African Journal of Climate, Environment and Interdisciplinary Research

Sweet Potato Peel and Fish Meal Blend Fermentation: A Study on Prebiotic Potential and Broiler Chick Performance

F. C. Ezeoke — 2026-02-19

The increasing demand for poultry products necessitates improved chicken nutrition. Sweet potato peel, a waste product, is rich in nutrients but underutilized. While fermentation enhances nutritional value, its prebiotic potential in broiler chicks remains unclear, leaving a gap in understanding its effects on growth performance and gut health, creating a need to investigate its impact on chicken nutrition. This study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of fermented sweet potato peel mixed with fish meal as a chicken additive for healthy broiler chicks. The fermenter used in this study was isolated and characterized using standard microbiological techniques. The effects of the fermented feeds on the broiler chicks were determined using in vivo techniques. The mixture of sweet potato peel and fish meal, fermented by Lactobacillus acidophilus strain DSN20079 (LADSM) was incorporated into the diet of broiler chicks, and its effects on growth performance, organ weights, feed intake, and hematological indices were evaluated. The results showed that the body weights of the chicks in the test group were significantly higher (p<0.05) than those in the control group from week 2 to week 6. The feed conversion ratio of the test group was significantly lower (p<0.05) than that of the control group from week 3 to week 6. The organ weights of the chicks were not affected by the inclusion of the feed additive in the diet. The white blood cell count and lymphocyte percentage were significantly higher (p<0.05) in the test group compared to the control group. The study has shown that the mixture of sweet potato peel and fish meal, fermented by LADSM has potential as a probiotic feed additive for broiler chicks, improving growth performance and blood indices without any adverse effects on organ weights.

Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles from Aqueous Seed Extract of C. papaya and its Application in Surface Water Resources Decontamination

O. P. Okonkwo — 2026-02-01

There have been reports of biological approaches, including the use of plant extract, for treating water in recent times. Water purification using green nanotechnology is an alternative to chemical and physical water treatments and is environmentally friendly, benign, green, cost - effective, safe, and easily sourced and scale up potable water for large scale synthesis. The purpose of this work is to synthesize silver nanoparticles from an aqueous seed extract of C. papaya and evaluate its application in water and wastewater decontamination. After obtaining the plant extract from C. papaya, it underwent phytochemical analysis. Silver nitrate solution was then utilized to create nanoparticles. The synthesized nanoparticle was examined using SEM, FT-IR, UV-Vis spectroscopy and XRD methods. The physicochemical and microbiological characteristics of the water samples subjected to 0.5 mg/mL of the produced nanoparticle at various intervals (30, 60, and 120 min) were examined both before and after treatment. The findings of the phytochemical studies indicated that alkaloids and tannins were present, while steroids and glycosides were not. The hydroxyl group was detected in the extract according to the FT-IR measurement. The UV-Vis test showed that at 400 nm, the absorbance was 2.598. The nanoparticle size range is consistent with the particle sizes found in the XRD data, which was14.4 nm. Also, irregular, clustered, and sometimes crystalline or snowflake-like shapes were identified by the SEM results. Following nanoparticle treatment for 120 min, there were significant decreases (P < 0.05) in some physicochemical parameters of the different water resources treated. Therefore, it has been demonstrated that using biosynthesized silver nanoparticles from C. papaya aqueous seed extract in a variety of water and wastewater samples is beneficial for environmental processes such as disinfection

Influence of Lactobacillus-Fermented Plantain Peel on Organ Weights and Hematological Parameters

F. C. Ezeoke — 2026-02-20

Agricultural waste, like plantain peels, represents a significant disposal challenge and lost nutritional resource. While Lactobacillus fermentation can enhance the bioactivity of such wastes, its systemic physiological effects are poorly understood. This study addresses the critical knowledge gap regarding the safety and bio-efficacy of fermented plantain peel by investigating its corollary impact on organ weight (a key toxicity indicator) and hematological indices (vital health biomarkers) in chicks. The fermenting organism was isolated and conclusively identified through cultural, biochemical, and molecular characterization, showing 100% genetic identity with Lactobacillus acidophilus strain DSM20079. A total of 24 broiler chicks were allocated into a control group and a test group fed the fermented peel supplement. The study indicated no statistically significant differences (p>0.05) in the weights of vital organs (liver, kidney, lungs, heart) between the groups, confirming the supplement's systemic biocompatibility and absence of toxicity. In contrast, highly significant (p<0.001) hematological alterations were observed. The test group exhibited a marked increase in total white blood cell count (18.55 vs. 12.88 x10⁹/L), red blood cell count (8.30 vs. 7.37 x10¹²/L), and platelet count (941.00 vs. 825.00 x10⁹/L). A profound lymphocytosis (88.10% vs. 50.70%) with concurrent neutropenia was also recorded. In conclusion, L. acidophilus-fermented plantain peel is a safe and bioactive feed ingredient that does not compromise organ integrity but significantly modulates hematological parameters, indicating strong immunostimulatory and erythropoietic potential. This work supports the valorization of agro-industrial waste into functional animal feed

Evaluation of Fermented Pineapple Peel and Fish Meal Blend as a Prebiotic Supplement for Improved Broiler Chick Performance and Health

O. Abba — 2026-02-17

The increasing demand for poultry products necessitates improved chicken nutrition. Pineapple peel, a waste product, is rich in nutrients but underutilized. This study evaluated the prebiotic potential of fermented pineapple peel and fish meal blend on broiler chick performance and health. The fermenter, Lactobacillus acidophilus strain DSN20079 (LADSM), was isolated and characterized using standard microbiological techniques. The effects of the fermented feed on broiler chicks were determined using in vivo techniques. The study showed that the test group had significantly higher body weights (p<0.05) than the control group from week 2 to week 6. The feed conversion ratio was significantly lower (p<0.05) in the test group from week 3 to week 6. Organ weights were not affected by the feed additive. White blood cell count and lymphocyte percentage were significantly higher (p<0.05) in the test group. The study demonstrates that pineapple peel and fish meal blend fermented by LADSM has potential as a probiotic feed additive for broiler chicks, improving growth performance and blood indices without adverse effects on organ weights.