Cellulosic fibers were extracted from the pseudo-stem of Musa sapientum cultivated in two different sites in Cameroon. The FBY (Yaounde Banana Fibers) and FBP (Penja Banana Fibers) studied in this work were obtained by a bio-extraction method and characterized. The apparent densities of FBP and FBY were 0.90 ± 0.02 g/cm³ and 1.03 ± 0.04 g/cm³, while the moisture contents were 10.6 ± 0.2% and 12.4 ± 0.3%, respectively. Their chemical compositions were as follows: extracts 15.32% and 17.79%; pectin 5.7% and 14.77%; lignin 10.1% and 9.8%; and cellulose 47.1% and 58.3%, respectively. The water absorption rate at saturation was 140% and 170% by mass and was reached rapidly in the first 30 min of immersion. The tensile strengths of fibers were 743.9 MPa and 730.6 MPa, the elastic moduli were 260 MPa and 242 MPa, and the elongations at break were 2.8% and 2.2%, respectively. From the thermal analysis, the fibers’ stability temperatures were in the neighborhood of 250°C. Only slight differences were noticed in the properties of both fibers. Long outdoor conservation of the banana pseudo-stems before processing provided fibers with properties comparable to the properties of natural fibers reported in the literature. Independently of the harvesting locations, both fibers can be envisaged as cost-cutting fillers in the plastic industry.

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the composition of fatty acids, antioxidant and phenolic compounds in Acacia polycantha and Azadirachta indica seed extracts for their potential uses in nutrition. Extractions of oil using several techniques (Sohxlet, ultrasound and microwave) in several solvents were carried out and the oils were characterised. Total phenolic content ranged between 4.22 and 31.48 mg GAE/g. Antioxidant activity (CE₅₀) ranged between 1.95 and 22.91 mg/mL. Oleic and linoleic acids were the major unsaturated fatty acids while palmitic and stearic acids were the major saturated fatty acids in both oils. 3‐hydrobenzoic acid, resveratrol rutin, and flavan were identified by HPLC‐DAD at high contents while chlorogenic acid, vanillic acid, syringic acid, epicatechin, p‐coumaric acid, transferulic acid, ellagic acid, rutin, cinnamic acid, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid were lower in Neem oil. In case of A. polycantha oil, the percentages of ellagic acid and rutin were high.