In many parts of the world, the agricultural sector is faced with a number of challenges including those arising from abiotic environmental stresses which are the key factors responsible for most reductions in agrifood production. Crude oil contamination, an abiotic stress factor and a common environmental contaminant, at toxic levels has negative impacts on plants. Although various attempts have been made to demonstrate the impact of abiotic stresses on crops, the underlying factors responsible for the effects of crude oil and its induced abiotic stresses on the composition of the stressed plants are poorly understood. Hence, this review provides an in-depth examination of the: (1) effect of petroleum hydrocarbons on plants; (2) impact of abiotic environmental stresses on crop quality; (3) mechanistic link between crude oil stress and its induced abiotic stresses; as well as (4) mode of action/plant response mechanism to these induced stresses. The paper clearly reveals the implications of crude oil-induced abiotic stresses arising from the soil-root-plant route and from direct application on plant leaves.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of global mortality, including deaths arising from non-communicable diseases in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Consequently, this study aimed to provide details of medicinal plants (MPs) employed in SSA for the treatment of CVDs and their related risk factors to open new avenues for the discovery of novel drugs. The extensive ethnopharmacological literature survey of these MPs in 41 SSA countries was based on studies from 1982 to 2021. It revealed 1,085 MPs belonging to 218 botanical families, with Fabaceae (9.61%), Asteraceae (6.77%), Apocynaceae (3.93%), Lamiaceae (3.75%), and Rubiaceae (3.66%) being the most represented. Meanwhile, Allium sativum L., Persea americana Mill., Moringa oleifera Lam., Mangifera indica L., and Allium cepa L. are the five most utilised plant species. The preferred plant parts include the leaves (36%), roots (21%), barks (14%), fruits (7%), and seeds (5%), which are mostly prepared by decoction. Benin, Mauritius, Nigeria, South Africa, and Togo had the highest reported use while most of the investigations were on diabetes and hypertension. Despite the nutraceutical advantages of some of these MPs, their general toxicity potential calls for caution in their human long-term use. Overall, the study established the need for governments of SSA countries to validate the efficacy/safety of these MPs as well as provide affordable, accessible, and improved modern healthcare services.

For years, the focus on the lipid–atherosclerosis relationship has limited the consideration of the possible contribution of other key dietary components, such as amino acids (AAs), to cardiovascular disease (CVD) development. Notwithstanding, the potential of plant-based diets, some AAs and phytochemicals to reduce CVDs’ risk has been reported. Therefore, in this study, the phytochemical and AA profiles of different medicinal plants’ (MPs) parts used for CVDs’ treatment in sub-Saharan Africa were investigated. Fourier-transform infrared analysis confirmed the presence of hydroxyl, amino and other bioactive compounds’ functional groups in the samples. In most of them, glutamic and aspartic acids were the most abundant AAs, while lysine was the most limiting. P. biglobosa leaf, had the richest total branched-chain AAs (BCAAs) level, followed by A. cepa bulb. However, A. cepa bulb had the highest total AAs content and an encouraging nutraceutical use for adults based on its amino acid score. Principal component analysis revealed no sharp distinction between the AAs composition of MPs that have found food applications and those only used medicinally. Overall, the presence of medicinally important phytochemicals and AAs levels in the selected MPs’ parts support their use for CVDs treatment as they might not add to the AAs (e.g., the BCAAs) burden in the human body.

Changes in fish odor are attributed to volatile compounds’ generation. In this study, the effect of three processing methods (boiling, sun‐drying, and smoke‐drying) on the volatile compounds produced from Ethmalosa fimbriata was investigated using two‐dimensional gas chromatography coupled with time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (GC × GC‐TOF‐MS). For complete cooking, appropriate fish samples were boiled slowly in water, while sun‐drying was achieved traditionally. An improved Altona‐type smoking oven was utilized for the smoke‐drying process. The experimental results revealed the production of alkene, alkyne, alcohol, ketone, acids, esters, amines, sulfur‐containing, and miscellaneous volatile compounds. Although the selected processing methods were effective for preserving E. fimbriata from the release of some volatile compounds associated with fish spoilage, they also contributed to the release of other volatile compounds and odor production. Boiling and smoke‐drying were specifically found to be efficient for the removal of the three amines detected in the fresh fish sample, including carcinogenic N‐nitrosodimethylamine. Practical applications The current research describes the potential of the studied processing methods (boiling, sun‐drying, and smoke‐drying) to preserve E. fimbriata from the production of some volatile compounds associated with fish spoilage. Boiling and smoke‐drying were specifically found promising for preserving fish against the release of carcinogenic N‐nitrosodimethylamine.

The impact of smoking on the volatile components of five fish species via a two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC-TOF-MS) was studied. Among these, C. carpio was found to be the most susceptible to deterioration. The experimental results affirmed that: fresh fish flavors are delicate, aroma/odor production via smoking depends on the fish specie involved and that industrial processes with heat application may affect fresh fish odor-active components. It further indicated the possibility of smoking to bring about the contribution of volatile compounds from wood smoke, production of off-flavors and/or increase the levels of some harmful compounds in fish.