The effect of different processing methods on the malondialdehyde, MDA contents of 7 popular samples of fresh meat and fish eaten in Nigeria, was investigated. The MDA levels were assayed in a colorimetric reaction with thiobarbituric acid in fresh samples of beef, pork, turkey, chicken, snail, catfish and goat meat processed by boiling, frying, roasting and freezing. Results obtained showed that all processing methods led to significant increases in MDA contents of the samples studied relative to their fresh, unprocessed counterparts (p < 0.05). For most samples, boiling, roasting and freezing yielded comparable levels of MDA. However, significantly higher levels of MDA were seen in samples fried after boiling, relative to boiled samples (p < 0.05). For the boiled samples, beef and goat meat had the least MDA. The order of MDA content in the boiled samples was beef > goat meat > catfish > turkey > chicken > snail > pork. The MDA content of frozen mackerel was significantly increased by boiling and frying and by further freezing (p < 0.05). These results suggest that while all the processing methods may be unsafe, the frying of boiled meat and fish may be particularly deleterious to consumer health, in view of the well-known mutagenic and carcinogenic effects of MDA

Based on local claims on the efficacy of Aframomum melegueta (alligator pepper) and Costus afer (ginger lily) in the treatment of malaria, the present study compared the antioxidant activity and phytochemical constituents of extracts of A. melegueta and C. afer leaves. Methanol extracts of the plant leaves were obtained using standard procedures. The antioxidant property of the plants extracts were evaluated using DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl) radical, Total Phenol Content (TPC), Total Flavonoid Content (TFC), Proanthocyanidin Content (PC), Ferric acid Reducing Antioxidant Potential (FRAP) and ThioBarbituric Acid Reducing Substances (TBARS) assay. The phytochemical screening test revealed the presence of alkaloids, reducing sugars, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, steroids, cardiac glycosides and terpenoids in both extracts. The antioxidant study showed that the A. melegueta extract had higher DPPH radical scavenging ability (IC 50 of 122.25ug/ml), FRAP (35.38µmol Fe(II)/g) and TBARS (% inhibition of 62.08%) than C. afer (IC 50 of 156.48ug/ml, 12.25 µmol Fe(II)/g, and 42.5%, respectively). The C. afer extract, however, recorded higher levels of TFC, PC and a lower TPC content when compared with the A. melegueta counterpart. The results suggest that C. afer and A. melegueta extracts could serve as free radical scavengers, acting as primary antioxidants. The results support local claims of their therapeutic uses in the treatment of malaria in folklore medicine.

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Five isocaloric (3200kcal/kg) diets were used in an experiment designed to investigate the effects of dietary crude protein (CP) and feeding regimens on broiler performance. Day-old broilers were randomly distributed into four groups using a completely randomized design. Each group was replicated three times with ten broiler chicks per replicate. The experiment lasted for eight weeks. Broilers in group 1 received 23% CP from 0 to 3 weeks, 20% CP from 3 to 6 weeks and 18% CP from 6 to 8 weeks, while broilers in group 2 received 23% CP between 0 and 6 weeks and 18% CP between 6 and 8 weeks. Besides, broilers in group 3 were fed 23% CP from 0 to 4 weeks and 16% CP from 4 to 8 weeks, whereas group 4 was given 18% CP from 0 to weeks. Water was supplied ad libitum for broilers in the different dietary groups. A metabolic trial was carried out on the third week of the experiment using a total collection method. Proximate analyses of diets and faecal samples were performed according to the methods outlined by the Association Of the Official Analytical Chemists. Results at market age showed that broiler performance with respect to feed intake, weight gain, feed to gain ratio and water intake were not significantly influenced by CP regimens (p>0.05). Furthermore, CP regimens did not significantly influence broilers liveability (p>0.05). Protein retention, fat utilization and available fiber were not significantly influenced among treatments (p> 0.05). Economic data showed that cost to benefit ratio of producing broilers was comparable among broilers for all CP regimens used in this trial (p>0.05). It was concluded that a single diet of 18% CP and 3200kcal/kg metabolizable energy would be most suitable and convenient for farmers who are engaged in on-farm feed production for broilers as compared with the standard feeding regimens of broiler starter and broiler finisher diets.

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