FORMULATION

Malnutrition among infants and young children remains a major public health challenge in Nigeria and many developing countries due to dependence on traditional cereal-based complementary foods with low protein, energy and micronutrient contents. This study developed and evaluated nutrient-dense complementary food formulations from locally available soybean, groundnut, and crayfish as affordable alternatives to traditional weaning foods. Three formulations were prepared: Sample A (70:20:10), Sample B (60:30:10), and Sample C (50:40:10), alongside a commercial complementary food as control. The formulations were evaluated for microbiological quality, proximate composition, functional properties, and sensory attributes. Microbiological analysis of raw ingredients showed total heterotrophic bacterial counts ranging from 11.00 ± 2.83 ×10⁵ cfu/g in crayfish to 23.50 ± 7.78 ×10⁵ cfu/g in groundnut, while no Enterobacteriaceae were detected before processing. Following processing, heterotrophic bacterial counts decreased to 0.90 ± 0.28 ×10⁵–1.35 ± 0.35 ×10⁵ cfu/g. Bacterial isolates identified included Staphylococcus aureus (26.67%), Escherichia coli (20.00%), Salmonella spp. (16.67%), Enterobacter sp. (16.67%), Bacillus subtilis (13.33%), and Shigella sp. (6.67%). Proximate analysis revealed low moisture content (2.48–4.46%), crude fat ranging from 29.90–32.97%, and protein values of 15.30–22.53%, with Sample A recording the highest protein content. Functional properties showed acceptable bulk density (1.14–1.29 g/ml), dispersibility (58–70%), and water absorption capacity (0.63–0.92). Sensory evaluation indicated that Sample B had the highest acceptability among the formulated blends, although the control sample recorded superior scores across sensory parameters. This findings indicate that soybean– groundnut–crayfish blends are nutritionally improved, affordable, and culturally acceptable complementary foods with potential to reduce protein-energy malnutrition in Nigeria. Further studies on micronutrient composition, shelf-life stability, and growth performance are recommended.

In the present-day oil and gas industry, the chemicals commonly employed as pH controllers in drilling operations are largely imported at exorbitant costs. These high costs contribute significantly to the overall drilling expenditure and create rippleeffects on the national economy. Hence, there is a pressing need to identify and develop locally available substitutes that are both cost-effective and environmentally friendly. This study focuses on investigating the suitability of burnt coconut fibre, a readily available agricultural by-product in Nigeria, as a pH enhancer in drilling mud formulations. The research methodology involved the preparation of water-based mud samples treated with different concentrations of coconut fibre solution, alongside conventional additives such as sodium hydroxide (NaOH) for comparison. Laboratory analyses were conducted to determine pH variation, rheological properties, and mud density under controlled conditions. The performance of the coconut fibre was evaluated based on its ability to increase and stabilize mud alkalinity while maintaining desirable drilling fluid characteristics. The results revealed that burnt coconut fibre imparted a significant pH value of approximately 13.0 in the drilling mud, which is comparable to the 13.8 obtained with sodium hydroxide. Additionally, the coconut fibre showed potential in enhancing rheological properties, such as yield point and gel strength, while also exhibiting ecofriendly and biodegradable characteristics. These findings demonstrate that coconut fibre can serve as a viable supplement to imported chemical additives, thereby reducing dependency on foreign products, lowering drilling costs, and supporting sustainable resource utilization