Health factors associated with persistent konzo in four villages in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
January 2016
Persistent konzo is low level incidence of konzo that is not associated with konzo epidemics due to drought or war. It has been reported from Mozambique and Tanzania. Various health factors associated with persistent konzo in four villages in Kasanji Health Area, Bandundu Province, DRC were studied, where there were 38 konzo cases in a population of 2283, with mean percentage konzo prevalence of 1.7%. Konzo occurred...
Staphylococcus aureus and other Staphylococcus species in milk and milk products from Tigray region, Northern Ethiopia
December 2015
Staphylococcus aureus is an important pathogen that can cause Staphylococcal Food Poisoning (SFP). Milk and dairy products are frequently contaminated by this bacterium. In this study, 310 samples (168 bovine raw milk and 142 dairy products) were collected in the Tigray region of Northern Ethiopia, with the objective of detection and enumeration of S. aureus and other Staphylococcus species. Baird-Parker agar for...
Effect of processing methods on nutritional composition, phytochemicals, and anti-nutrient properties of chaya leaf (Cnidoscolus aconitifolius)
December 2015
Nutritional composition, phytochemical and anti-nutrient properties in blanched, boiled, leaves extract, and its residues respectively of Cnidoscolus aconitifolius, were determined using standard analytical methods. The moisture content significantly differed, with its values ranging from 89.30±0.21% in fresh leaves to 68.10±0.02% in leaf residue; the leave extract had the highest protein content...
Pasting characteristics of starches in flours of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) and faba bean (Vicia faba L.) as affected by sorting and dehulling practices
December 2015
This research was conducted to investigate the effect of sorting and dehulling postharvest practices on the pasting properties of flours of kabuli (Habru variety) and desi (local) chickpea and faba bean (local) grains. The legume samples were obtained from Hawassa University’s Agronomy section and prepared for the experiments. The pasting behavior of the flour samples was observed to be greatly influenced by...
Storage influence on beta-carotene and alpha-tocopherol contents of solar-dried Spirulina platensis (Spirulina)
December 2015
Spirulina is called the ideal food for mankind and the World Health Organization considered it "super food" and the best food for the future because of its high nutritional value. The present study aimed to assess the storage influence on the levels of β-carotene and α-tocopherol in solar-dried spirulina. It was an analytical study to determine the levels of β-carotene and α-tocopherol in...
Effect of gamma irradiation on pasting characteristics and resistant starch levels of starches from locally-improved cassava accessions
December 2015
The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of gamma irradiation on pasting characteristics and resistant starch (RS) levels of starches from some locally-improved cassava accessions. Three cassava accessions were collected from Ministry of Food and Agriculture-Root and Tuber Section at Pokuase, Accra, Ghana. Approximately, 10 kg of each accession was used for the starch extraction. Samples were irradiated at...
Antioxidant activity of Iranian barley grain cultivars and their malts
November 2015
Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) belongs to the grass family Poaceae and is an ancient and important cereal grain crop. Whole grain products are recommended for healthy diets as being recognized sources of dietary fiber and antioxidant substances such as polyphenols and vitamin E. The current study was conducted to evaluate the antioxidant activity for 19 cultivars (Bahman, MB-82-12, Nosrat, Kavir, Torkman, Makoeei, Karoun,...
Effects of various freezing and thawing techniques on pork quality in ready-to-eat meals
November 2015
Meat rapidly decomposes and discolours due to oxidation and enzyme activity; therefore, it must be frozen when stored. This study investigates the effects of different freezing and thawing processes on pork quality. Pork meat was frozen by natural convection freezing (NCF, -38°C), individual quick-freezing (IQF, -45°C), or liquid nitrogen freezing (LNF, -100°C). Freezing was completed when the thermocouple...
Changes in the quality characteristics of the butter of Pentadesma butyracea under various storage conditions
November 2015
The aim of this study was to identify the storage conditions that warrant the optimum quality of the butter of P. butyracea. An experimental design was set up to study the effects of kernel boiling, the packaging material and the storage duration on the colour, saponification value and unsaponifiable fractions, acid and peroxide values and the iodine index of the butter of P. butyracea. The quality parameters of the...
Enhanced L-citrulline in parboiled paddy rice with watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) juice for preventing Sarcopenia: A preliminary study
October 2015
Aging related muscle loss and sarcopenia are public health problems. The objective of this study was to investigate the potential of rice parboiled with watermelon juice as a source of L-citrulline and as a means of slowing or preventing sarcopenia. In the western and industrialized countries, preventive and curative treatments for sarcopenia include physical exercise, pharmacological approach and dietary...
The impact of processing on the nutritional, mineral and vitamin composition of palm kernel nut (Elaeis guineensis)
October 2015
Proximate, vitamin and mineral compositions of palm kernel nut (Elaeis guineensis) in the raw and processed form was investigated using standard analytical methods. The proximate composition (g/100g) for the raw palm kernel nut was as follows: moisture 7.15±0.21, dry matter 92.86±0.21, ash 2.90±0.00, crude fibre 11.38±0.04, ether extract 52.40±3.11, crude protein 8.69±0.01 and...
Economic implication of industrialization of a popular weaning food “ogi†production in Nigeria: A review
October 2015
Socio-economic relevance of fermented food in developing countries is evident. However, the production of this category of food is still achieved under primitive conditions. Ogi a fermented product from maize, sorghum or millet is usually transformed into gruel or porridge when heated. About a quarter of Nigeria population is said to consume Ogi on a weekly bases. This coupled with increasing industrialization and...
Effect of thermal treatment on phenolic content, antioxidant, and α-amylase inhibition activities of Moringa stenopetala leaves
September 2015
Moringa stenopetala is a socioeconomic valued tree that is widely available and cultivated in Southern part of Ethiopia. The leaves have been traditionally used as a food source with high nutritional and medicinal values. The present work was carried out to evaluate the effect of thermal treatment on the total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, antioxidant activities and α-amylase inhibition of aqueous...
Essential mineral content of common fish species in Chanoga, Okavango Delta, Botswana
September 2015
Developing countries remain overwhelmed by nutritional problems caused mainly by poverty, natural disasters and political instabilities. The aim of this study was to determine essential mineral content of some common fish species in the Okavango Delta, Botswana and assess their potential in enhancing mineral intake. Atomic Absorption Spectrometry was used for determination of Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn; flame photometry for...
Antioxidant properties of seven wild edible mushrooms from Tanzania
September 2015
Consumption of mushroom has increased remarkably because of their desirable aroma, taste and high nutritional content. Wild edible mushrooms (WEM) are well known for their nutritious and antioxidant properties. This study was conducted to measure and compare the antioxidant activity, total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) of six WEM from selected indigenous Tanzanian forests and one domesticated...
Drying by spray drying in the food industry: Micro-encapsulation, process parameters and main carriers used
September 2015
The process of spray drying consists of the transformation of a product in fluid form to the solid state in the form of powder. This is done through the dispersion of droplets from the product inside a chamber, in contact with hot air. In this process, substances known as carriers or encapsulating agents can be added, aiming at facilitating or even allowing the drying of certain products. The objective of this review...
Moringa oleifera: An underutilized tree in Nigeria with amazing versatility: A review
September 2015
This article aimed to review the potential of Moringa oleifera tree, emphasizing its nutritional applications for humans, industrial uses and its propagation methods, as not everyone knows the enormous benefits it has. It is an exceptionally nutritious vegetable tree with a variety of potential uses. The tree is considered one of the world’s most useful trees, as almost every part of the tree can be used for food,...
Effects of incorporation of cassava flour on characteristics of corn grit-rice grit-chickpea flour blend expanded extrudates
August 2015
A rice grit-corn grit-chickpea flour blend was used as a model feed system for extrusion. Response surface methodology was used to study the effects of level of incorporation of cassava flour in feed composition (5-25%), feed moisture (12-16%), screw speed (1000-1400 rpm) and barrel temperature (80-120°C) by using a single screw extruder. Among the independent variables, feed moisture was found to be the most...
Assessment of essential trace elements in selected food grains, herbal spices and seeds commonly used in Kenya
August 2015
Trace elements are essential in preserving good health and body immunity to diseases. The study was undertaken to determine the levels of chromium (Cr), vanadium (V), selenium (Se) and zinc (Zn) in herbal spices, food grains and edible seeds commonly used in Kenya. The levels of elements were determined using atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). The herbal spices, food grains and seeds considered in this study included...
Toxic trace elements in different brands of milk infant formulae in Nairobi market, Kenya
August 2015
World Health Organization (WHO) among other health agencies recommends exclusive breast feeding during the first six months of infancy. However, Infant formula milk (IFM) has been increasingly used as a breast milk substitute due to maternal occupation, death and illness. The product has been associated with infant health complications and even deaths due to its contamination with aluminum (Al), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb)...
Improving the nutritional value of traditional finger millet porridges for children aged 7-24 months in Bujenje County of Western Uganda
August 2015
Child malnutrition is a major problem in Western Uganda where finger millet porridges are commonly used as complementary foods. This study aimed at improving the nutritional value and safety of finger millet porridges using Moringa oleifera, Cucurbita maxima and lactic acid fermentation. Proximate analysis, iron, zinc and vitamin A contents of composite flours was done according to AOAC methods while agar diffusion...
Donkey cheese made through pure camel chymosin
July 2015
Cheese from donkey milk was never produced by traditional way. Research suggests that asinine milk by bovine chymosin form a very weak gel compared to the gel formed from bovine milk and with out curd formation. Encyclopedia of Dairy Sciences 2nd edition reported that no cheese is made from donkey milk, due to its particular caseinic composition that makes inefficient the traditional rennet coagulation. However,...
Assessment of aflatoxin B1 and ochratoxin A levels in sorghum malts and beer in Ouagadougou
July 2015
Mycotoxins are natural metabolites produced by fungi that can cause disease and death in human and animals alike, even in low concentrations. More than thirty mycotoxins that contaminate sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) and its derived products are known. This work aimed to investigate the presence of aflatoxin B1 and ochratoxin A in sorghum malt and beer, sampled between January and April 2012 in Ouagadougou. Mycotoxins in...
Composition of sorghum-millet flour, Aframomum danielli essential oil and their effect on mycotoxins in kunu zaki
July 2015
This paper determines the composition of sorghum-millet flour, Aframomum danielli essential oil and its effect on mycotoxins in kunu zaki. Sorghum and millet grains in ratio 1:2 were cleaned, soaked for 12 h, washed, drained and dried in the hot air oven. The dried sorghum-millet grains were milled and packed for kunu zaki production. Kunu zaki was produced and different concentrations of Aframomum danielli...
Isolation and identification of fungi associated with some Libyan foods
July 2015
Cereal and its products can be contaminated with fungi in the field, during drying, processing, transportation and subsequent storage, which may lead to secretion of mycotoxins under favourable condition. The aim of this study was the isolation and identification of some fungi associated with four kinds of Libyan food products of different trademarks. Twenty four (24) samples of couscous, macaroni, wheat flour and rice...
Physiochemical and fatty acid analysis of Virescens (Ojukwu) oil and Nigrescens (ordinary) palm oil of Eleaisguineensis
July 2015
Traditionally in Igbo land folklore medicine, Virescens (Ojukwu) palm oil of Eleaisguineensis is of value as anti-poison and miracle oil. The objective of the study was to evaluate the physiochemical properties with the identification of the fatty acids of the Virescens oil in comparison to Nigrescens oil of Eleaisguineensis. The result of the physiochemical properties shows that the values for meeting point (slip...
Effect of drying temperature on the nutritional quality of Moringa oleifera leaves
July 2015
Moringa oleifera leaves are generally consumed in the dry powdered form. Therefore, this research was carried out to investigate the effect of temperature on the nutritional quality of M. oleifera leaves powder. The leaves were dried under the shade at 30°C for two weeks and in the oven at temperature range from 40 to 70°C for 2 h. The results show that temperature affects nutrient composition of the leaf...
Chemical composition and fatty acid profile of kernels from different Brazilian cashew tree genotypes
July 2015
Kernels from nine cashew tree genotypes were characterized with respect to their chemical composition and fatty acids profile, peroxide value and free fatty acids content of the extracted oil. Their proximate composition ranged from 2.69 to 8.37% for moisture, 17.50 to 24.49% for proteins, 39.88 to 47.10% for lipids, 27.14 to 34.94% for total carbohydrate and 2.74 to 4.14% for ash. The amounts of free fatty acids in the...
Sensory profile of fermented milk drinks flavored with fruits from the Brazilian Cerrado
June 2015
The Brazilian cerrado has several fruit species with great potential for agro-industrial use including the production of milk drinks. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the sensory profile and purchase intent of fermented milk drinks added in increasing levels of fruits from the Brazilian cerrado. Four formulations of milk drinks were processed with concentrations of 4, 8, 12 and 16% of...
Analysis of different Namibian traditional oils against commercial sunflower and olive oils
June 2015
The current situation in many developing countries is that, vegetable oils are replacing animal fats because of health concerns and cost. The objective of the study was to compare the iodine value, acid value, ester value, peroxide value, saponification number and cholesterol content of some locally produced vegetable oils like refined marula cooking oil, marula traditional cooking oil, marula cosmetic oil, melon oil,...
Quality of beef, chevon and mutton at Hawassa, Southern Ethiopia
May 2015
The study was conducted to study meat quality of beef, chevon and mutton consumed at Hawassa city in Southern Ethiopia. Purposive sampling technique was used to collect information from butcheries. From each sub cities, 15 butcheries were selected randomly for the purpose thus, a total of 45 sample butchers were used. From longissimus dorsi muscle, sample of beef, chevon and mutton were taken and analyzed for the study....
Temperature and high pressure stability of lycopene and vitamin C of watermelon Juice
May 2015
The retention of nutrient components of fruit juices during processing is an important criterion to produce better quality fruit products. Stability of nutrient components during processing vary from product to product and processing methods. Information about kinetic study of particular nutrient component under different processing conditions would enable to optimize processing parameters for better quality...
Nutritional contents of Balanites aegyptiaca and its contribution to human diet
May 2015
Wild edible plants are used as food and energy sources. However, their uses are not as the potential inherent in the resources. Balanites aegyptiaca is a multipurpose species in semiarid areas including Ethiopia. Hence, quantitative nutrition study in specific habitat is essential for sustainable use of the species. Composite fruits sample of B. aegyptiaca was collected from six areas of east Shewa, Ethiopia for...
Microstructure formation and rheological properties of bread containing medium-chain triacylglycerols (MCT) and its comparison with long-chain triacylglycerols (LCT) and butter containing bread
May 2015
The microstructure formation and rheological properties of bread containing medium-chain triacylglycerols (MCT) were investigated in comparison with long-chain triacylglycerols (LCT) and butter. Baked breads absorbed moisture in storage, and consequently water activity (aW) decreased, reaching an equilibrium after eight days; the aW of LCT bread was 0.61. In contrast, the MCT and butter breads showed aW of 0.76 and...
Effect of paddy storage and processing parameters on quality of Ofada rice in the production of ready to eat flakes
May 2015
Effect of paddy storage duration and processing parameters (soaking time, parboiling temperature and drying temperature) were optimized using response surface methodology for the production of ready to eat Ofada rice flakes which serves as alternative mean of harnessing its potential. There exist significance differences at p<0.05 for all the parameters except carbohydrate and metabolizable energy. The quadratic...
Nutritional suitability of bred sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) accessions from East Africa
May 2015
In many semi-arid and tropical areas of the world especially in sub Saharan Africa, sorghum is a staple food grain and has great potential to be used in various industries. Thirty sorghum highland and open pollinated varieties were analysed for their biochemical and physiological characteristic to determine their industrial suitability and breeding impacts. The results show that sorghum varieties have the capability to...
Production and evaluation of organoleptic characteristics of fruit juice and low-sugar pulp of Behbahan variety dates of Kasi and Kabkab
May 2015
The purpose of this study was the production of high-value date syrup and low sugar powdered pulp and evaluation of its organoleptic characteristics. In this study, first, 100 g date were weighted and after disinfection, cleaning and removing of wastes and crushing, were mixed in 300 mL of boiling water for 20 min and then dates syrup were obtained by filter. The low sugar pulps were weighted. Next, the...
Genetic variation of biochemical characteristics of selected sorghum varieties from East Africa
May 2015
A total of 30 sorghum varieties from East Africa were analysed for their biochemical characteristics. The objective was to ascertain the extent of the genetic diversity underlying their biochemical and physiological characteristics that included starch (%), amylose (%), amylopectin (%), proteins (%), tannins (mg/100 ml), yield (Kg/ha) and height (cm). The principal component analysis (PCA) showed that the first two...
Synergistic fermentative nutritional quality of Lactobacillus delbrueckii and Bacillus pumilus on date fruits (Phoenix dactylifera)
May 2015
The work examined the effect of mixed cultural fermentation on the nutritional quality of date palm fruits (Phoenix dactylifera). This was done by isolating microorganism from samples subjected to natural fermentation. The isolated organisms were thereafter used as starter culture in a five day controlled fermentation. Lactobacillus delbrueckii and Bacillus pumilus were identified as the predominant microorganisms and...
Effect of solar drying methods on total phenolic contents and antioxidant activity of commonly consumed fruits and vegetable (mango, banana, pineapple and tomato) in Tanzania
May 2015
The effects of solar drying methods [Cabinet direct (CDD), cabinet mixed mode (CMD) and tunnel (TD) drying] on total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant capacities of commonly consumed fruits and vegetable in Tanzania were investigated. The TPC and FRAP in mangoes (Mangifera indica cv. Dodo, Viringe and Kent), bananas (Musa acuminata, cv. Kisukari, Kimalindi and Mtwike), pineapples (Ananas comosuss cv Smooth cayenne)...
Microbiological quality of food sold by street vendors in Kisangani, Democratic Republic of Congo
May 2015
Food sold by roadside vendors was compared with French Standards (AFNOR, 1996) in order to determine the microbiological quality of cooked meals. Forty-two samples of fresh and smoked fish and bushmeat were collected between March and May 2013 in Kisangani (The Democratic Republic of Congo), and analysed. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and post-hoc Tukey tests were used to analyse the level of contamination according to...
Nutritional potential of yam chips (Dioscorea cayenensis and Dioscorea rotundata Poir) obtained using two methods of production in Togo
May 2015
Yam is one of the most staple foods in West African countries and provides an important part of the energetic for people. This study examines chemical composition of Dioscorea cayenensis and Dioscorea rotundata Poir species dried yam chips obtained using two methods of production in Togo. Three local varieties of yams (Koukou, Kéki and Laboco) were processed in chips and were sun dried (at 28-30°C) or...
Safety of bread for human consumption in an urban community in Southwestern Nigeria
May 2015
Bread is an important staple food that does not require further processing before consumption. Despite the awareness created and efforts of government to ensure that quality bread are available for consumption of all, there are several routes through which bread is being contaminated. The aim of the study was to assess the hygiene involved from the point of production to sale of bread and document pathogens isolated...
Experimental study of the kinetics and shrinkage of tomato slices in convective drying
May 2015
This work focuses on the convective drying of tomato slices with hot air at temperatures of 50 and 60°C and at velocities of 0.1, 0.25 and 0.5 m.s-1. The kinetics and drying rates are determined according to the temperature and velocity of the drying air. The equation of “Gaussian”, used for the first time and in this work, is more adaptable to the drying curves. Two methods have been used to determine...
Microbiological quality of ready-to-eat foods of Tehran province
May 2015
Recontamination of ready-to-eat (RTE) products during post-processing may be the cause of outbreaks of food-borne disease. In this study, a total of 150 RTE samples were obtained for bacteriological examination (coliforms, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella, Bacillus cereus, Psychrotrophic bacteria and Psychrophilic bacteria). Various types of RTE food products that contained frozen (cooked and...
Antioxidant-mediated protective effect of hawthorn (Crataegus mexicana) peel extract in erythrocytes against oxidative damage
April 2015
Hawthorn (Crataegus Mexicana) is a traditional fruit in Mexican gastronomy and is used to treat many ailments. Previous studies have shown that acetone extracts derived from hawthorn peel (HPE) possess a strong antioxidant activity in chemical and biological model systems in vitro, attributable to their polyphenolic content. The main objective of this study was to investigate the ability of HPE to protect erythrocytes...
Influence of smoking method on quality of traditional smoked Bonga shad (Ethmalosa frimbriata) fish from Lagos State, Nigeria
April 2015
This study was carried out to assess the influence of smoking method on quality attributes of traditional smoked bonga shad fish. Fresh bonga shad fish (100 samples) and smoked bonga shad fish (100 samples) were collected from 20 different processing centres and the fresh samples were smoked with convectional smoking kiln as the control. Laboratory analyses were conducted and each batch was assessed for; proximate and...
Effect of concentration of debittering agent on the mineral, vitamin and phytochemical contents of Lasianthera africana leafy vegetable
April 2015
White variety of Lasianthera africana leaves were blanched in hot water (control) and in different concentrations (0.25, 0.50, 0,75, 1.00 and 1.25%) of unripe plantain peel ash solution for 3 min at 100°C, cooled, drained, oven dried (50°C) for 36 h. Then, raw leaf and all oven dried samples were analyzed for minerals, vitamins and phytochemicals. The raw leaf contained potassium (78.98±0.78 mg/100 g),...
Detection of some chemical hazards in milk and some dairy products
April 2015
Chemical contaminants in milk comprise of hazardous chemicals that may be introduced during milking, dairy processing or packaging. They possess some hazards to humans who consume milk and other dairy products. Total of one hundred and fifty (150) samples were collected; thirty each of UHT milk, yogurt, soft, hard and processed cheese. The samples were analyzed to investigate the presence of some chemical...
Review on lactic acid bacteria function in milk fermentation and preservation
April 2015
This review was conducted to find out the main function of lactic acid bacteria in milk fermentation and preservation. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are a group of Gram-positive, non-spore forming, cocci or rods, which produce lactic acid as the major end product during the fermentation of carbohydrates. LAB includes Lactobacillus, Lactococus, Streptococcus and Leuconostoc species. The presence of LAB in milk fermentation...
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