Bacteriological and Nutritional Quality of Irvingia gabonensis Fruit Juice

Aims: This study was undertaken to examine the bacteriological and nutritional quality of Irvingia gabonensis fruit juice locally produced and stored for 28 days at 40C. Study Design: Four groups of the Irvingia fruit samples were prepared and stored at 4oC. The samples were analysed at different intervals, beginning from day 0, to day 28. The juice was also observed for onset of spoilage and turbidity during sampling days. Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted in Biological Sciences, Faculty Of Science, Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Amassoma, Bayelsa State between July 2019 to September 2019. Methodology: The microbiological analysis was done using culture dependent methods. Results: The results revealed the weighted mean of the total heterotrophic bacterial count increased as the storage days’ increases (3.76 ± 0.04 at day 0 to 4.03 ± 0.02 at day 28). Similar results were obtained for the population of coliform bacteria (from 3.59 ± 0.03 to 3.89 ± 0.02), Staphylococcal counts (3.73 ± 0.01 to 3.98 ± 0.00) and pseudomonads’ counts (3.64 ± 0.02 to 3.88 ± 0.07). A total of 240 bacterial isolates were isolated throughout the storage days. However, Escherichia coli recorded the highest percentage of occurrence while Bacillus sp., had the least. The proximate analysis of the juice samples indicated a decline in the fibre content (0.84- 0.72), protein (7.46- 6.53), carbohydrate (64.3 – 55.6), ash (2.46 – 2.18), and fat 23.41 – 21.1). It also showed that freshly prepared Irvingia gabonensis fruit juice is of high quality. Conclusion: The degradation of the nutrients is suggested to result from the bacterial activities in the stored juices. There is also an increase in the bacterial population as the storage days’ increase. The presence of contaminating bacteria was found to deplete the nutritional content of the fruit juice from their metabolic activities.

In-vitro antifungal activity of leaf, stem bark and root extracts of Irvingia gabonensis against fungi associated with its seed deterioration

Irvingia gabonensis (Aubry-Lecomte ex O'Rorke) Baill seeds are often contaminated in storage by postharvest spoilage fungi. This study investigated the nutritional contents of the seeds, phytochemical contents and antioxidant activity of different parts of the plant as well as their antifungal effects against fungi isolated from the deteriorated seeds. Proximate, mineral and phytochemical analyses were carried out using standard laboratory techniques. The antioxidant activity was against DPPH radicals. Ethanol extracts (100 and 200 mg/ml) of the various parts were screened against the isolates using pour plate method in Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) plates. The plates were examined for growth daily for 10 days. Data were statistically analysed. The healthy seeds contained higher protein (13.73%), fat (58.73%) and fibre (2.50%), whereas, higher content of moisture (10.17%) and carbohydrate (15.47%) were observed in the spoilt seeds. The leaf had highest contents of alkaloids (1228.3 mg/100 g), flavonoids (1345.9 mg/100 g), tannins (1345.9 mg/100 g), saponins (578.3 mg/100 g) and carotenoids (2348.3 μg/100 g). The antioxidant activity of the leaf (50.30%) was the highest. Fungi isolated from the deteriorated seeds were Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus fumigatus and Curvilaria lunata. The leaf was most effective against A. niger, A. flavus and C. lunata whereas the stem bark extract was most effective against A. fumigatus. The F-values were significant for model, treatment, concentration and number of days for the leaf and root. This study confirmed the antifungal activity of extracts of various parts of the plant against isolates implicated in the deterioration of its seeds. The extracts could be used as preservative to enhance the shelf-life and nutritional quality of the seeds. Keywords: Irvingia gabonensis, Spoilage of seeds, Antifungal activity, Free radical scavengers, Preservatives

Identification of Fungi Associated with Irvingia gabonensis (Ogbono) Seeds Spoilage in Benin City, Nigeria

Irvingia gabonensis (Ogbono) is one of the forest tree species of great domestic importance and its postharvest shelve life is affected by various species of fungi. This study is to investigate the effect of various species of fungi that attack Irvingia gabonensis seeds in post-harvest. Ready to use cotyledons of Ogbono were obtained from six (6) markets in Benin City (New Benin market, Aduwawa market, Uselu market, Oba market, Ikpoba Hill market, Santana market) Edo State, in sterile transparent polyethylene bags and transported to the laboratory for analyses. The proximate composition of the Ogbono seeds was determined using standard protocols. The pour plate method was used for isolation using a potato Dextrose Agar which was supplemented with streptomycin. The fungi were isolated based on their cultural and microscopic characteristics. The result of the highest and lowest fungal counts were too numerous to count and 3.3 × 103 cfu/g respectively. A total of seven species of fungi were isolated and identified in this study which included Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus niger, Mucor sp., Neurospora sp., Penicillium sp., and Rhizopus sp. Aspergillus flavus was the most prevalent fungi with prevalence rate of 48 (90.6%), while Neurospora sp. was the least prevalent fungi with prevalent rate of 04 (18.2%). The presence of these fungi especially Aspergillus species portrays a serious public health implication as regard food poisoning, mycotocosis and food security. Proper handling methods of Ogbono seeds, coupled with good orientation are necessary to ensure the safety of ogbono seeds.

Phenological Study of Irvingia gabonensis (Aubry-Lecomte ex O’ Rorke) Growing in Ihiala, Anambra State, South-East, Nigeria

Phenology refers to periodic biological phenomena that are correlated with climatic conditions. Very little is known about the phenological pattern of most tropical fruit trees especially in the South-East, Nigeria. The aim of this study was to provide a phenological data and baseline information on the phenology of Irvingia gabonensis (Aubry-lecomte ex O’Rorke). The study was conducted with exotic species at Ihiala, South-East, Nigeria, a tropical climate. The initiation and completion of different phenophases of the tree, such as budding, leafing, flowering, fruiting and ripening were recorded at 2 weeks interval. The combination of the principal growth stages and the secondary growth stages produced 2-digit codes, were used to delineate the time-dependent phenophases. The results showed that changes in the prevailing seasons influenced the vegetative phenophases in I. gabonensis. There are splashes of rains even in the supposed dry months. Hence, bud formation, leafing and leaf fall phenophases were overlapping all through the seasons. Flowering phenophase peaked by March/April with the coming of the rains. Also fruiting and ripening peaked by June/July respectively (rainy season). Thus the study has revealed that the major seasons in the area (rainy and dry seasons) influence the various phenophases in I. gabonensis. The study has equally revealed the phenological data and base line information on the phenology of I. gabonensis which will in the future serve as correlation between phenology and climate change in the area. The study has revealed that the phenology of I. gabonensis may not be stable or resilient since it is influenced by these changing seasons, little wonder then a shift in phenology is recorded in this study.

Étude Ethnobotanique Des Plantes Spontanées Comestibles Dans Le Département De Zuénoula (Centre-Ouest De La Côte D’ivoire)

Cette étude a été conduite à Zuénoula, dans le but d’évaluer la disponibilité et le niveau de connaissance des plantes sauvages comestibles pouvant servir d’alternatives aux populations locales et contribuer ainsi à leur valorisation. Pour cela, des investigations ethnobotaniques ont été réalisées à l’aide de fiches d’enquête dans 5 localités auprès de 368 individus. Les plantes et les organes comestibles récoltés ont été identifiés au Centre National de Floristique (CNF) d’Abidjan. Ainsi, les 76 espèces récensées appartiennent à 36 familles et 62 genres et représentent 32,34 % des plantes sauvages comestibles recensées en Côte d’Ivoire. Les Fabaceae (33,34 %) et les Malvaceae (22,23 %) sont les familles les plus rencontrées et sont majoritairement sous forme d‘arbres (38,16 %) et d‘herbes (26,32 %). Concernant les parties utilisées, ce sont les feuilles (38,85 %) et les graines (07,45 %) qui sont plus consommées en repas contrairement aux fruits (40,43 %) souvent consommés comme friandise au lieu de cueillette. Les populations (62,23 %) qui ont une bonne connaissance de la flore locale comestible sont aujourd’hui confrontées à la disparition progressive d‘espèces autrefois prisées comme Glyphaea brevis, Irvingia gabonensis et Telfairia occidentalis. Enfin, la consommation de Bixa orellana et de Gymnema sylvestre, espèces très utilisées dans l’alimentation humaine et la médecine en Asie, a pour la première fois été révélée en Côte d‘Ivoire. La poursuite de cette étude par des analyses des valeurs nutritives des espèces les plus sollicitées est vivement souhaitée en vue de leur valorisation au plan nutritionnel. This study was conducted in Zuénoula with the aim of assessing the local people’s level of knowledge on wild edible plants and the availability of these plants to serve as alternatives for the local population and thus contribute to their development. To achieve this, botanical surveys were carried out in 5 localities involving 368 persons. Plants and edible organs collected were identified at the Centre National de Floristique (CNF) in Abidjan. All 76 species recorded belong to 36 families and 62 genera, and they represent 32.34% of wild edible plants identified in Côte d'Ivoire. Fabaceae (33.34%) and Malvaceae (22.23%) were the most common families and are mainly trees (38.16%) and herbs (26.32%). Concerning the part of the plants used, leaves (38.85%) and seeds (07.45%) were the most consumed in meals, which is contrary to fruits (40.43%) often consumed as sweets at the harvesting sites. The majority of the population (62.23%), which has a good knowledge of the local edible flora, is today confronted with the progressive disparition of species once sought after such as Glyphaea brevis, Irvingia gabonensis, and Telfairia occidentalis. This study reveals for the first time the consumption in Côte d'Ivoire of two plants' species, Bixa orellana and Gymnema sylvestre, widely used in human food and medicine in Asia, highlighting the great diversity of the local flora. Since the nutritional potential of these species has never been studied in Côte d'Ivoire, additional research on the most sought-after species is highly recommended for their nutritional valorization.

Arousal-Inducing Effect of Garcinia cambogia Peel Extract in Pentobarbital-Induced Sleep Test and Electroencephalographic Analysis

Caffeine, a natural stimulant, is known to be effective for weight loss. On this basis, we screened the arousal-inducing effect of five dietary supplements with a weight loss effect (Garcinia cambogia, Coleus forskohlii, Camellia sinensis L., Irvingia gabonensis, and Malus pumila M.), of which the G. cambogia peel extract (GC) showed a significant arousal-inducing effect in the pentobarbital-induced sleep test in mice. This characteristic of GC was further evaluated by analysis of electroencephalogram and electromyogram in C57L/6N mice, and it was compared to that of the positive control, caffeine. Administration of GC (1500 mg/kg) significantly increased wakefulness and decreased non-rapid eye movement sleep, similar to that of caffeine (25 mg/kg), with GC and caffeine showing a significant increase in wakefulness at 2 and 6 h, respectively. Compared to that of caffeine, the shorter duration of efficacy of GC could be advantageous because of the lower possibility of sleep disturbance. Furthermore, the arousal-inducing effects of GC (1500 mg/kg) and caffeine (25 mg/kg) persisted throughout the chronic (3 weeks) administration study. This study, for the first time, revealed the arousal-inducing effect of GC. Our findings suggest that GC might be a promising natural stimulant with no side effects. In addition, it is preferential to take GC as a dietary supplement for weight loss during the daytime to avoid sleep disturbances owing to its arousal-inducing effect.

Comparative Analysis of the Rheological Behaviour of Irvingia Gabonensis Ogbono and Foreign Polymer for Bentonite Formulated Mud.

Drilling fluid are complex fluids consisting of several additives. These additives are added to enhance and control the rheological properties (such as viscosity, gel strength and yield point) of the mud. These properties are controlled for effective drilling of a well. This research work is focused on determining the rheological behavior of drilling mud using industry-based polymer and Irvingia Gabonensis (ogbono) as viscosifiers. Water based muds were formulated from the aforementioned locally sourced viscosifier and that of the conventional used viscosifier (Carboxylmetyl cellulose, CMC). Laboratory tests were carried out on the different muds formulated and their rheological properties (such as yield stress, shear stress, plastic viscosity and shear rate) are evaluated. The concentration of the viscosifiers were varied. The expected outcome of the research work aims at lowering the total drilling cost by reducing the importation of foreign polymer which promotes the development of local content in the oil and gas industry. The research compares the rheology of mud samples and the effect of varying the concentration (2g, 4g, 6g, 8g, and 10g) of both CMC and Ogbono and determining the changes in their rheological properties. The total volume of each mud sample is equivalent to 350ml which represent one barrel (42gal) in the lab. From the result, at concentration of 2g, the ogbono mud has a better rheology than the CMC mud, but at a concentration above 2g, CMC mud shows a better rheology than ogbono mud, that is, as the concentration of CMC is increased, the rheological properties of the mud increased while as the concentration of ogbono is increased the rheological properties decreased. The viscosity of the drilling fluid produced from the ogbono were lower than that of CMC, it could be used together with another local product such as cassava starch, offor or to further improve the rheology and then be a substitute to the conventional viscosifiers.

Valorisation des ressources naturelles dans les zones agroforestières : cas d’Irvingia gabonensis (Aubrey-Lecomte ex O’Rorke) Baill. (Irvingiaceae) dans la région de l’Agnéby-Tiassa au sud de la Côte d’Ivoire

Ce travail évalue l’importance socio-économique d’Irvingia gabonensis (Irvingiaceae) ou le manguier sauvage dans la région de l’Agnéby-Tiassa dans le sud de la Côte d’Ivoire. À cet effet, un inventaire de la population a été réalisé dans les zones agroforestières en particulier dans les cacaoyères afin de déterminer la perception de cette espèce par cinq groupes socio-culturels. Les différents usages et la rentabilité économique issue de la vente des amandes ont été également recherchés. Pour atteindre ces objectifs, la valeur d’usage ethnobotanique des différents organes, le taux de réponse des individus enquêtés et de la marge brute de commercialisation a été recherché. L’inventaire a permis de recenser seulement 26 pieds de I. gabonensis chez 35 paysans. Les travaux ont révélé deux usages principaux chez les Agnis, les Baoulés, les Groussis, les Malinkés et les Morés. Il s’agit de la consommation des amandes connue par 100% des enquêtés et de l’usage thérapeutique de l’écorce connue par seulement 10% de l’échantillon. Les investigations ont montré une marge brute de commercialisation moyenne de 27%. Des travaux complémentaires devront être réalisés pour valoriser d’avantage l’écorce et les feuilles. Aussi, nous préconisons le semis de graines ou le maintien de sauvageons dans les zones dégradées des cacaoyères en vue d’une gestion durable de cette ressource. SUMMARY This work assesses the socio-economic importance of Irvingia gabonensis (Irvingiaceae) or the wild mango tree in the Agnéby-Tiassa region in the south of the Ivory Coast. To this end, a population inventory was carried out in agroforestry areas, in particular in cocoa trees in order to determine the perception of this species by five socio-cultural groups. The different uses and the economic profitability resulting from the sale of almonds were also investigated. To achieve these objectives, the ethnobotanical use value of the different organs, the response rate of the individuals surveyed and the gross marketing margin were researched. The inventory identified only 26 stems of I. gabonensis among 35 farmers. The work revealed two main uses among the Agnis, the Baoulés, the Groussis, the Malinkés and the Morés. This is the consumption of almonds known by 100% of the respondents and the therapeutic use of the bark known by only 10% of the sample. Investigations showed an average gross marketing margin of 27%. Additional work will have to be made out to further enhance the bark and leaves. Also, we recommend the sowing of seeds or the maintenance of wildlings in degraded areas of cocoa trees with a view to sustainable management of this resource.