East African Journal Of Science, Technology and Innovation
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Innovative approach to mitigate aflatoxin and micronutrient problems in complementary foods (CFs) for health and economic wellbeing
Get PDFComplementary foods (CFs) provided to infants and young children (IYC) in sub-Saharan Africa contain ingredients that are susceptible to aflatoxin contamination. Chronic dietary exposure to aflatoxins is associated with serious health consequences. CF for thin porridge was developed by combining seven ingredients namely, finger millet, soya beans, orange fleshed sweet potato, cassava, breadfruit, baobab and moringa aiming to produce a nutrient dense and aflatoxin safe CF. The developed formulation was evaluated for safety with a focus on total aflatoxin and aflatoxin B1 and microbiological parameters, fibre and micronutrients especially iron and zinc. After passing safety test, the formulations (normal and instant porridge types) were evaluated for acceptability, cookability preference and market performance. The formulated product passed safety and overall quality tests. Market response was very good suggesting that more work should be undertaken in the direction of scale up and dissemination for wider availability and use. Children and persons of other ages can now use a highly nutritional quality and guaranteed aflatoxin safe product
Effect of frying temperature and slice thickness on sensory attributes and acrylamide content in potato crisps of selected Kenyan varieties
Get PDFAcrylamide, a chemical found in several carbohydrates rich foods processed at high temperatures, has been classified as a potential human carcinogen; the need to minimize its presence in the human diet cannot be overemphasized. This study was designed to determine how acrylamide formation is influenced by potato varieties, processing temperatures and slice thickness in potato crisp produced from established Kenyan varieties. Four potato varieties (Kenya Mpya, Sheherekea, Tigoni and Dutch Robjin) were purposively selected due to their suitability for crisp production and were planted at KARLO Tigoni. The potato tubers were harvested at maturity, cured, peeled and sliced into three slice thicknesses (1-0mm, 1.5mm and 2.00mm) and subjected to three frying temperatures of 160°C, 170°C and 180°C until ready. The dry matter of the tubers ranged between 21.5 and 28.4%. The fructose levels ranged from 0.068 - 0.241 %; glucose levels ranged 0.155%- 0.218%; Sucrose levels ranged from 0.61 to 0.87%. In the potato crisps Kenya Mpya variety fried at 160°C of thickness 2.0mm had the highest moisture content of 2.575%. Most of the crisps from the four varieties processed at different temperatures and thicknesses were light colored with lightness (L*) parameters greater than 50 and towards red as shown by positive values of redness parameter (a*) indicating that there was excess browning of the products during frying. Acrylamide levels significantly (P≤0.05) differed between the varieties and ranged from 3129 to 13480ppb. There was a significant difference in acrylamide levels (p≤0.05) with temperatures of 180°C resulting in higher acrylamide content compared to those of 160°C and 170°C. Similarly, the slice thickness of 2.0mm had high acrylamide levels and the redness parameter (a*). There was a strong correlation between acrylamide formation and glucose (r=0.761) and fructose (r=0.44) formation
A Description of cattle production systems in different agro-ecological zones of Narok County, Kenya
No full textCattle farming is an integral part of the livelihoods of farmers in Narok County. However, very few studies have been conducted to describe livestock production in different agroecosystems in Kenya. The objective of this study was to determine cattle production systems and characteristics under different agro-ecosystems. The study was conducted through the administration of semi-structured questionnaires to 817 farmers in three sublocations from Narok south sub-county. The main livestock production systems were pure pastoral, communal grazing and zero-grazing where indigenous cattle were the predominant breed kept (86.8%) with a few farmers keeping crossbreeds or exotic breeds. However, sheep (75.1%) goats (79.4%), chicken (68.6%) and donkeys (32.9%) were also kept. The mean lactation period for cattle was 9.5 months with average inter-calving interval of 14.1 months. More households (45.1%) grazed cattle within their own pastureland compared to pure pastoralism (12.5%), communal grazing (8.0%), zero grazing (0.9%), or combination (33.5%). Approximately 37.1% of the respondents herded their cattle, 13.1% were on free grazing, 36.6% both free grazing and herding whereas 13.2% used paddocks. The mean land area under pasture was estimated at 53.9 acres. The main source of drinking water was within the grazing field (63.6%) with 36.4% having had to take livestock elsewhere. Most households (85.7%) practicing mixed farming could easily access veterinary services compared to 57.2% and 55.1% in agro-pastoral and pure pastoral system respectively (p<0.0001). The main veterinary interventions were deworming, vaccination, and antibiotic administration. Most households (98.6%) had sprayed their livestock with 98.9% sourcing the products from agrovet outlets. More respondents (63.8%) in agro-pastoral compared to 61.5% and 49.7% from pastoral and mixed farming respectively were aware of East Coast Fever disease (p<0.0001). Cattle were principally fed on natural pasture either produced from owned or leased lands with farmers getting unequal access to veterinary services
Risk assessment of Sanitation and water Infrastructure in informal settlements of Kisumu: Implications for Hygiene and Public Health
Get PDFRisk assessment encompasses assessment and reporting of the potential harm, danger and health concerns arising from the use or contact with potentially harmful materials or substance. In the context of urban sanitation and water, risk assessment may involve the assessment of the likely harm arising from the use of unprotected or unimproved water and sanitation facilities and likelihood of injuries that such facilities may exert on the community. Urban informal settlements, which remain the face of urban vulnerability in most developing countries, are dominated by unprotected sanitation facilities and water sources which have subsequently exacerbated the urban social and health vulnerabilities and risks. This article assessed risks from sanitation and water infrastructure in urban informal settlements and their implications on community hygiene and public health using the case study from Kisumu City, Kenya. The article is based on data collected using a modified WASHFIT risk assessment tool developed by the WHO. One hundred and fourteen water sources and 460 sanitation facilities were covered by the study. Findings from the study revealed that 87% of water sources studied were shared by multiple households, while 65% and were unprotected. Some improvements had been undertaken in only less than 20% of sanitation facilities, with large proportion accounting for the ventilated improved pit latrine type. The remaining more than one fifth or 80% of the facilities were poorly constructed traditional pit latrines. Water quality findings revealed that nitrate and thermotolerant coliform levels were higher across most water sources and beyond the minimum recommended thresholds by WHO drinking water standards. On the risk assessment scale, 67% of water sources and 70% sanitation facilities were categorised as “risky” respectively
Beyond Food Preparation: Potential of the Field of Food Science and Technology in Tanzania and Beyond
Get PDFWhat comes to mind when you hear the phrase "food science and technology" (FST)? One of the authors asked some students who were visiting the Mbeya University of Science and Technology during the Annual Agricultural Exhibition, Nanenane, in August 2022. Their responses were unsurprising because they were very similar to how many people perceive the FST field. Most people mistakenly associate FST with other programmes like Hotel Management and Food and Beverage Production and believe it is all about cooking. Of course, someone with experience in food and beverage production is highly likely to pursue further education in the field of food science and technology. The FST is an interdisciplinary field as opposed to a specific discipline. This review aimed to raise awareness of the FST field among the general public. As a result, we have discussed in great detail in this paper how the field of FST relates to other branches of science, technology, economics, and social sciences. A thorough understanding of the FST field is anticipated to raise awareness of how FST knowledge and abilities can be crucial for leveraging the national economy at both the micro and macro levels through food processing, preservation, quality assurance and safety, and business. To support the nation\u27s vision and Sustainable Development Goals, policy amendments are also advised to integrate the FST into various framework
Optimization of acid ensilaging method for the extraction of oil from Lake Victoria nile perch’ lates niloticus viscera
Get PDFA study was carried out to optimize the wet acidic rendering for extracting oil from Nile perch viscera. Oil was extracted at 93oC by varying the acid concentration from 0 – 10% and heating time from 5 – 25 minutes. The oil yield, lipolytic, oxidative and color qualities were determined to compare the effect of acid and time using a factorial completely randomized design. Statistical analysis of data was carried out at p 0.05 using GenStat 13th edition software. There was significant difference in yield, with interaction between acid concentration and heating time, the yield being highest at 15 minutes and declining thereafter with increasing acid concentration. There was significant difference in free fatty acids (%FFA), with interaction between acid concentration and heating time, values increasing with acid concentration and heating time. Heating times of 5 and 15 minutes produced the lowest %FFA at 0% acid concentration, being significantly higher after 15 minutes. All the %FFA values were within permitted limits for crude fish oil, however. There was difference in peroxide value (PV) with interaction between acid concentration and heating time, decreasing with increasing concentrations. Heating for 15 and 25 minutes produced lower PV for 0% acid concentration, with no difference between them. But the PVs were within permitted limits for crude fish oil. There were differences in color intensity, with acid concentrations, heating time not producing a significant difference, and the interaction between acid concentration and heating time not significant. There was significant difference in color intensity between 0% and subsequent acid concentrations, increasing with acid concentration. Heating for 15 minutes without acid is therefore the most suitable combination for mass production of crude oil from Nile perch viscera
Semen quality parameters of the Tanzanian Horasi chicken ecotype
Get PDFPredicting potential fertility and eventual egg hatchability in chickens can be done by evaluating the quality of the semen. This study\u27s objective was to describe the semen characteristics of three different age groups of Horasi chicken ecotype cocks (24-32, 28-36, and 32-40 weeks). From 20 Horasi cocks; 6 cocks (24-32 weeks), 6 cocks (28-36 weeks), and 8 cocks (32-40 weeks) over the course of four weeks (5-29th Dec 2022), 80 semen samples in total were taken. Sperm was harvested from cocks using the abdominal massage technique. The amount of semen, pH, sperm motility, sperm concentration, live spermatozoa percentage, and spermatozoa with normal morphology percentage were all measured. Between the three age groups, the semen volume, pH, sperm motility, sperm concentration, percentage of live spermatozoa, and percentage of spermatozoa with normal morphology ranged from
0.52 ± 0.03mL to 0.68 ± 0.03mL, 7.24 ± 0.01 to 7.31 ± 0.01, 75.16 ± 0.91% to 76.67 ± 1.07%, 4.31 ± 2.27 to 4.56 ± 3.34 × 109 sperm cells/mL, 90.00 ± 0.55% to 91.04 ± 0.85% and 87.78 ± 0.51 to 89.71 ± 0.68% respectively. Only differences in ejaculate volume between the three age groups of Horasi chicken ecotype cocks were significant at p<0.05. The semen quality parameters had extremely low to moderate Pearson correlation coefficients, with values ranging from - 0.22 to 0.38 between sperm concentration and sperm motility, and between the percentage of morphologically normal sperm cells and the percentage of spermatozoa that are alive respectively. The Horasi chicken ecotype\u27s semen parameters are within the normal range, notwithstanding the possibility that individual cocks may differ from one another in some semen characteristics as a result of environmental influences. Using artificial insemination, breeding programs can therefore exploit the Horasi chicken ecotype to increase the productivity of indigenous chickens
The economic viability analysis on the Adopted Climate Change Adaptation Strategies among Maize Farmers in semi-arid of central Tanzania
Get PDFAn investigation of the economic viability of climate change adaptation strategies facilitates proper identification of strategies with low risk. However, there has been limited investigation of economic viability of the adopted strategies. This study aimed to examine the benefit-cost ratio of climate change adaptation strategies practiced by farmers of maize in Kongwa District, Dodoma Region. The study used a cross-sectional design to collect data. A total of 206 farmers and nine (9) key informants were involved during processes of collecting primary data. As the study adopted cross-sectional design, a questionnaire survey, key informant interview and focus group discussion were used to collect socioeconomic data, climate change adaptation strategies and cost of adaptation strategies. Qualitative data were analysed by using thematic analysis technique. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and econometric analysis by using benefit cost ratio. The study revealed that majority of farmers adopted several climate change adaptation strategies in order to cope with a myriad of climatic risks during maize cropping season. The most adopted strategies were intercropping (81.6%), improved seeds (63.6%), varying planting date (53.4%), tilling by tractor/power tiller (52.5%). A combination of tractor ploughing, inter-cropping, and varying plant date is the mostly (15%) adopted. All combinations of the adopted strategies were found economically viable as they revealed an average BCR of 2.1. However, the combination of tractor ploughing, intercropping, and improved seed varieties had higher BCR=2.9 when compared to other strategies. This study concludes that farmers should be advised to adopt the adaptation strategies which is economic viable with low risk, however, the strategies should be practical based on socioeconomic level of the farmers and environmental conditions
Product and process development of mango flakes using response surface methodology
Get PDFMango fruit (Mangifera indica L.) is one of the tropical fruits which are produced in large volumes in Kenya. Transformation of the perishable fruit into shelf-stable nutritious products is one of the interventions that can be used to reduce losses while accruing better returns for farmers. The objective of this study was to determine the optimum processing parameters in the production of consumer-acceptable mango flakes. Fifteen treatments were obtained using sugar variations of 0%, 2%, and 4%, and starch at 0%, 10%, and 20%. Process variables were determined by varying pressure of steam (0.8 BAR, and 1.6 BAR) and speed of drum drying (2.2 rpm and 7.6 rpm). Sensory analysis was done using a 7-pointer hedonic scale while physicochemical, and proximate lab analysis was done using predetermined AOAC procedures. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) of Design Expert 13 software, was used to optimize mango flakes production procedures by adjusting settings of factorial variables. Results indicated that formulations that were incorporated with 20% starch, 0% sugar, and dried at 7.57 rpm for 5 minutes and 2 seconds at a constant gauge pressure of 0.8 BAR were the most preferred with a mean overall score of 5.79. Homogeneity of variances was observed between different formulations for overall acceptability (P=0.192). The predictive model of the Central Composite Design stipulated that an increase in sugar concentration reduces the sensory quality of drum-dried mango flakes. Nutritional profile of the most acceptable mango flakes was a composite of 1.9g/100g, 2.8g/100g, 0.9g/100g, and 0.5g/100g for carbohydrates, vitamin C, crude protein, and crude fat, respectively. A significant difference was observed between values for protein and vitamin C (P=0.002). In conclusion, the organoleptic acceptability and nutritional profiles of drum-dried mango flakes were affected by the time: pressure exposure of the puree as well as the product ratios of ingredients
The Status of Avocado Production, Postharvest Handling and Utilization in Kenya
No full textAvocado is an exotic fleshy fruit dicotyledonous plant grown for its fruit though leaves of the plant have also been used for avocado flavored tea production while the seed is known to contain antioxidants. The consumption of avocados is on the increase in Kenya; however, the value chain experiences losses estimated to be around 40% due to inability of the sector players to convert fresh fruits into more shelf stable products due to limited preservation technologies. Limited information exists on the production status of avocado, postharvest handling and consumption pattern of avocado in Kenya. This paper aims at determining the current Kenyan avocado distribution patterns, production volumes, nutrition properties and post-harvest handling practices. A semi systematic literature review approach was used to review research materials relevant available articles. The most current articles published in reputable journals within the last 10 years were considered. From the literature, avocado crop popularity is on the increase and has surpassed traditional cash crops such as coffee and tea. According to the findings, avocados can be converted to various products which include avocado oil, guacamoles, dry avocado powder, dehydrated products and avocado blended ice creams. There are gaps in avocado fruit preservation with an estimated 40% loss occasioned by low technologies in product transformation. In conclusion, the sector is in need of knowledge and technologies in product transformation to enable the sector avert losses occasioned by poor post-harvest handling techniques. This literature review provides information on the current status of avocado production, postharvest handling and utilization in Kenya which is useful to avocado marketers, policy makers, authorities, consumers and other stakeholders as well as avocado production and post-harvest handling researchers