Effect of Variety and Initial Moisture Content on Physical Properties of Improved Millet Grains

Physical properties of agricultural materials are important for the design of appropriate equipment and systems for harvesting and post-harvest operations such as cleaning, conveying and storage. The study was conducted to determine the effect of variety and initial moisture content on some physical properties of improved Nigerian millet grains. Improved varieties of millet obtained were conditioned to different moisture contents (10, 20 and 30%) and their physical properties were determined. The grain length, width, thickness and effective geometric mean diameter increased with increasing moisture content irrespective of millet varieties, while aspect ratio (which relates kernel width and length and determines whether grains will slide or roll on their flat surfaces during handling and processing) decreased with increase in moisture content. Static coefficient of friction ranged from 0.44 – 0.99, 0.45 – 0.82, 0.40 – 0.70 and 0.37 – 0.67 for wood, mild steel, galvanized steel and glass respectively. The static coefficients of friction (an important parameter in predicting the lateral pressure on a retaining wall in storage bins or design of bins and hoppers for gravity flow) were found to increase as the moisture content increased. The study showed that variety and initial moisture content had significant effect (P < 0.05) on the physical properties determined. Hence, variety and initial moisture content are critical in the design of equipment for processing, handling and storage of millet grains.     

A STUDY ON THE NIGERIAN FOOD INDUSTRY AND THE IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGES ON THE SMALL-SCALE FOOD ENTERPRISES

Industrial processing of foods assists the nation to maintain a steady supply of food products. This study assessed some factors influencing the growth of the Nigerian food industry with the view to identify some technological changes within the small-scale food enterprises and their impact in the last ten years. Information on the Nigerian food industry was compiled from a secondary source while a survey of small-scale food enterprises was conducted in SouthWest Nigeria using a structured questionnaire and interviews.

Results showed that the number of food manufacturing companies (FMCs) increased over the years with the largest number of FMCs established in the 1980s. The range of products produced is still small, with several FMCs producing similar products. More than 50% of the FMCs in the country are located in the SouthWest, with Lagos State as the major host. About 91% of the FMCs are listed as private and 7.3% are publicly quoted. Indigenous entrepreneurs wholly own 56.9% of the FMCs. Percent local sourcing is high in the FMCs. Areas of technological changes include expanded capacity utilization, expansion of production lines and expanded market shares, which arose as a result of the active involvement of management in the production process, acquisition of new packaging systems, and participation of the work force in process improvement. The study identified the need to standardize locally fabricated equipment to facilitate ready production of spare parts. Recommendations were made on how to increase the financial base of the small-scale enterprises.     

Hydrothermal treatments of Finger millet (Eleusine coracana) starch

The effect of hydrothermal treatments on the properties of Finger millet starch was investigated. Finger millet was modified by heat-moisture treatment, HMT at 100 °C, 16 h; 20% moisture level (MHT-20), 25% moisture level (MHT-25) and 30% moisture level (MHT-30) and annealed, ANN at 50 °C for 48 h (MAN). Results of the pasting characteristics shows that MNS and MAN were indicative of type ‘B’ starch which is characteristic of normal cereal starches, while HMT starches were Type ‘C’ which is characteristics of cross-linked or legume starches. MNS belonged to the type ‘A’ pattern of cereal starches. X-ray diffractometry studies (XRD) show that MNS gave strong peaks centered at 23.5, 20.3, 18.2, 17.15, and 15.15 Å, while HMT and ANN starches retained the typical ‘A’ pattern. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies show that the shape and surface characteristics of the starches were irregular, polygonal-shaped granules, with less than 1% cavity or ruptured granules. Modification did not affect the appearance. All the starches swell as the temperature increased in the order MNS>MAN>MHT-20>MHT-25>MHT-30, and solubilized at different rate in the following order: MHT-30>MHT-20>MHT-25>MAN>MNS. The gelation profile of the starches ranged from 4 to 8% (w/v), while its oil and water absorption capacity ranged from 1.90 to 2.50 and 2.75 to 3.25 g/g, respectively.     

Effect of selected Hofmeister anions on functional properties of protein isolate prepared from lablab seeds (Lablab purpureus)

Effects of selected Hofmeister anions, namely Na₂SO₄, NaCl, NaBr, NaI, NaClO₄ and NaSCN, on the functional properties of a protein isolate prepared from lablab seeds (Lablab purpureus) were investigated. The results of water absorption capacity indicated that highest water absorption was recorded in solutions of Na₂SO₄, and the lowest in NaSCN solutions. Reduction in water absorption capacity followed the Hofmeister series in the order Na₂SO₄ > NaCl > NaBr, NaI > NaClO₄ > NaSCN. Protein solutions prepared in chaotropic (NaI, NaClO₄, NaSCN) salts had better foam capacity, foam stability, emulsifying activity and emulsion stability than solutions prepared with kosmotropic salts (Na₂SO₄, NaCl, NaBr). The results also indicate that increase in foam capacity and stability followed the Hofmeister series in the order Na₂SO₄ < NaCl < NaBr, NaI < NaClO₄ < NaSCN. When least gelation concentration (LGC) was used as the index of gelation capacity, at various salts concentrations, the lowest LGC were observed in NaSCN and the highest LGC in protein solutions prepared with Na₂SO₄. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry     

Mobile apps usage and dynamic capabilities: A structural equation model of SMEs in Lagos,Nigeria

Significant knowledge exists regarding the application of dynamic capability (DC) frameworks in large firms, but their impact on smaller organisations is yet to be fully researched. This study surveyed 1162 small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in Lagos in an effort to understand how SMEs in developing country contexts use mobile apps to enhance their businesses through DCs. Through the use of the covariance-based structural equation modelling (SEM) technique, the study explored the fitness of a conceptual formative model for SMEs. The model assembled 7 latent variables namely: mobile app usage, adaptive capability, absorptive capability, innovative capability, opportunity sensing ability, opportunity shaping ability and opportunity seizing ability. Subsequently, 15 hypotheses aimed at testing the relationships between the latent variables were developed and tested. The findings revealed that mobile app usage increases the adaptive, absorptive and innovative capabilities of SMEs. Absorptive capabilities help SMEs to maximise opportunities, while innovative capabilities negatively influence SMEs’ tendency to maximise opportunities. The results failed to establish a direct relationship between mobile app usage and SMEs’ ability to maximise opportunities. The research outcomes indicate that SMEs in Lagos respond to opportunities innovatively but they seldom exhibit innovation in order to create opportunities. The heterogeneous nature of SMEs complicates any clear-cut narrative as to how SMEs in Lagos should employ mobile apps to create and maximise opportunities. However, mobile apps could induce innovation and, as such, impact significantly when developed and applied to the contextual requirements of SMEs. The research revealed the untapped potential of SMEs’ mobile app usage in Lagos.     

On 3-stage geometric explicit Runge–Kutta method for singular autonomous initial value problems in ordinary differential equations

There has been considerable efforts to increase the efficiency of explicit Runge–Kutta (ERK) methods over the years. However, this always lead to increase in the number of terms of the Taylors’ series incremental function. In this work, a 3-stage geometric explicit Runge–Kutta method for solving autonomous initial value problems in ordinary differential equations is derived and implemented. The computational results show that the method is stable, efficient and accurate. We also compared this method with some other conventional methods.     

Optimization,kinetics, physicochemical and ecotoxicity studies of Fenton oxidative remediation of hydrocarbons contaminated groundwater

Fenton oxidation remediation of hydrocarbons contaminated groundwater was investigated for efficiency and effectiveness. 10% pollution was simulated in the laboratory by contaminating groundwater samples with diesel and domestic purpose kerosene (DPK) in two different experimental set ups. Optimum conditions of concentrations of the treatment solutions and pH were established: 300 mg/L (FeSO₄), 150,000 mg/L (H₂O₂) and pH = 3 for the kerosene contaminant; 100 mg/L (FeSO₄), 300,000 mg/L (H₂O₂) and pH = 3 for the diesel contaminant. The results from kinetics study show that the remediation process is pseudo-first order reaction with a rate constant of 8.07 × 10⁴ mgL^?1hr^?1 and 3.13 × 10⁴ mgL^?1hr^?1 for the diesel and kerosene contaminants in that order with 95.32% and 79.25% reduction in chemical oxygen demand (COD) for diesel and kerosene contaminated samples at the end of the remediation process respectively indicated that remediation have occurred significantly. Percent reduction in Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon (TPH) as kerosene was 89.84% and that of the diesel contaminant as 91.87% after 6 hours of remediation. The general pollution index (GPI) for the hydrocarbons contaminated samples was in the range of 6.70–7.52 against the background value of 4.39 for the control groundwater sample. After treatment the GPI had dropped to 4.13–4.43 which depicts remarkable remediation although the samples remained impaired. Therefore there is the need of post-treatments to make the groundwater fit for domestic and agricultural uses. The application of the Fenton oxidative process is found to be very efficient, effective and rapid in reducing total petroleum hydrocarbon as kerosene and diesel as target contaminants.