February 2018

Toxicological and safety assessment of tartrazine as a synthetic food additive on health biomarkers: A review

Recently, progressive use of synthetic food additives increase the attention paid on their benefit and toxicity in food, especially for the young. One of these additives is artificial azo dyes tartrazine. This study aimed to provide an outline of the existing evidence on the beneficial and side effect of food additive with special reference to tartrazine on different organ health. The methods include updated search for...

Author(s): Kamal A. Amin, and Fawzia S. Al-Shehri  

February 2018

Development and improved selected markers to biosurfactant and bioemulsifier production by Rhizopus strains isolated from Caatinga soil

This study screened four Rhizopus species as biosurfactant producers using different markers. First of all, Rhizopus spp. UCP 1607 was identified as Rhizopus arrhizus by morphological and molecular methods. The production of biosurfactant/bioemulsifier was investigated by submerged fermentation using soybean post-frying oil (5% v/v) and sodium glutamate (1% w/v) medium. The primary markers’ hemolysis and parafilm...

Author(s): Milagre A. Pele, Dayana Montero-Rodriguez, Daylin Rubio-Ribeaux, Adriana F. Souza, Marcos A. C. Luna, Michele F. Santiago, Rosileide F. S. Andrade, Thayse A. Lima e Silva, André L. C. M. A. Santiago and Galba M. Campos-Takaki  

February 2018

A comparative study on bacterial conversion of selected agricultural biomass to ethanol

The aim of the study was to investigate the bioethanol production potentials by indigenous bacterial isolates screened for amylolytic and cellulolytic activities. Cassava peels were obtained from local ‘garri’ producers, while corn grains and corn cobs were gotten from retailers within the Erinfun farm settlement along Afe Babalola University Road, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria on June 4, 2015. The...

Author(s): Oso B. A., Ogunnusi T. A. and Oyetunji O. A.  

February 2018

Morphophysiological diversity of rhizobia nodulating pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan L. Millsp.) growing in Ethiopia

Pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.) is an important protein source grown in several tropical and sub-tropical countries, and is considered a multi-purpose plant that is resistant to the conditions where drought and salinity is a common phenomenon. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diversity of rhizobial isolates obtained from root nodules of pigeon pea plants grown in central and southern Ethiopia. A total...

Author(s): Tulu Degefu, Endalkachew Wolde-meskel, Makka Adem, Asnake Fikre, Tilahun Amede and Chris Ojiewo