes were produced by blending rice hull (R), groundnut shell (G) and corncob(C) with different ratios of R:G:C respectively using cassava starch as a binder. The residue’ dimensions and densifications of the sample briquettes were determined using standard methods.The results revealed the following ranges of values; For the compressed residues, density (0.075 - 0.099Kg/m3), volume (0.001 - 0.002m3), height (1.0357 - 1.0343m). For the relaxed residues, density (0.049 - 0.210Kg/m3), volume (0.0001 -0.0002m3), height (1.0357 - 1.0343m). The residual density of rice hull, groundnut shell and corncob are 104, 105, and 103 (Kg/m3) respectively. The densification; compressed density (461.22 - 627.24 Kg/m3), relaxed density (285.47 - 393.63 Kg/m3), density ratio (0.56 - 0.66), relaxation ratio (1.52 - 1.79), and compaction ratio (1.46 to 2.01). Blend formulations affected the combustion characteristics of the briquettes, with low moisture briquettes possessing higher calorific values. The briquette formulation containing ratio 50:20:30 of rice hull: groundnut shell: corncob respectively had more positive attributes of biomass fuel such as lower relaxation ratio and high compaction ratio than the control and other formulated briquettes in this study. Generally, significant (p<0.05) differences existed between the samples in almost all the parameters.Keywords: Briquettes, Corn comb, Densification, Fuel Characterization, Groundnut shell, Rice hull.

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Starch was extracted from aerial yam (Dioscorea bulbifera) using water, sodium hydroxide, ammonium oxalate, and oxalic acid as extraction solvents, oven-dried at 45°C for 24 h, and milled to flour. The starch obtained was evaluated for yield, chemical and functional properties using standard procedures. The sensory attributes of the starch cooked pastes were also determined. Aerial yam extracted with oxalate gave the highest yield of 20.20% and high amylose content was observed in the water extracted aerial yam samples. A higher purity of 90.45% was observed in the aerial yam starches extracted with oxalate. Water extracted aerial yam starch had the highest swelling power and solubility index of 48.44% and 25.75 g/g with the least gelation capacity of 4% with high pasting viscosities and also low pasting temperature and time. The cooked paste of the starch extracted with oxalic acid was the most acceptable in terms of appearance (8.60) and overall acceptability (8.16). The starch extracted with water had higher swelling power and a solubility index than other starches extracted. Extraction of aerial yam starch with different solvents resulted in variations in the characteristics of the starch, which can find wide applications in both food and non-food industries.

This work investigated how to minimize minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, and functional group losses during the processing of Vernonia amygdalina leaf as a functional food ingredient. Fresh V. amygdalina leaf was subjected to hot oil‐aqueous mixtures (soybean oil: water and palm oil: water) treatments at 1:40 and 1:30 (v/v), respectively. Results showed that V. amygdalina treated with hot‐soybean oil: water had retention rates of 45.39%–96.91% for mineral contents, pyridoxine (97.73%–98.24%), total phenolic (84.30%–92.87%), DPPH (89.56%–98.18%). Hot‐palm oil: water had retention rates of 33.33%–89.21% for mineral, pyridoxine (75.82%–80.35%), total phenolic (82.0%–88.11%), and DPPH (74.12%–92.69%). Hot‐water had retention rates of 28.37%–71.69% for mineral, pyridoxine (30.23%), total phenolic (63.06%), and DPPH (56.29%). Amide functional group decreased by 21.09%–44.48%, 37.53%–41.23%, and 70.61% for hot‐soybean oil: water, hot‐palm oil: water, and hot‐water, respectively. Hot‐soybean oil: water mixture is a good alternative for the processing of V. amygdalina as a functional food ingredient. The process is scalable and could be employed for domestic and industrial utilization. Practical Application In tropical Africa and Asia, Vernonia amygdalina is one of the potential nutritional and functional plants. Saponins, flavonoids, tannins, polyphenols, and terpenoids are only a few of the secondary metabolites found in V. amygdalina leaf extracts. Its anti‐diabetic, anti‐microbial, anti‐allergic, anti‐malaria, anti‐fungal, anti‐cancer, antileukemia activities, and hypolipidemic physiological properties may be attributed to these phytochemicals. With such potential as an active ingredient, functional meals can be developed domestically and industrially to treat a wide range of illnesses.