Total Antioxidants Activity and Proximate Analysis of Selected Fruits and Vegetables in Jashore Region, Bangladesh

The proximate composition of vegetables enriched by incorporation of municipal solid waste into fertilizers and its impacts on environment and human health

The recent over production of municipal solid waste (MSW) poses a significant threat to both the ecosystem and human health. Utilizing MSW for agricultural purposes has emerged as a promising strategy to reduce solid waste disposal while simultaneously increasing soil fertility. To explore this potential solution further, an experiment was designed to assess the impact of varying concentrations of MSW (25%, 50%, and 75%) on the proximate composition of 15 different vegetable species. The experiment, conducted between 2018 and 2019, involved treating soil with different levels of solid waste and analyzing the proximate components, such as crude protein, dry matter, crude fiber, crude fat, and moisture content, in the 15 selected crops. The results indicate that the application of 25% MSW significantly increased the levels of crude protein, crude fiber, dry matter, and fat in Spinacia oleracea, Solanum tuberosum, Solanum melongena, and Abelmoschus esculentus. Conversely, the addition of 75% MSW notably elevated the moisture and ash content in Cucumis sativus. Correlation and scatter matrix analyses were conducted to elucidate the relationships between the protein, fiber, dry matter, ash, and fat contents. Principal component analysis and clustering confirmed the substantial impact of Treatment_1 (25% MSW) and Treatment_3 (75% MSW) on the proximate composition of the aforementioned vegetables, leading to their categorization into distinct groups. Our study highlights the efficacy of using 25% MSW to enhance the proximate composition and nutritional value of vegetables. Nonetheless, further research is warranted to investigate the mineral, antioxidant, vitamin, and heavy metal contents in the soil over an extended period of MSW application.

Growth Performance, Immune Response, Antioxidative Status, and Antiparasitic and Antibacterial Capacity of the Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) After Dietary Supplementation With Bottle Gourd (Lagenaria siceraria, Molina) Seed Powder

Medicinal plants are a potential safe source of bioactive compounds. Fish diet supplemented with the medicinal plant bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) seed powder was evaluated in this study for the potential effect on growth performance, antioxidative status, immunological response, and resistance to infectious pathogens in the Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). Nile tilapia fingerlings with mean weight ( ± SD)= (25.64 ± 0.17 g), were fed four L. siceraria seed supplemented diets (LSSD) at 0.0, 1, 2, and 3% for 60 days. Specimens were then challenged with the bacterium Aeromonas hydrophila for 10 days. Also, three different concentrations (2.5, 5, and 10 ml/L) of Lagenaria siceraria ethanolic extract (LSEE) were tested for their antibacterial and antiparasitic efficacy on four selected bacterial and one parasitic species. All parameters’ values generally improved with elevating the content of the L. siceraria seed powder in the diet. Dietary administration of LSSD-3% enabled significant (P < 0.05) higher growth performance, and feed utilization efficiency. It reduced the mortality induced by A. hydrophila infection, increased crude protein content in the fish body and exhibited the highest in vitro antibacterial and antiparasitic efficiency. RBCs, WBCs, Hb, PCV, MCV, MCH, and total serum protein values in pre- and post-challenge groups were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the LSSD-3% group. While MCHC, ALT, AST and glucose levels were significantly lower (P < 0.05) than those of the other groups. Lysozyme and antioxidant enzyme activities in pre- and post-challenge groups were also higher (P < 0.05) in the LSSD-3% group compared to the other groups. LSEE provided good efficacy against Gram-negative bacterial strains, mild efficacy against Gram-positive bacterial strains, and an antagonistic effect on the parasite Cichlidogyrus Tilapiae. The 10 ml/L concentration was the most effective against the pathogens followed by the 5 ml/L concentration and then 2.5 ml/L. Our findings suggest the feasibility of supplementation of Nile tilapia (O. niloticus) diet with L. siceraria seed powder by 3% to improve the growth performance, immunity, and vital parameters.