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This study was carried out to advance the use of indigenous composite flour obtained from amaranth seed and tiger nut in the production of biscuits to increase access to a healthy and sustainable diet. Biscuit was produced from amaranth seed flour substituted with tiger nut flour at 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40% and 50%. The functional and pasting properties of the flour samples were determined, the proximate composition was evaluated and selected minerals contents of flour and biscuit samples were also assessed using standard methods. The results showed that the protein, fat, ash and fibre content of amaranth seed flour increased from 13.86%, 4.12%, 1.77% and 1.26% respectively to a range of 13.86 – 16.16%, 4.47 – 5.18%, 2.18 – 2.65% and 2.35 – 3.96% respectively with the addition of tiger nut flour. An increase in protein, fat, ash and fibre was also recorded in the biscuit samples with the increased concentration of tiger nut flour. Flour and biscuits produced from 100% wheat had lower protein, fat and fibre content than 100% amaranth seed flour and the blends. The bulk density and water absorption capacity of 100% amaranth seed flour and the blends were significantly higher than 100% wheat flour. Biscuits produced from amaranth seed flour substituted with tiger nut flour at 50% had the highest content of sodium (202.59 mg/100g) and potassium (299.57 mg/100g). In comparison, 100% wheat biscuit and 100% amaranth biscuit had the highest calcium (186.67 mg/1000g) and iron content (4.13 mg/100g) respectively. The study concluded that amaranth seed and tiger nut flour blends could be utilized to produce high-nutritional quality gluten-free biscuits that will increase access to an affordable healthy and sustainable diet.

Gastrointestinal infections are endemic in Nigeria and several factors contribute to their continual survival, including bacterial resistance to commonly used antibiotics. Nigerian yogurts do not include probiotics, and limited information is available about the antimicrobial properties of the fermenters in the yogurt against gastrointestinal pathogens. Therefore, the antimicrobial potentials of bacteria in Nigeria-produced yogurts against intestinal pathogens were investigated in this study. Viable counts of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in 15 brands of yogurt were enumerated and the bacteria identified by partial sequencing of 16S rRNA gene. Susceptibility of the gastrointestinal pathogens (Salmonella, Shigella and E. coli ) to antibiotics by disc diffusion method, to viable LAB by the agar overlay method, and to the cell-free culture supernatant (CFCS) of the LAB were investigated. Co-culture analysis of LAB and pathogens were also done. Viable counts of 1.5 × 1011 cfu/ml were observed in some yogurt samples. Two genera were identified: Lactobacillus (70.7%) and Acetobacter (29.3%). The Lactobacillus species reduced multidrug-resistant gastrointestinal pathogens by 4 to 5 log while the zones of inhibition ranged between 11 and 23. The Lactobacillus and Acetobacter strains examined displayed good activities against the multidrug-resistant tested pathogens. This is the first report of antimicrobial activities of acetic acid bacteria isolated from yogurt in Nigeria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Staphylococcus aureus is a human colonizer with high potential for virulence, and the spread of the virulent strains from the colonized hosts to non-carriers in the community is on the increase. However, there are few reports on comprehensive analysis of staphylococcal enterotoxin (SE) genes with clonal lineage in S. aureus in Africa. This is essential because of diversity of cultures and habits of the people. This study analyzed spa types and enterotoxin genes in S. aureus strains previously isolated from the human nostrils, poultry and clinical samples in Southern Nigeria. Methods. Forty-seven S. aureus isolates were obtained from humans nostrils (nD13), clinical strains (nD21) and poultry (nD13) from previous studies in Southern Nigeria. The strains were analyzed for mecA gene, selected toxins genes (sea, seb, sec, sed, see, seg, seh, sei, sej, sek, sel, sem, sen, seo, sep, seq, ser, seu) and Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) gene (lukS-PV/lukF-PV) by PCR. Population structures of the strains were detected by Staphylococcal protein A (spa) typing. Results. Twenty different spa types were obtained with the highest percentages, 17% observed in spa type t091 from clinical, nasal and poultry samples while t069 was the most prevalent spa type in poultry. TwoMRSAwere only detected in human strains. The poultry strains had the highest occurrence of SE genes (18%) followed by nasal strains (15%) and clinical strains (10%). Eighty-nine percent of all tested isolates harbored at least one SE gene; seo was the most prevalent (34%) followed by seg (30%) and sea (21%), while sec, see and sej were absent in all strains. Spa type t355 was associated with lukS-PV/lukF-PV gene and complete absence of all studied SE. Sea, seq, seb, sek were associated with spa type t069; sea was associated with t127 while sep was associated with spa type t091. There were coexistences of seo/seg and sei/seg. Conclusions. The higher carriage of staphylococci enterotoxin genes by the nasal and poultry S. aureus strains suggests a high potential of spread of staphylococcal food poisoning through poultry and healthy carriers in the community. This is the first report of high occurrence of staphylococcal enterotoxins genes in poultry from Nigeria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Recent upsurge in bacterial resistance has led to search for alternative to antibiotics in treatment of infectious diseases including diarrhea. One of the common causative agent of diarrhea is Shigella sp. Lactic acid bacteria has been used in probiotic formulation for prevention of various form of diarrhea. This study investigates possible antagonistic effects of lactic and acetic bacteria on Shigella sp in co culture. Material-methods: Antibiotic susceptibility of Shigella spp. SS10 to ofloxacin, gentamycin, cefuroxime, ceftazidine, lincomycin, oxacillin, cloxacillin, cefotaxime, ciprofloxacin and nitrofurantoin was tested by disc diffusion method. Shigella spp. SS10 was co-incubated in two different experiment with 3 Lactobacillus species (Lactobacillus plantarum QN01, Lactobacillus parabuchneri SM03 and Lactobacillus fermetum SH01) and 1 Acetobacter pasteurianus RV04 which has been previously isolated from Nigeria-produced yogurts. An 8h old Shigella spp. SS10 was introduced into an overnight culture of LAB and a fresh Shigella spp. SS10 was inoculated into overnight culture of LAB. Viable counts of pathogens at 0h and after 24h co-incubation at 37 °C were observed. Results: Shigella spp. SS10 was resistant to 50% of the tested pathogens. The tested LAB effected an average of 4 log reduction in viable counts of the Shigella strain. The Acetobacter strain displayed very good inhibitory activity with a 4 log reduction in microbial load. Conclusion: Lactic and Acetic acid bacteria isolated from Nigerian yoghurt has considerable activity against Shigella sp. in co culture experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tetracycline is one of the most frequently used antibiotics in Nigeria both for human and animal infections because of its cheapness and ready availability. The use of tetracycline in animal husbandry could lead to horizontal transfer of tet genes from poultry to human through the gut microbiota, especially enterococci. Therefore, this study is designed to identify different enterococcal species from poultry feces in selected farms in Ilishan, Ogun State, Nigeria, determine the prevalence of tetracycline resistance/genes and presence of IS256 in enterococcal strains. Materials and Methods: Enterococci strains were isolated from 100 fresh chicken fecal samples collected from seven local poultry farms in Ilishan, Ogun State, Nigeria. The strains were identified by partial sequencing of 16S rRNA genes. Antibiotic susceptibility of the isolates to vancomycin, erythromycin, tetracycline, gentamicin, amoxycillin/claulanate, and of loxacin were performed by disc diffusion method. Detection of tet, erm, and van genes and IS256 insertion element were done by polymerase chain reaction amplification. Results: Sixty enterococci spp. were identified comprising of Enterococcus faecalis 33 (55%), Enterococcus casseliflavus 21 (35%), and Enterococcus gallinarium 6 (10%). All the isolates were resistant to erythromycin (100%), followed by tetracycline (81.67%), amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (73.33%), ofloxacin (68.33%), vancomycin (65%), and gentamicin (20%). None of the enterococcal spp. harbored the van and erm genes while tet(M) was detected among 23% isolates and is distributed mostly among E. casseliflavus. IS256 elements were detected only in 33% of E. casseliflavus that were also positive for tet(M) gene. Conclusion: This study provides evidence that tetracycline resistance gene is present in the studied poultry farms in Ilishan, Ogun State, Nigeria and underscores the need for strict regulation on tetracycline usage in poultry farming in the studied location and consequently Nigeria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]