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This study aimed at the potential use of ginger‐flavoured soy‐cassava flour to produce high‐protein biscuits.

Preparation of biscuit was done using soy‐cassava flour blends (0:100, 20:80, 30:70 and 40:60 w/w). Biscuit was also prepared from 100 per cent wheat flour to serve as control.

Chemical analysis indicated that the substitution of soy flour into cassava flour augmented the nutrient content of the biscuit, which indicates a good potential for meeting the nutrient requirements of school children. The use of ginger powder as flavouring agent effectively masked the beany flavour that is normally associated with soybean products. A sensory evaluation also confirmed good aroma and positive acceptability.

The findings in this study confirms the endless possibilities of protein enrichment of cassava flour for the production of biscuits as a potentially effective strategy for enhancing protein‐energy balance in children, particularly in developing countries. The value of this study lies in its potential as a product development strategy in combating protein‐energy malnutrition, thereby promoting good health, labour productivity and mental development.

This paper aims to demonstrate the optimization of an existing residential building in a tropical climate using indigenous materials as an alternative to conventional building envelopes to achieve thermal comfort and affordable housing.

This study mainly adopted a quantitative research methodology through a comprehensive simulation study on a selected prototype building. The energy plus simulation tool in DesignBuilder was used to predict the average monthly and annual thermal comfort of a typical residential building in the study area. Also, a cost analysis of the final optimization interventions was conducted to estimate the construction cost savings.

The comparative analysis of simulation results for the base-case and optimized models indicates potential advantages in replacing conventional building envelope materials with indigenous materials. The base-case simulation results showed that the annual operative temperature is more than the adaptive thermal comfort set points in tropical climates, by 8.26%. This often leads to interventions using mechanical cooling systems, thus triggering overconsumption of energy and increase in CO₂ emissions. The building envelope materials for floor, walls and roof were replaced with low U-values indigenous materials until considerable results in terms of thermal comfort and overall building construction cost were achieved. The final simulation results showed that using indigenous materials for the ground floor, external walls and roof could substantially reduce the annual operative temperature by 8%, thereby increasing the predicted three months of thermal comfort in the base-case to nine months annually. Likewise, there was a 32.31%, 35.78% and 41.81% reduction in the annual CO₂ emissions, cooling loads and construction costs, respectively.

The knowledge of indigenous materials as an alternative to conventional materials for sustainable buildings is not new. However, most of the available research is focused on achieving affordable housing. There is a dearth of research showing the extent that these indigenous materials can be used to improve indoor thermal comfort in developing countries with tropical climates such as Nigeria.

This paper sets out to focus on the utilization of the locally available raw material to develop an acceptable and high quality non‐alcoholic beverage in Nigeria.

Maize‐based non‐alcoholic beverages were produced from either plain maize powder or combinations of maize powder and mango or soybean flour. Plain and fruit or soy‐ fortified maize powders were analyzed using standard methods for chemical composition, while total solid, sediment height, pH, titratable acidity, storage stability and microbial load were determined on the formulated beverage products. Taste panel evaluation was conducted to evaluate the acceptability of the products.

While the protein, fat and ash contents of plain maize powder were 5.69, 5.95 and 0.35 per cent respectively, there was minimal enhancement with fruit addition. However, with 10 per cent soybean addition significant improvement over the unfortified sample in protein (14.62 per cent), fat (10.64 per cent) and ash (0.96 per cent) was obtained. Sediment height was found to be higher for beverage with sour water and least for soy‐fortified beverage. Titratable acidity of beverage samples was found to be 0.022, 0.018, 0.054 and 0.306 per cent (per cent lactic acid) for plain, fruit‐flavoured, soy‐fortified and soured beverages respectively. Variation in titratable acidity was observed depending on the product and storage condition. Sensory evaluation result for beverage prepared with sour water (0–100 per cent) revealed preference for soured beverage with 80 per cent sour water. Also, fruit‐flavoured sample ranked highest in preference followed closely by the plain beverage, while soy‐fortified sample was the least acceptable.

The paper has demonstrated the feasibility of developing acceptable beverage samples from sour water (a by‐product of Ogi usually regarded as waste) and combinations of either maize powder and mango or soybean flour.

This research aims to investigate the influence of building design on the thermal comfort of occupants of naturally ventilated hospital (NVH) wards to identify the aspects with the most significant influence on the thermal comfort of hospital buildings during the hot-dry season in the hot-humid tropics of Southeast Nigeria.

Field measurements, physical observations and a questionnaire survey of 60 occupants of the wards of the Joint Presbyterian Hospital, Uburu in Ebonyi State, Nigeria were undertaken. The data were analysed using Humphreys' neutral temperature formula, descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis.

The results revealed that the neutral temperature for the wards ranges from 26.2 °C to 29.9 °C, the thermal condition in the wards was not comfortable because it failed to meet the ASHRAE Standard 55 as only 65% of the occupants said the thermal condition was acceptable. The number and sizes of windows, building orientation, the presence of high-level windows and higher headroom significantly influenced the occupants' thermal comfort vote.

This research is valuable in estimating comfort temperature and identifying aspects that require attention in enhancing the capacity of NVH wards to effectively meet the thermal comfort needs of occupants in the hot-humid tropics of Southeast Nigeria and other regions that share similar climatic conditions.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study of this nature that provides valuable feedback for building design professionals on the performance of existing hospital buildings in meeting users' thermal comfort needs in the hot-dry season of the hot-humid tropics in Southeast Nigeria.

Reproductive health rights became an issue of interest long before the 1990s. Several policies were created to guarantee reproductive health rights, including birth rights. Women have the right to give birth in a way that is respectful and free from obstetric violence. Policymaking must, of course, be based on empirical evidence, so it is necessary to map studies on human rights in the context of childbirth. This study aims to investigate the viewpoint on human rights during childbirth across time by using a bibliometric methodology.

Bibliometric analysis was conducted using the VOSviewer application. The analysis was sourced from 301 articles on human rights during delivery for the 1976–2023 period from the Scopus database.

The studies concerning reproductive health rights encompass various topics, including reproductive health policy, human rights during childbirth, child marriage and human rights, pandemics and health care related to human rights.

Studies related to human rights in reproductive health (especially childbirth) must be increased. Remember, policymaking must be based on the evidence found. Apart from that, empirical information about harmful actions during childbirth must be revealed so that it becomes a concern. While there has been a significant increase in the establishment of human rights during childbirth, there is a lack of research on this topic specifically in the Asian context. Researchers might consider this to be a matter of concern, given the implications for human rights. Two themes that have citations but a small number relate to obstetric violence and respectful maternity care during childbirth, so this could be a concern for other researchers for further studies.

This paper provides an overview of the most cited topics of human rights during childbirth, contributions by the distribution of studies throughout time, distribution of studies by country, the highest number of publications and citations.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the quality and sensory properties of cookies produced from wheat flour using avocado puree as fat substitute.

Cookies were produced from wheat flour using avocado puree as fat substitute in ratio 0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%, respectively. The formulation of margarine and avocado puree blends was done by using D-Optimal Mixture Design. In all, 20 samples were produced from each substitution level and analyses were done in triplicates to obtain mean values using standard methods. Means were separated by Duncan’s multiple range test, and significances were accepted at less than 5% confidence level (p < 0.05). Proximate and functional analyses were conducted on the flour samples, while cookie samples were subjected to proximate and sensory analyses.

The results of this study revealed that the values of loose bulk density, packed bulk density, oil absorption density, water absorption capacity, swelling power, solubility and dispersibility of the flours at p < 0.05 are 0.3–0.4 g/ml, 0.5–0.7 g/ml, 16.9%–94.0%, 39.7%–80.6%, 461.2%–618.2%, 6.0%–29.8% and 69.0%–82.8%, respectively. The moisture, protein, fat, total dietary fiber, total ash and carbohydrate contents of the cookies at p < 0.05 are 3.6%–16.7%, 6.5%–9.9%, 2.5%–19.2%, 1.7%–1.9%, 1.1%–3.0% and 65.0%–70.7%, respectively. The taste, color, crispiness, texture and overall acceptability of the cookies at p < 0.05 are 7.4–7.8, 6.9–7.5, 7.2–7.9, 7.3–7.7 and 7.4–8.3, respectively. The sensory scores showed that panelists preferred the taste, crispiness and texture of the cookies produced from wheat flour using avocado puree as fat substitute at varying proportion. The sensory characteristics of sample WF⁴ (100% avocado puree) were rated overall best in all the parameters tested followed by sample WF³ (75% avocado puree). Hence, this study established the possibility of producing cookies from wheat flour using avocado puree as fat substitute without a negative impact on the sensory characteristics and the consumers’ acceptability.

The cookies produced from this study are not meant for vegetarians because eggs were added in the formulations and recipes but could be valuable to ovo-vegetarians that may take food with eggs without restriction. The major challenge of this study was that avocados are very expensive in much of the world, so this is only suitable and viable where there is an excess of the fruit.

This study examined the use of avocado puree as fat substitute in cookie production. Effects of avocado puree on proximate composition and functionality of cookies produced from wheat flour were also determined. This approach was novel, and it will encourage the use of avocado for value-added in industrial food production.

This study investigates firm attributes (namely level of capitalisation, scope of operation, organisational structure, organisational lifecycle, systemic importance and size) affecting the robustness of enterprise risk management (ERM) practice, the extent to which ERM affects the performance of banks and the impact of ERM on the long-term sustainability of banks in Nigeria. This was against the backdrop that the 2012 banking reform was a major regulatory intervention that mainstreamed ERM in the Nigerian banking sector.

The study employed a mixed methodology of content, trend and quantitative analyses. Ex post facto research design was deployed to analyse performance differential of banks, with respect to the implementation of ERM, over a 10-year period (2008–2017). A disclosure checklist developed from the COSO ERM integrated framework was used to assess the robustness of ERM by content-analysing divulgence on risk management in published annual reports. The banking reform periods were dichotomised into pre- (2008–2012) and post- (2013–2017) reform periods. Jonckheere–Terpstra test, independent sample t-test and Mann–Whitney test were applied to analyse a total of 1,036 firm-year observations over the period 2008–2017.

Result shows that bank attributes significantly affecting the robustness of risk management practice are level of capitalisation, scope of operation, systemic importance and size. Performance of banks improved slightly during the post-2012 banking reform period. This suggests that as banks consolidate on the gains of ERM, benefits of the regulatory policy on risk management may be realised in the long run. Result also shows that ERM enhances long-term performance, connoting that effective risk management could serve as a competitive strategy for surviving turbulence that typically characterises the banking sector.

The emergence of level of capitalisation, scope of operation, systemic importance and size as determinants of ERM provides empirical evidence to support the practice of reviewing the capital requirements for banking business from time to time by regulatory authorities (i.e. recapitalisation policy) as a strategy for managing systemic risk. Top management of banks may consider instituting mechanisms that will ensure risk management is given prominence. A proactive approach must be taken to convert risks to opportunities by banks and other financial institutions, going forward, to cope with the vicissitudes of financial intermediation.

The originality of the study stems from the consideration that it provides some new insights into the impact of ERM on banks long-term sustainability in a developing country. The study also contributes to knowledge by exposing the factors determining the robustness of risk management practice. The study developed a checklist for assessing ERM practice from annual reports and other risk management disclosure documents. The paper also adds to the scarce literature on risk governance and risk management.

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of substituting different concentrations of sesame, soy butter, dried moringa leaves and coconut powder on the physicochemical and sensory properties especially calcium and protein content of salted and sweet cookies.

Cookies were prepared by fortifying refined flour with sesame (T1 and T3) and soy butter (T2 and T4) and further fortified with dried moringa leaves (salted) and coconut (sweet). Linear programing was used to formulate percentage of major ingredients to yield maximum calcium and protein. Cookies were evaluated for physical, textural, colour, nutritional, functional and organoleptic properties and compared with refined flour cookies, C1 (salted) and C2 (sweet).

It was observed that fortification significantly decreased the hardness of the test cookies when compared with control. C2 cookies were observed to be the hardest (42.3 N), whereas T2 cookies were the softest (23.7 N). Nutritional and functional components of fortified (T) cookies were significantly (p = 0.01) higher than control (C) cookies, and within T cookies, salted cookies were more nutritious than sweet cookies. Cookies fortified with sesame and dried moringa leaves (T1) contained the highest protein (19 g), calcium (312 mg) and flavonoids (2.0 QE mg/100g) content. Scores on sensory acceptability revealed that T cookies were highly acceptable when compared to cookies for all sensory attributes tested.

Incorporation of protein and mineral rich natural ingredients like sesame, soy butter, dried moringa leaves and coconut powder has improved the nutritional, functional and sensory properties especially calcium and protein content of salted and sweet cookies. There is tremendous scope for utilisation, commercialization of such plant-based nutrient dense ingredients in variety of food snacks, and this will ensure better nutritional security.

Fortification of biscuits with sesame, soy butter, dried moringa leaves and coconut powder resulted in to a superior quality of biscuits in terms of its protein, minerals specially calcium, flavonoid content and organoleptic acceptability. These protein and calcium rich biscuits may help in solving many nutritional deficiencies and can add variety to the bakery industry.

The study was aimed to explore the potential impact of microwave heating (450 W for 2, 4, 6 and 8 min) on antioxidant activity, anti-nutritional factors, volatile and phenolic compounds of the plum kernels.

Plum kernels are rich in proteins, lipids and bioactive compounds that are mostly underused and undervalued.

The results showed that microwave heating at 450 W for 6 min significantly (p < 0.05) increased the antioxidant activity, total phenolic and flavonoid content, while the longer treatment time (450 W for 8 min) adversely affected the phenolic compounds. Most importantly, the anti-nutritional factors like amygdalin, hydrocyanic acid, phytic acid and tannin content were reduced up to 87.1, 84.7, 20.9 and 46.2%, respectively at 450 W for 6 min treatment conditions, which was confirmed from the larger shifts observed in FT-IR spectra near 1,157 cm⁻¹. Microwave heating at 450 W for 6 min also proved beneficial in improving the bioavailability of volatile and phenolic compounds including chlorogenic acid, gallic acid, syringic acid, (+)-catechin, caffeic acid, ß-carotene, trans-ferulic acid, rutin trihydrate, 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, tannic acid and quercetin by liberating them from the plant matrix.

The results thus indicate that controlled microwave heating could be an effective approach for the reduction of anti-nutritional factors besides leading to an overall improvement in antioxidant potential and volatile and phenolic compounds. This novel technological approach can proliferate the use of plum kernels in different diversified food formulations.

Given the diversity which exists among various groups of consumers, the purpose of this paper is to explore students' consumption of non‐alcoholic beverages in Nigeria.

Three focus groups and 20 in‐depth interviews were conducted with students in three universities located in Lagos, Nigeria.

Initial findings indicate that these students' consumption of non‐alcoholic beverages is influenced in many ways. Nevertheless, the most striking of these influences are found to be convenience of purchase, along with availability, price, health concerns, and culture/social reasons.

The main contribution of the study lies in the relevance of segmentation, targeting, and positioning activities of business organisations in respect of marketing of non‐alcoholic beverages. Based on the findings, the empirical study will serve as a valuable input to marketers in their planning, analysis, and implementation of appropriate marketing strategies to students vis‐à‐vis the highlighted influences on their consumption of this category of food. It will thus serve as a tool for creating competitive advantage in this prevailing volatile business environment.