by Olaiya Peter Oni Our environment is changing every now and then due to various waste or toxic materials being released from several industrial sectors, most of which are detrimental to our general wellbeing. Importantly, it has been observed over the years to be partly responsible for ravaging effects ofContinue Reading
Phytochemicals literally mean “plant chemicals.” Scientists have identified thousands of different phytochemicals, found in vegetables, fruits, beans, whole grains, nuts and seeds. Eating lots of plant foods rich in phytochemicals may help to prevent at least one in every five cases of cancer, as well as other serious ailments suchContinue Reading
Tomato (Solanum lycopersicon L.) is one of the most widely cultivated vegetable crops in Africa and all over the world. World tomato production in 2001 was about 103 million tons of fresh fruits on an estimated 3.9 million hectares of land. Hence, is ranked at the top of all fruits and vegetables as a source of vitamins and minerals in the U.S. It plays a major role in human nutrition, as an excellent source of phosphorus, iron, and vitamins A, B and C.Continue Reading
Alkaloids are a huge group of naturally occurring organic compounds which contain a nitrogen atom or atoms (amino or amido in some cases) in their structures. They show strong biological effects on animal and human organisms in very small doses, and are present not only in in food and drinks but also as drugs where they show anti-inflammatory, anticancer, analgesics, local anesthetic and pain relief, neuropharmacologic, antimicrobial, antifungal, and many other activities.Continue Reading
by Victor Olugbenga Olumekun, Abiola Toyin Ajayi and Oluwasegun Victor Ibidapo
In recent times, wheat has gained more acceptance and utilisation over the traditional staples such as tubers and other cereals in Africa as a consequence of increased demand for dietary enhancement due to urbanisation and increased population in regions where staple was predominantly known to come from maize. Continue Reading
by Abiola Toyin Ajayi
Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) is a crop of significant importance in Africa; it serves as a source of proteins in the tropical and subtropical countries, where Nigeria is ranked the highest in terms of production. It is a source of income for the people of Africa where it is widely cultivated for different purposes. Despite the good attributes of cowpea, one of the major constraints hampering its productivity in Nigeria is drought.Continue Reading
These series of articles are excerpts from the inaugural lecture of Professor K.I.T Eniola, professor of environmental and public health microbiology at the Joseph Ayo Babalola University (JABU) on Thursday 14th May, 2015.Continue Reading