Food safety is a critical aspect of public health, encompassing the hygienic quality and absence of harmful microorganisms or toxins in food products. In Libreville, Gabon’s bustling economic hub, food markets range from traditional stalls to modern supermarkets. This study evaluates the microbiological quality of chicken, the most consumed food item among Libreville residents, by assessing contamination levels with Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., and Staphylococcus spp. Twenty-one chicken samples, including wings, thighs, and drumsticks, were randomly collected from various retail outlets. Microbiological analyses revealed contamination in all samples, with bacterial loads exceeding international safety thresholds. Wings exhibited the highest levels of contamination, potentially due to poor hygiene practices and frequent handling. Antibiotic susceptibility tests demonstrated resistance to multiple antibiotics, though no extended-spectrum beta-lactamase production was observed. Resistance was most pronounced in E. coli and Staphylococcus spp. for sulfamides and cefotaxime. The findings underscore the urgent need for improved food safety practices in Libreville’s markets, highlighting the health risks associated with chicken consumption. This study calls for enhanced regulatory oversight, public awareness campaigns, and the adoption of stringent hygiene measures to safeguard consumers from foodborne illnesses.

Woody amendments based on Fragmented Ramial Wood (FRW) could constitute a viable alternative in order to alleviate soil fertility problems. Our study aims to assess the influence of FRW from Piliostigma reticulatum (D.C.) Hochst on the dynamics of weed biomass and the agronomic performance of sorghum and residual soil quality in a Sudano-Sahelian context. The study was located in central Burkina Faso. The experimental design was organised into 4 completely randomised Fisher blocks with eight (8) treatments each: Absolute Control (AC), Manure (M), Combined Crops (CC), Urea (N), FRW used alone (FRW), FRW+Manure (FRW+M), FRW+Combined Crops (FRW+CC), FRW+Urea (FRW+N). The results showed that the FRW+F treatments were significantly the most competitive in terms of improving moisture content (+32.62%), infiltration (+49.73%), soil density (+8.29%), pH (+11.29%), soil macrofaunal density (+91.75%), and soil carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus content. Sorghum growth was greater under F treatments (+84.93%). Furthermore, weed biomass was lower on plots with FRW than on plots without FRW, with the exception of the FRW+N treatment. Weed biomass remains negatively correlated with carbon and nitrogen content and plant growth (under F). This practice deserves to be optimised for sustainable soil conservation in the Sudano-Sahelian context.

The present work aims to evaluate the agronomic performances of F1 hybrids of group 1 (F1 / G1) of tomato (S. lycopersicum L.) and their parental lines grown in soil enriched with manure in open fields in Kisangani in order to contribute to the improvement of tomato productivity on the one hand and recycling of waste from pig farming (pig manure) to combat environmental pollution on the other hand. It took place from July to October 2015 in the premises of the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Kisangani. To achieve this objective, an experimental culture of a randomized block design was carried out during which observations and analyses focused on quantitative characteristics including plant size, number of flowers, number of fruits, fruit weight, number of seminal locules, fruit shape index and number of seeds in the F1 hybrids of the group (F1/G1) and their parental lines. The results obtained showed that: All F1 hybrids generally showed hybrid vigor for most quantitative traits compared to the parental populations. - Regarding plant height, it follows that the F1/G1 hybrids are taller (120.35 cm) than the parental lines (P1: 115.26 cm and P2: 88.36 cm). - Regarding flower production, the F1/G1 hybrids produced more flowers (67.7) than the parental populations (P1: 52.3 and P2: 50.5). - For fruit production, it is found that the F1/G1 hybrids set more (33.06) than the parental lines (P1: 28.63 and P2: 29.66). - It also appears that the fruits of the F1/G1 hybrids perform better in terms of average fruit weight (29.34g) than the parents (P1: 14.21g and P2: 15.33g). - It is clear that the F1/G1 hybrids produced tomato fruits with a higher average number of locules (3.46) than the male parent (3.26) and lower than the female parent (4.6). - It is observed that the fruits of the F1 hybrids are round (IF: 0.84) like the fruits of the male parent (IF: 0.91). On the other hand, the fruits of the female parent are flattened (IF: 0.73). - It is also clear that the fruits of the hybrid plants developed more total seeds (F1: 130.23) than the parents (P1: 88.86 and P2: 116.43). Statistical analysis shows that at the 5% significance level (α=0.05), for size, number of flowers, number of fruits, fruit weight, fruit width, fruit length, number of locules, number of seeds and shape index: F.pr ≤ α which means that the difference is significant between the parents and the F1/G1 hybrids.

African giant snails are transformed in Benin in different forms that are not well known. The purpose of the study is to characterize processing method, conservation and distribution of giant snails’ flesh in southern Benin. Thus, a survey was carried out in 59 snail processing units. The data collected was analyzed and the Multiple Correspondence Analysis was used to identify three groups of transformers. Archachatina marginata, Achatina achatina, Archachatina ventricosa and Achatina fulica are more processed and consumed in southern Benin. In group 1 the snail flesh is obtained by breaking the shell outdoor and in the family kitchen. The group 2 are distinguished from the first by the place of processing (not frequently used outdoor), the use of bleach to wash the snail before processing and lemon to remove mucus from the snail’s flesh. The group 3 are distinguished from the other two by the method of obtaining the flesh. They pull the flesh after heating the shell. The processors of snail flesh in South-Benin were mostly women (96.77%) against a minority of men (3.23%) from group 3. The flesh had higher organoleptic qualities than the flesh obtained by boiling. The flesh of African giant snails to be marketed in South-Benin is mainly sold in fried forms (95.2%), then boiled (2.4%) and braised (2.4%). The three types of processors described made it possible to better understand the processing of African giant snail meat in Benin. The application of good hygiene practices during snail processing would guarantee better quality snail meat.

This study aims to collect the parents’ opinions on the medical care of children hospitalized in the pediatric department of HGR/Bunia. We used the semi-structured interview technique to collect parents’ opinions. The occasional non-probability sampling technique allowed us to select and interview 84 parents. At the end of the analysis of the results, the majority of the parents declared that the good reception and the administration of the drugs is done in time by the medical staff who care about the patients, although some say that the reception is bad and medications are administered late due to lack of awareness. Everyone appreciates the fact that each patient has a bed. With regard to the hygiene of the premises and the environment, a good number affirm that they are clean while a few find them to be dirty. As for the costs of hospitalization of children, almost all parents find them high.

Population growth led to the creation of new neighborhoods including JOLI SITE RVA and Golf at Kolwezi city in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Unfortunately, it is noticed that the creation of these housing estates is not usually preceded by an urban development plan inducting the consequence of difficult weather management. This article proposes a ground survey study of these new areas in the aim to managing meteoric water and consequently household water. Based on the geographical coordinates of the concerned land, we discovered that these neighborhoods are in an area belonging to three large basins. Thus, we designed a drainage network of 54530.6 meters long consisting of 29281 m of main collectors, 21870.25 m of secondary collectors and 2839.44 m of tertiary collectors.

Water resources are the economic and social backbone of Burkina Faso. However, these resources are subject to strong climatic and anthropic pressures. The aim of this study was to understand the perceptions of local communities regarding surface water resources in three Ramsar wetlands in Burkina Faso. Data collection was based on field surveys of the riparian population and interviews with resource persons. A pre-designed questionnaire and interview guide were formalized using the Kobotoolbox tool. IBM SPSS Statistics (version 22) was used for data analysis. The results show that the water surface areas of the three Ramsar sites studied - Lake Dem, Lake Bam and the «Nakanbé-Mané Basin» wetland - are on a downward trend. The main causes are siltation of the basins, drought, high evapotranspiration, heavy pressure from uses, inadequate maintenance, etc. Restoration solutions implemented in the watershed include protection and restoration work, awareness-raising and capacity-building, and repair work. Despite the diversification of activities carried out, the results obtained remain insufficient, according to local residents. A package of measures was therefore proposed. These include strengthening water management structures, increasing water storage capacity, restoring structures and ecosystems, and stepping up awareness-raising and training activities.

Non-timber forest products (NTFPs) in semi-arid regions of sub-Saharan Africa, play a crucial role in supporting local livelihoods by providing food, income, and raw materials. Particularly in Burkina Faso, the seeds of Senegalia macrostachya (Reichenb. ex DC.) (Zamnè) are highly valued by all social strata due to their nutritional, economic and pharmaceutical importance. However, post-harvest preservation of these seeds remains a major constraint. This study aimed to assess the various post-harvest practices used for S. macrostachya seeds in the rural areas. Data were collected through a structured, interviewer-assisted questionnaire survey. Results revealed that 87.9% of the respondents store their S. macrostachya seeds in polypropylene bags, 52.42% in 20l plastic drums and 24.19% in taditional clay containers. The majority of respondents (99.19%), identified insect infestation as the primary cause of post-harvest losses. Seed preservation is also intended to meet both household consumption and market supply needs. The most commonly employed pest control method is heat-based pre-cooking (90.32% of respondents). In the absence of control measures substancial damage can occur as early as the first week of storage. A better understanding of post-harvest strategies in rural contest is crucial for developing more effective management practises for this important food resource. Through the direct involvement of local farmers, the research seeks to: (i) document current practices, (ii) identify technical and socio-economic bottlenecks, and (iii) provide a baseline for the development of locally adapted, sustainable seed handling and storage strategies.