Higher College of Technology

About: Higher College of Technology is a based out in . It is known for research contribution in the topics: Higher education & Tourism. The organization has 369 authors who have published 379 publications receiving 729 citations.

Physico-Chemical Analysis of Various Samples of Tomato Ketchup

Abstract: Aim of our present study was to analyze physico-chemical properties of tomato ketchup samples available in the local market. Major part of tomato consumption comes under processed products like tomato juice, ketchup and sauce. Recent studies have indicated the potential health benefits of a diet that are rich in tomatoes. Study of various physico-chemical parameter testing of four different types of tomato ketchup samples. Study was performed in Department of Applied Sciences, Chemistry section, University of Technology and Applied Sciences, Muscat, Oman during the September 2017 – April 2018. We have selected four different tomato ketchup samples from the local brand and tested for their various physical and chemical parameters such as, pH, conductivity, viscosity, solubility, acidity total, moisture, ash, vitamin C, sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium. We have used routine and simple techniques for analysis. Such as some chemical methods, Flame photometer etc. We have found that, pH was in the range of 3.6 – 3.8, conductivity 5.38 – 8.71 MS/cm, viscosity 3.93 – Original Research Article Patil Pandurang N. et al.; AJACR, 6(4): 59-66, 2020; Article no.AJACR.61378 60 6.76 Pa s, solubility 53.35 – 61.12, titratable acidity 3.2 – 4.01 g/100 gm, (pH metric 3.6 – 4.3 g/100 gm), ash 1.62 – 2.98%, vitamin C 17.25 – 55.23 mg/100 gm, sodium 294.5 – 475.85 ppm, potassium 93.5 – 153.3 ppm, magnesium 106 – 163 ppm, calcium 67 – 117 ppm. The result found in our analysis was more or less close to each other. On the basis of result obtained during the analysis of four tomato ketchup samples Jumbo sample was good amount of vitamin C, less ash value lowest sodium content.

Senior high school students’ usage of time and its impact on their academic achievement in Northern Ghana

Abstract: Research studies have investigated the influence of institutional characteristics on student academic achievement. However, relatively little research focuses on time utilisation and its impact on student academic achievement. The current study investigated students’ utilisation of time in public senior high schools in the Northern Region of Ghana. The study aimed to determine how students utilisation of time on self-study, group study, religious activities, and classroom instructional activities predicted their academic achievements. A total of 500 students sampled from 7 public senior high schools in the Northern Region of Ghana participated in the study. The research design employed was the cross-sectional survey research design. The instrument used to collect the data was a questionnaire. Analysis was done using multiple regression analysis with the aid of the SPSS (Version 16) software. The results suggest that the time students spent attending classes positively and significantly influences their academic achievement. Class attendance, group studies and self-studies times were found to be positively related. The study recommends that students group study and self-study activities should be made compulsory and that adequate time should be allotted within study hours for students to engage in meaningful self-study and group study activities.

Chemical Composition and Microbial Contaminants of Poha Beer: A Local Nonalcoholic Beverage in the Bolgatanga Municipality, Ghana

Abstract: Microbial and physicochemical analysis was performed on randomly sampled Poha Beer manufactured and vended in the Bolgatanga Municipality, Ghana. Poha Beer as it is referred to in Dagbani, is a Tamarindus indica fruit extract, a local nonalcoholic beverage originally processed and sold by rural women of the Dagomba ethnic descend. Morphological examination of bacterial cultures, Gram staining, and biochemical confirmatory tests were used to detect the presence of microbial pathogens in 45 samples of Poha Beer. A refractometer, a flame photometer and an atomic absorption spectrometer were used for the elemental analysis. All Poha Beer samples obtained from the Bolgatanga Municipality were positive for yeast, E. coli, Enterobacter sp. and Bacillus cereus. Pb was not detected in any of the samples. Chemical components detected include Zn2+ (average, 0.154 mg/L), Cd2+ (0.056 mg/L), Na+ (1.723 mg/L), Ca2+ (2.262 mg/L) and K+ (3.96 mg/L). All samples were acidic with an average pH value of 3.55. The Brix value of samples, however, was between 9.0 and 11.4 % per 40 mL of Poha Beer. Therefore, Poha Beer processed and sold in the Bolgatanga Municipality is acidic and contains detrimental amounts of Cd2+ and bacterial pathogens which may render it unwholesome for human consumption.

Atomic structure of sodium iron phosphate glasses

Abstract: The atomic structure of a series of sodium iron phosphate glasses is studied using different experimental techniques: X‐ray and neutron diffraction (ND), infrared spectroscopy, extended X‐ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS), and X‐ray absorption near‐edge structure (XANES). Detailed information about the atomic pair correlations is obtained. The high resolution of ND in real space resolves two P–O distances at 1.48 Ǻ and 1.59 Ǻ as expected. All the glasses are found to consist of a phosphate tetrahedral network with metaphosphate chains and pyrophosphate units, and every phosphate unit is found to have two or three nonbridging oxygen (NBO) links available to coordinate with Na and Fe cations. The Fe–O coordination number in these glasses is found to decrease from 5.7 to 4.8 with increasing the Fe content, whereas the Na coordination number of approximately 5 is detected for all the samples.