ABSTRACT
The volume of heavy metals in two different fish samples were examined in this report, dry ashing was adopted to digest the samples and the determination of the heavy metals were evaluated using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. from the analyzed sample the concentration of cadimium in all the samples analyzed were below WHO permissible limits which is 0.2 mg/kg, From the different analyzed samples the concentration of lead was below the WHO’s allowable limits which is 0.05 mg/kg, however, catfish and tilapia fish samples gotten from Amasomma have the highest concentration of lead 0.0042 ±0.0021 and 0.0030 ±0.001 respectively. The concentration of cadmium, Aluminium and Manganese are below WHO permissible limits for these heavy metals.

ABSTRACT
Context: The covid-19 pandemic has shaken the world in a deadliest way and also disrupted the food system. In Ivory Coast, malnutrition already exists, so it was important to assess the impact of this pandemic on the nutritional status of schoolchildren after this crisis. Thus this study is carried out to evaluate the relationship of sociodemographic characteristics on the nutritional status of schoolchildren. Methods: A cross-sectional study took place from September 2021 to January 2022, with 1,374 schoolchildren aged 5 to 15 years in the commune of Abobo. Sociodemographic characteristics as well as anthropometric parameters were obtained using a questionnaire administered to schoolchildren. Characteristics such as gender, age, profession as well as the level of education of parents and practice of sporting activity were provided. Anthropometry was measured and thinness, overweight and obesity were defined using a standard protocol. Result: The nutritional status of schoolchildren indicates that 15.3% of schoolchildren in the commune of Abobo suffer from thinness and 3.4% are overweight/obese according to the BMI-age indicator. The nutritional status of children according to gender indicates that 17.2% of boys are thin compared to 13.4% of girls. As for overweight/obesity, it is 4.4% among girls and 2.4% among boys. This difference between the nutritional status of schoolchildren and gender is significant (p˂0.05). The level of education of the children's father and the level of education of the schoolchildren are significantly linked to the nutritional status of the schoolchildren. On the other hand, the age of schoolchildren, the level of education of the mother, as well as the practice of sporting activity are not linked to malnutrition. Conclusion: The present study shows that the BMI of schoolchildren is influenced by socio-demographic characteristics such as age, the educational level of the father and that of the schoolchildren as well as the sex ..

ABSTRACT
In this paper, the significance of maize as a staple grain in Ethiopia is reviewed. Additionally, it advances our understanding of the relationship between the nutritional composition of maize and the high incidence of micronutrient deficiencies in Ethiopia. Malnourishment is still a serious problem in the population, especially for women and children. Maize is a crucial crop within cereal crops as it is a significant source of proteins and carbs, delivering 17–60% of people's daily protein needs. Vitamin A has a vital part in human growth, the immune system, and eye, vision, and ocular health. Vitamin A deficiency is the main contributor of blindness worldwide and has been linked to immune system development and cell differentiation. Thus, for good health to be attained, maize kernel contents like carbohydrate, protein, and several micronutrients are vital. In white maize constituted 90% of all maize production in Africa, whereas yellow maize accounted for 90% of global production, implying that there is still a shortage of specialty maize in Africa in particular Ethiopia. In Ethiopia, a variety of technologies have recently been made accessible in terms of maize varieties in the aim to alleviate malnutrition in regions where maize is the primary crop. Nutritious and specialty maize varieties like QPM, PVA, sweet corn, and popcorn are released in Ethiopia, but government and extension sector attention is still needed to promote the technology.

ABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to evaluate the biochemical characteristics of tigernut milk powder and its effects on the growth of pups fed on breast milk. To achieve this objective, the physicochemical parameters, macronutrient content, minerals, antioxidants and anti-nutritional factors of tigernut milk powder were determined. At the end of the experiment, it was found that the milk powder had a pH (5.63 ± 0.01), a titratable acidity content (0.04 ± 0.01%) and a moisture content (4.73 ± 0.29 %) favourable to its preservation. It contains macronutrients such as carbohydrates (59.78 ± 1.34 %), fiber (15.86 ± 0.80 %), total sugars (10.28 ± 0.08%), reducing sugars (4.21 ± 0.66%), protein (3.22 ± 0.04 %), fat (31.50 ± 0.11 %) and an energy value (535.55 ± 1.20 kcal). The milk powder had an ash content of 1.37 ± 0.19%, with high levels of calcium (119.33 ± 1.15 mg/100g), potassium (799.23 ± 1.98 mg/100g), sodium (102.11 ± 1.46 mg/100g), phosphorus (148.06 ± 0.62 mg/100g) and magnesium (94.44 ± 0.83 mg/100g). Certain therapeutic compounds were determined, such as antioxidant factors: polyphenols (3.87 ± 0.08 mg EAG/100g), tannins (0.88 ± 0.1 mg ETA/100g), flavonoids (0.05 ± 0.1 mg EQ/100g) and vitamin C (100 mg/100g) and anti-nutritional factors: oxalates (5.86 ± 1.03 mg) and phytates (34.66 ± 0.18 mg). These results enable us to assess the nutritional quality of milk powder from tigernut.