by Agossou D. P. Noumavo, Haziz Sina, Noel Tovide, D’Avila Y. Dognon, Stéphane K. Houessou, Christian T. R. Konfo, Epiphane Hossou, Fatiou Toukourou and Farid Baba-Moussa
Original Research
Fruit juice production sector has been booming in Benin for a decade. The juice production enterprises seem to have both organisational and technical shortcomings. The objective of this study was to evaluate the manufacturing processes of the main fruit juices in South Benin in order to provide corrective measures for hygienic and technical shortcomings. The methodological approach consisted in a semi-structured survey coupled with direct observations of fifty (50) fruit juice producing enterprises. The assessed parameters were mainly related to good hygiene and production practices. These enterprises are located in the municipalities of Cotonou and Abomey-Calavi. At the end of this study, it was found that pure pineapple juice and pure ginger, tamarind and baobab nectars are the most produced mono-fruity juices. The production process for each of these juices is almost identical, except for the temperature/time pairing, which varies from one enterprise to another. On the other hand, the manufacturing process of poly-fruity juices is kept secret by the enterprises. Several technical and hygienic shortcomings relating to the five (05) potential sources of food contamination (raw material, environment, work method, labour and equipment) were noted. These deficiencies compromise the safety and salubrity of fruit juices produced in South Benin. Consumers of these juices are therefore permanently exposed to food poisoning and toxi-infection risks. The training of actors in fruit juice sector on hygienic and production practices is becoming urgent.
American Journal of Food Science and Technology. 2022, 10(4), 200-206. DOI: 10.12691/ajfst-10-4-7
Pub. Date: November 11, 2022
1403 Views2 Downloads
by Tapsoba François, Bationo Frédéric, Dawendé/Compaoré Sidbewendé Clarisse, Pacmogda Emmanuel, Zongo Oumarou, Cisse Hama, Zongo Cheikna and Savadogo Aly
Original Research
Balanites aegyptiaca is a forest species with high nutritional and medicinal value. Its transformation, which is always artisanal, contributes little to the exploitation of its potential. Thus, the present study aimed to valorize B. aegyptiaca by developing a freeze-drying technology for its nectar for better preservation. In his study, a survey was carried out to determine the food and medicinal use of the fruit of B. aegyptiaca, a freeze-drying technology was developed for B. aegyptiaca nectar production. The pulp and the lyophilisate produced were characterized using standard physicochemical analysis methods and sensory analysis. The survey showed that B. aegyptiaca was used for the treatment of constipation (60% of respondents), high blood pressure (45% of respondents), ulcers (31% of respondents), diabetes (7% of respondents) and diarrhea (4% of respondents). The physicochemical analysis revealed average contents of 0.52 ± 0.01% fat, 5.83± 0.05% protein, 73.1 ± 0.01% carbohydrates, and 320.48 ± 0.27 Kcal/100g of energy value for pulps. As for the lyophilisates, the average contents were 0.49% ± 0.01% fat, 4.44 ± 0.013% protein, 76.56 ± 0.54% carbohydrates and 328.40 ± 2.1 Kcal /100g of energy value. Potassium was the mineral with the highest content with respectively average values of 1882.50±0.3 mg/100 g (pulp) and 2051±0.6 mg/100 g (lyophilisate). The contents of phenolic compounds were 20 ± 0.17 mg EAG/100 mg (pulp) and 20.81 ± 0.22 mg EAG/100 mg (lyophilisate). The flavonoid contents were 8.49mgEQ/100 mg (pulp) and 8.07±0.37mg EQ/100 mg (lyophilisate). Nectar reconstituted from lyophilisates were highly appreciated by tasters with sensory characteristics close to those of pulp nectar.
American Journal of Food Science and Technology. 2022, 10(4), 191-199. DOI: 10.12691/ajfst-10-4-6
Pub. Date: November 08, 2022
1377 Views7 Downloads
by Tharanya Sugumar, Tharukeshini Gunawardhana, Kushani Akshala Dilhani Rajapaksha and Nadeeka Upamali Jayawardana
Original Research
OsNRAMP5 encodes a root expressed transporter that can significantly affect the Cd content in rice grains. An in silico analysis on haplotypes of OsNRAMP5 was performed on selected traditional Sri Lankan rice varieties in order to identify potential low Cd accumulators among them. OsNRAMP5 sequences of 47 Sri Lankan traditional rice varieties from the 3000 genome project repository in the Rice SNP seek database were selected for this study. A total of 14 genic haplotypes were obtained of which Pannithi and Godawel showed similarities with the low Cd accumulator Nipponbare. The results did not show significant polymorphic variation in the coding region (4.88%) of OsNRAMP5. Haplotype analysis of the promoter region of OsNRAMP5 in the selected rice varieties has revealed 10 haplotypes. In the promoter region, Pannithi and Godawel differ by one SNP position compared to Nipponbare. Transcription Factor binding sites were not detected in the corresponding SNP position and hence, this mutation is unlikely to affect the level of OsNRAMP5 expression in Pannithi and Godawel. Therefore, there is a potential to use Pannithi and Godawel varieties in the breeding programs aimed at reducing grain Cd accumulation.
American Journal of Food Science and Technology. 2022, 10(4), 183-190. DOI: 10.12691/ajfst-10-4-5
Pub. Date: October 30, 2022
1383 Views4 Downloads
by Kedjebo Kra Brou Didier, Boli Zamblé Bi Irié Abel, Dosso Fatoumata, Horro Opri Tatiana, Sika André Emmanuelle, Ouattara Lacinan and Guehi Tagro Simplice
Original Research
The presence of mycotoxins in some foods for human consumption is emerging as an important public health issue and has created a need for more information about the occurrence of molds in tropical crops and by-products. This study aimed to investigate the abundance and diversity of total microfungi in 176 samples of oilseeds/derived pastes, maize grains/flours, and millet collected from Abobo markets and Adjamé two towns in Abidjan. To isolate contaminating molds, groundnut, and pistachio seeds, maize, and millet grains were cultured directly on Sabouraud chloramphénicol agar medium while pastes from oil seeds or flours from cereals were analyzed using the decimal dilution method. The isolates of microfungi were purified by cloning subculture technic. The macroscopic and microscopic morphological characteristics of each mold isolate were carried out for the identification of its genus. A total of 17 isolates of molds were found in oilseeds and their pastes and 36 from cereals and their derived flours. Based on their characteristics, these fungi isolates were grouped into 9 genera: Mucor, Aspergillus, Penicillium, Fusarium, Rhizomucor, Rhizopus, and Chrysosporium. Among them, the mold strains belonging to the Aspergillus genus predominated the mycoflora with isolation frequency ranging from 75 to 100 %. The predominance of the Aspergillus fungi highlighted a serious risk of mycotoxins production in the crops and their by-products for Ivorian consumption. Proper storage is recommended owing to the public health concern due to oilseeds, cereals, and their by-product shelf life, biostability, and safety.
American Journal of Food Science and Technology. 2022, 10(4), 170-182. DOI: 10.12691/ajfst-10-4-4
Pub. Date: October 28, 2022
1700 Views3 Downloads
by Marlyne-Josephine Mananga, Youmbi Nenkam Audrey Darline, Demasse Mawamba Adelaide, Youogo Marlène, Kouandjoua Ndjigoui Brice Didier and Kana Sop Marie Modestine
Original Research
Iron deficiency anemia remains a real public health problem among young children in Cameroon. To reduce it, iron biofortification of legumes was developed to improve the iron nutritional status of the children. This study aimed to assess the effect of different processing methods on the iron, zinc and other nutrients content of biofortified bean cultivars (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) from Cameroon. Firstly, a survey was done in the city of Douala on different processes applied to the bean seeds before cooking. The raw and cooked sample of seeds were analysed for proximate and antinutrients composition, using AOAC methods for macronutrients content and atomic absorption spectrophotometry for minerals. The traditional bean cultivar served as control. From the results of the survey, beans treatment were divided into four groups: raw, boiled, soaked and boiled, boiled with limestone. The results showed that different processing methods led to an increase in protein (19.53%-27.66%), and crude fibre (4.46%-7.99%) but a decrease in carbohydrate (62.23%-53.28 %), lipids (5.48%-3.32%) contents. The biofortified bean showed statistically significant differences in iron and zinc contents compared to the traditional bean. Soaked and boiled biofortified bean had higher mineral contents compared to the traditional bean. Processing improved significantly (p<0.05) the nutritional value of the beans by reducing the antinutrient contents. Boiling with limestone was found to have the highest level of reduction effect on the tannin, oxalate, phytate and saponin. Biofortified bean cultivar could be used as food formulation material for infants and young children to prevent micronutrients deficiencies.
American Journal of Food Science and Technology. 2022, 10(4), 162-169. DOI: 10.12691/ajfst-10-4-3
Pub. Date: October 13, 2022
1338 Views7 Downloads
by Uyamadu Evelyn Anuli, Haita Ndimballan, Alasana Kanteh and Modou Lamin Bah
Original Research
Bread is a significant staple food that can be consumed without further processing. However, given that eating contaminated bread could have a negative impact on consumers' health, its safety has become a top concern for the food industry. The aim of the study was to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of bread makers on food safety and hygiene. This was a cross-sectional descriptive study involving 416 bread bakers from the registered local and contemporary bread bakeries in GBA and Brikama. Data was collected using a structured and semi-structured questionnaire which was interviewer-administered and observation checklist. Thirty bread samples each from the bakeries and the retailer shops were analyzed for pathogenic contamination. Data were analyzed using a descriptive statistic, chi-square, and t-test at P=0.05. The majority of the respondents were males 96.4% and in the age range of 25-54 years. Several (88.7%) had good knowledge of food safety and hygiene. The overall attitude scores revealed that about 94% of the respondents had a poor attitude towards food safety and 86.6% of the respondents in two bakeries had fair practice towards food hygiene and safety (70% and 16.8%) respectively. There was a significant relationship between the knowledge (p=0.001), attitude (p=0.002), and practices (p=0.001) of the respondents in local and contemporary bakeries. Bread analysis showed that only a third of the bread sampled from the two bakeries (50% and 40%) were contaminated, while almost all the bread sampled from the bread sellers (40% and 20%) were contaminated. The bread is more likely to be contaminated by pathogenic and non-pathogenic microorganisms due to poor bakery hygiene conditions, bakers' handling of bakery procedures, and vendors' attitudes. Therefore, all bakery employees and bread vendors should be trained on proper handling of bread to prevent outbreaks of food borne illnesses.
American Journal of Food Science and Technology. 2022, 10(4), 153-161. DOI: 10.12691/ajfst-10-4-2
Pub. Date: September 25, 2022
1660 Views4 Downloads
by Konfo T. R. Christian, Aissi M. Vahid, Koudoro A. Yaya, Tamou R. Alice, Dahouenon-Ahoussi Edwige and Sohounhloue C.K. Dominique
Original Research
Good nutrition plays an essential role in human health. However, in urban areas, living and working conditions greatly influence the pace of life. Thus, the time available, especially for shopping and cooking, is becoming increasingly shorter. To help people manage these constraints, ready-to-use food products should be developed. The objective of this study is to formulate flour for the rapid preparation of Amiwô, seasoned maize paste in Benin. The flour was obtained from a blend of maize flour, condiments (tomatoes, onions) and spices (ginger, garlic, bay leaf and shrimp) dried and ground. Five blending formulas were tested. The microbiological quality of the seasoned flours produced and the sensory characteristics of corresponding Amiwô were evaluated by standard methods. The results revealed that the five seasoned flours produced had acceptable microbiological quality according to the recommended criteria. Amiwô from the formula 5 containing 600 g of condiments/spices and 100 g of flour was best appreciated in terms of taste, flavor, color, and overall acceptability.
American Journal of Food Science and Technology. 2022, 10(4), 147-152. DOI: 10.12691/ajfst-10-4-1
Pub. Date: September 20, 2022
1636 Views5 Downloads