Synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles on their antimicrobial activity utilizing banana peelings could be a potential candidate to develop nano-formulated natural products as an alternative, efficient, inexpensive, and environmentally safe method with specified properties. The study aimed to investigate the… More

Synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles on their antimicrobial activity utilizing banana peelings could be a potential candidate to develop nano-formulated natural products as an alternative, efficient, inexpensive, and environmentally safe method with specified properties. The study aimed to investigate the biological synthesis, characterization, and antimicrobial study of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONps) against clinical pathogens Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus using Musa acuminata × balbisiana peelings. Data revealed that varying concentration, temperature, and pH level can significantly influence the antimicrobial activity and plays crucial steps in the preparation of ZnONps. Research on nanoparticles as antibacterial agents can have an essential application in the food industry as antibacterial agents in food packaging and towards foodborne pathogens. Since this study deals with the preliminary investigation on banana peelings locally grown in the Philippines as capping and reducing agent through green chemistry, it can promote potential application in the Philippine food industry. By proper incorporation of nanoparticles into packaging materials it may inhibit or cause foodborne pathogens bacterial death. Less

Paragis is a common grass which is abundant and can be seen everywhere, but are regarded as having no economic value. To add value to this grass, the study generally aimed to formulate cookies with powdered paragis leaves and mashed… More

Paragis is a common grass which is abundant and can be seen everywhere, but are regarded as having no economic value. To add value to this grass, the study generally aimed to formulate cookies with powdered paragis leaves and mashed bananas; and specifically, it aimed to evaluate the sensory quality of the product. A 3 x 3 factorial design was used, with three levels for both powdered paragis leaves (0, 5, 10 % w/w) and mashed bananas (0, 15, 20 % w/w). Sensory evaluation was done to determine the acceptability of the product in terms of color, taste, aroma, texture, and flavor using a sensory panel. Acceptability ratings were subjected to response surface regression analysis using STATISTICA software. Results revealed that the combination of powdered paragis leaves and mashed bananas showed significant effect on the color, aroma, texture, taste, flavor and general acceptability of the product. The optimum combination was 8.8 % and 1.3 to 1.8% of mashed bananas and powdered paragis leaves, respectively, based on the volume of flour. Using the optimum combination, it can be concluded that paragis leaves could be utilized in cookie production, providing potential value to these unwanted commodity. Less

Cogon grass, a weed occasionally used as livestock feed has a limited nutritive value. Improving the utilization of low quality roughages could be by treatment with nitrogen sources, chemical and physical treatment .Thus an experiment was conducted to assess the… More

Cogon grass, a weed occasionally used as livestock feed has a limited nutritive value. Improving the utilization of low quality roughages could be by treatment with nitrogen sources, chemical and physical treatment .Thus an experiment was conducted to assess the voluntary intake and digestibility in vivo of cogon silage and urea-treated corn stover as affected by varying ratios of concentrate: Ipil-Ipil leaf meal (ILM) supplementation in goats. The experiment was setup in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with four (4) blocks based on sex-period combination with a 2x3 factorial treatment design: factor A with two types of base forage (cogon silage, urea-treated corn stover), and factor B with three (3) ratios of concentrate: ILM as supplement (1.25:0; 0.75:0.50 and 0.50: 0.75 %BW, DM basis). Results revealed a comparable voluntary intake and in vivo digestibility of cogon grass silage and urea-treated corn stover across three types of supplements, and among supplements across types of basal diet. Interaction between kind of basal diet and type of supplement was not significant. It is, therefore advantageous to mix ILM with concentrate at 0.75%:0.50% BW or 0.50:0.75% BW ratio, DM basis, as supplement to either cogon silage or urea treated corn stover rather than given an all-concentrate supplement at 1.25% BW, DM basis, to save on feed cost. Less

With the advancement in diagnostic imaging, providing shielding against X-rays has become a significant concern. While Lead has been extensively used as the shielding material, it is costly and toxic to humans and the surrounding environment. This study aims to… More

With the advancement in diagnostic imaging, providing shielding against X-rays has become a significant concern. While Lead has been extensively used as the shielding material, it is costly and toxic to humans and the surrounding environment. This study aims to evaluate the feasibility of eggshells as alternative shielding material against diagnostic X-rays. To this end, the eggshells were collected, ground, sieved and mixed with cement and water with an increasing amount. Radiographic analysis was utilized to measure the performance of the shields. The results showed that increasing the number of eggshells increased its shielding performance; however, more shielding is required at higher X-ray energies. Nevertheless, the performance of the standard Lead shield and the shield with the highest number of eggshells yielded a comparable result. The eggshells can be used as alternative shielding material against diagnostic X-rays. Less

The study was conducted to evaluate the growth and profitability of broilers in the different levels of vermi (Eisenia fetida) meal ration under two management systems. 120 day old chicks were tested in Randomized Complete Block Design with 4 treatments:… More

The study was conducted to evaluate the growth and profitability of broilers in the different levels of vermi (Eisenia fetida) meal ration under two management systems. 120 day old chicks were tested in Randomized Complete Block Design with 4 treatments: commercial feeds, 2% vermi meal (vm)+local ingredients(li), 3% vm+li, 5% vm+li in three replications. Result revealed that total confinement (TC) had higher body weight (bw) and weight gain (wg) with a difference of 35.60 grams and 36.90 grams respectively compared to that of free-range (FR) that had lesser feed consumption (fc) with a difference of 81.10 grams and high in net income and ROI. Infeed ration, fc increased when given a higher percentage of vm, and it was significantly different from the commercial feeds (cf). In 3 different levels of vm, though they did not have a significant difference to each other, the 2% level of vm was comparable to cf and showed a difference in terms of bw 296.70 grams in TC; 326.00 grams in FR. In wg 296.67 grams in TC and 370.97 grams in FR in both management systems. Consequently, 2% level vm had an optimum result in final body weight, wg, and high in feed conversion. Less