Quality changes in cocoyam flours during storage
Abstract Cocoyam tubers were subjected to two processing methods (fermentation and parboiling) and milled into flour. The samples were stored at 25°C, 35°C, and 45°C and analyzed at 2 weeks interval for 8 weeks for their nutritional, functional, and pasting properties. Data obtained were subjected to multiple analysis of variance. Storage period and its interactive effect with the processing methods had significant (P < 0.05) effects on all the nutritional composition of the flour except for the fat content. Water absorption index, wettability, and bulk density ranged from 1.94–2.72%, 25.30–135.50 sec, and 0.48–0.71 g/cm3, respectively. The entire pasting properties were significantly affected by the storage period while the interaction between storage temperature, processing methods, and storage period affected all the pasting properties except the peak time, peak, and breakdown viscosity. This study showed that processing methods storage periods and storage temperatures produced cocoyam flour with different quality characteristics.
Comparative studies of physico-chemical properties of yam (Discorea rotundata), cocoyam (Collocasia taro), breadfruit (Artocapus artilis) and plantain (Musa parasidiaca) instant flours
Cocoyam, breadfruit and plantain usage is similar to that of white yam. They offer similar and sometimes better nutrition advantage to yam though with less prestigious value. This study is aimed at producing instant flour of yam, cocoyam, breadfruit and plantain and to compare their physico-chemical properties. The instant flours were prepared separately with slight modifications. Proximate analysis, starch, vitamin C, physico-chemical and pasting properties of the flours were determined. Significant differences existed in the protein content of the flours (p<0.05) with cocoyam flour having the highest value (8.9%). The vitamin C contents of the flours ranged from 2.4 to 7.3 mg/100 g. The water binding and swelling capacities ranged 160 to 268 and 2.72 to 3.99%, respectively. While the pasting temperature and peak viscosity ranged from 63 to 93°C and 60 to 400 BU, respectively. The instant flours (fufu form) of cocoyam, breadfruit and plantain compared well with that of yam and offer nutritional and economic advantages to both household and industrial production. 
 
   
 
 Key words: Starch staples, instant flour, nutritional composition, pasting properties.
Linguistic experts as semantic tour guides
This article examines the phenomenon of linguists testifying as experts on meaning in legal disputes over the interpretation of statutes, contracts, transcripts of tape-recorded conversations, and other important legal texts before courts in the USA. It concludes that there is an important role for linguists in such cases -- the role of the tour guide. It suggests that judges need not be concerned about linguists usurping the traditional roles of the judge and the jury as ultimate interpreters provided that the linguist's testimony is appropriately circumscribed.