This article is focused on the production of biodiesel from the waste cotton seed oil (WCSO), after purification, as an alternative to fossil fuels. Waste oil was collected from Sodecoton, a factory producing cotton seed oil in the Far North Cameroon. The WCSO was subjected to purification using activated coal, followed by transesterification under basic conditions (potassium hydroxide (KOH)), using methanol and ethanol. Some physico–chemical properties of biodiesel, such as absorbance of waste and purified oil, density, viscosity, water content, acid value, and its energy content were determined. The result of treating the WCSO with activated coal indicated that purification efficiency of activated coal increased with the contact time and the mass of the absorbent. Absorbance results directly proved that activated coal removed unwanted components. In the same way, activated coal concentration and exposure time influenced the level of free fatty acids of WCSO. The yield of methyl ester was 97%, while that of ethyl ester was 98%. The specific gravity at 25 °C was 0.945 ± 0.0601. An evaluation of the lower calorific value (PCI) was done in order to study the energy content of biodiesel. This was found to be a value of 37.02 ± 3.05 MJ/kg for methyl ester and 36.92 ± 7.20 MJ/kg for ethyl ester. WCSO constitutes feedstock for high volume, good quality, and sustainable production of biodiesel, as well as a realistic means of eliminating the pollution resulting from the indiscriminate disposal of waste oils from both household and industrial users.

The production and consumption of artisanal home-brewed sorghum beer (Bil-bil andKpata) is a widespread traditional practice in the northern Sudan-Sahelian zone of Cameroon. Deoxynivalenol (DON) and fumonisins B1 (FB1) in these home-brewed artisanal opaque beer samples extracted by HPLC method, before analysis by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) procedure, showed a wide range of levels. All samples were positive for DON and FB1. DON levels varies from 140 to 730 ng/ml with a mean of 450 ±90 ng/ml for Bil bil and from 0.0 to 680 ng/ml with a mean of 520±70 ng/ml in Kpata. The recorded levels of fumonisin B1 varies from 0.0 to 230 ng/ml with a mean of 150±24 ng/ml in Bil-bil and from 0.5 to 340 ng/ml with a mean of 210±10 in Kpata. On the basis of published data for the consumption of artisanal home-brewed sorghum beer (Bil-bil and Kpata) in Cameroon, the fumonisin and deoxynevanol exposure in these regions among the consumers was found to be well above the provisional maximum tolerable daily intake. Key words: Fumonisins, mycotoxins, North Cameroon, beer, sorghum, Fusarium.

In order to produce biscuits from off‐season sorghum, a local “Muskwari” sorghum was milled and sieved. This flour was used to produce shortbread biscuits with different substitutions rates of wheat flour to that of sorghum. The standard formulation of this same type of shortbread biscuits was used and biscuits were produced with incorporation rates of wheat flour to that of sorghum, from 0% to 100%, with a gap of 10 between two consecutives percentages. The technological characterization of the sorghum flour produced indicates a good water absorption capacity, and interesting solubility index and swelling rate. Technological aspect indicated that by changing speed and kneading time, resting the dough, it is possible to produce 100% sorghum flour shortbread biscuits. Shortbread biscuits made from 70% of wheat flour incorporation had the best average scores for overall preference criteria (6.97 ± 1.30), color (7.1 ± 1.45), and texture (6.62 ± 1.54). For smell and taste criteria, the 40% biscuits and the witness received the highest average scores, respectively, namely 6.77 ± 1.55 for smell and 7.12 ± 1.29 for taste. Analysis of the nutritional and energy intake of the control biscuit and the 70% substitution revealed that between the two, the latter had a significantly higher intake of total carbohydrates (58.51 g), dietary fiber (2.15 g), and total energy (454.1 kcal

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the sensory property and shelf life of the processed mpedli beer using aqueous leaves extract of Vernonia amygdalina (VA) and heat treatment. The white sorghum beer was made at the laboratory scale using home-made procedure (Control). Following filtration, the beer was blended with an aqueous leaf extract (1/10, v/v) of VA (BUB). Pasteurization (60 °C/30 min) was performed on a portion of the VA blended sample (BPB). The sensory parameters and shelf life of the three samples were evaluated at room temperature during a month storage. The sensory characteristics of blended and non-supplemented mpedli beer differed significantly (p < 0.05). During storage, the colour, bitterness, aroma, odour, viscosity, texture, and overall acceptability of the processed samples were improved. Bitterness (r = 0.898; p < 0.01) and odour (r = 0.930; p < 0.01) were both highly correlated with the acceptance of the processed beer. The non-supplemented samples had the highest sensory scores 48 hours after preparation, while the relevant sensory ratings in processed BUB and BPB samples were recorded from the 12th to the 21st and 27th day of storage, respectively. The findings suggest that combining pasteurization with addition of aqueous leaf extract of VA may help smallscale brewers for improving the sensory quality and extending the shelf life of mpedli. According to the findings, the use of bitter leaf could be proposed as an alternative hop in the local brewing industry and may increase incomes of producers of local sorghum beer.