Fungal and bacterial contaminants of six spices and spice products in Ghana

The microbiological quality of two spices (aniseed and rosemary) and spice products (maggi onion cube, maggi shrimp cube, royco shrimp cube, royco beef cube) have been studied using conventional mycological techniques. The presence of moulds and yeast was compared on three media DRBC, OGYE, and PDA at 30°C incubated for 5 days. The species of fungi that were isolated from the raw spices and spice products tested belonged to eight (8) genera. (Absidia, Aspergillus, Cladosporium, Fusarium, Rhizopus, Penicillium, Neurospora, Eurotium,). Aspergillus species (A. flavus, A. fumigatus, A. alutaceus, A. niger, A. sulphureus) were the more predominant species isolated. A. flavus was the most frequently isolated fungal species in all the spices on all the three media on which growth was compared. Aniseed harboured fungal population ranging from 1.50 log10 CFU/g sample to 1.88 log10 sample; maggi onion cube 0.90 – 1.54 log10 CFU/g sample; maggi shrimp cube 1.11 – 1.30 log10 CFU/g sample; royco shrimp cube; 1.0 – 1.08 log10 CFU/g sample and 1.19 – 1.31 log10 CFU/g sample in royco beef cube. The aflatoxin analysis showed that aflatoxins B1 , B2, G1,and G2 were not formed. The bacteria species isolated from the spices varied. The spices and spice products collectively harboured Aeromonas salmonicida, Enterobacter cloacae, Enterobacter amnigenus, Enterobacter agglomerans, Enterobacter sakazakii, Flavobacterium sp, Chromobacterium violaceum, Pseudomonas putida, Pseudomonas aeroginosa, Acinetobacter sp, Pseudomonas cepacia, Serratia plymuthica. The human health implications of these findings are discussed and future work recommended.Key words: Microbiological quality, spices, spice products, contaminants

The effects of education on health and fertility in Ghana

Using the Ghana Living Standards Survey (GLSS) conducted in 1987/88 and 1998/99, this thesis examines two thematic areas of non-monetary returns to education in Ghana. One of the primary aims is to find the differences in the effects of education over the decade (1987/88–1998/99), using standard and non-standard econometric analysis. In addition, the later survey year serves as a robustness check on the first. The first theme examines health status; measured as illness and its duration, as well as the use of anthropometric indicators. The study finds that parental education is positively associated with child’s reported illness and its duration. Further verification of this outcome using an instrumental variable (2SLS) approach that assumes possible endogeneity of parental education supports the results relating to maternal education in both survey years. In contrast, paternal primary education tends to reduce children’s reported illness; but this is only statistically significant in GLSS 1. These outcomes, although perverse are not uncommon in developing countries, and may be the result of systematic reporting bias. The analysis also reveals inconsistent results regarding adults’ health status between the two survey years. For example, we find that illness and its duration increase with personal education in GLSS 1, but the converse is true in GLSS 4, ceteris paribus. The mixed results of this study imply that the relationship between education and health status varies across health measures, and probably over time. Hence caution should be exercised before broad conclusions are drawn and policies made regarding these two vital socioeconomic indicators (education and health). The last theme analyses fertility in both structural and reduced form functions. The structural function involves a two-stage process. The first stage estimates the effect of education on three proximate determinants of fertility - the duration of breastfeeding, contraceptive use and age at cohabitation. The second stage subsequently models the fertility function by estimating three measures: the probability of having at least one birth; the unconditional number of births; and the number of births conditional on one having occurred, using the predicted values of the proximate determinants as inputs similar to the conventional production function. The reduced form fertility model estimates the impact of women’s education on the number of live births. The findings are that (1) education increases the use of contraception, delays age at cohabitation and shortens the duration of breastfeeding, as anticipated; (2) contraception and age at cohabitation subsequently tend to reduce the overall number of live births, though we observe an ambiguous outcome regarding breastfeeding; (3) education, in a fuller and direct way, also shows a strong negative association with fertility in both surveys; and finally (4) fertility appears to have declined over the period studied. We also find a structural shift in respect of the influence of women’s education from post-primary to primary level on fertility, ceteris paribus

Molecular detection of fungi in paprika, chili powder and black pepper

Paprika powder, chili powder, and black pepper are among the most frequently used spices in the world. The Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) regions were identified by high sequence similarity with the ITS regions of many microscopic fungi, especially representatives of the phylum Ascomycota, from 18 different spice samples that were examined. However, supplied quality certificates indicated that 10 of the 18 samples had no contamination present and were safe for human consumption. The various genera of fungi that were identified from the spices are considered to be a food safety concern as they are able to produce mycotoxins. Qualitative detection was supplemented by positive detection of viable fungal DNA using qPCR for the genera Aspergillus/Penicillium in two paprika powder and black pepper samples. These results concurred with the control analysis using axenic cultures. The described methods can be used for routine testing of spices to provide safe spices and other products to consumers.O

The effects of education on health and fertility in Ghana

Using the Ghana Living Standards Survey (GLSS) conducted in 1987/88 and 1998/99, this thesis examines two thematic areas of non-monetary returns to education in Ghana. One of the primary aims is to find the differences in the effects of education over the decade (1987/88–1998/99), using standard and non-standard econometric analysis. In addition, the later survey year serves as a robustness check on the first. The first theme examines health status; measured as illness and its duration, as well as the use of anthropometric indicators. The study finds that parental education is positively associated with child’s reported illness and its duration. Further verification of this outcome using an instrumental variable (2SLS) approach that assumes possible endogeneity of parental education supports the results relating to maternal education in both survey years. In contrast, paternal primary education tends to reduce children’s reported illness; but this is only statistically significant in GLSS 1. These outcomes, although perverse are not uncommon in developing countries, and may be the result of systematic reporting bias. The analysis also reveals inconsistent results regarding adults’ health status between the two survey years. For example, we find that illness and its duration increase with personal education in GLSS 1, but the converse is true in GLSS 4, ceteris paribus. The mixed results of this study imply that the relationship between education and health status varies across health measures, and probably over time. Hence caution should be exercised before broad conclusions are drawn and policies made regarding these two vital socioeconomic indicators (education and health). The last theme analyses fertility in both structural and reduced form functions. The structural function involves a two-stage process. The first stage estimates the effect of education on three proximate determinants of fertility - the duration of breastfeeding, contraceptive use and age at cohabitation. The second stage subsequently models the fertility function by estimating three measures: the probability of having at least one birth; the unconditional number of births; and the number of births conditional on one having occurred, using the predicted values of the proximate determinants as inputs similar to the conventional production function. The reduced form fertility model estimates the impact of women’s education on the number of live births. The findings are that (1) education increases the use of contraception, delays age at cohabitation and shortens the duration of breastfeeding, as anticipated; (2) contraception and age at cohabitation subsequently tend to reduce the overall number of live births, though we observe an ambiguous outcome regarding breastfeeding; (3) education, in a fuller and direct way, also shows a strong negative association with fertility in both surveys; and finally (4) fertility appears to have declined over the period studied. We also find a structural shift in respect of the influence of women’s education from post-primary to primary level on fertility, ceteris paribus.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

CUSTOMARY TENURE TRUSTEESHIPS AND LAND GOVERNANCE REFORMS: A NECESSARY CONVERGENCE

Issues surrounding customary land governance reforms remain at the forefront of policy reforms in many African countries because of concern over discriminatory rules of access, exchange, and inheritance, corruption, elite capture, and illegal land occupations, (Arko Adjei, 2009). The shortcomings in customary land governance extend to the unfettered authority of customary land trustees, usually, traditional leaders (chiefs and family heads) who retain autonomous control over land as defined by customary norms and practices. Although trustees play a central role in how the rules of land tenure are applied and made operational, not many analytical studies to date have focused directly on the culture of trusteeship to explain the fiduciary responsibilities associated with the management of community land. Breach of fiduciary duty occurs when a trustee acts in their self-interest, rather than the best interest of the beneficiary community. Unfortunately, as evidence of self-dealing by customary land trustees become more pervasive, legislative action to ensure trustees are fiducially accountable to their communities is urgently needed. This paper draws attention to some of the unique differences between the fiducial duties of trustees under customary tenure and common law. The research hypothesizes that good land governance reforms require customary land trustees to manage land and natural resource assets to achieve the highest livelihood sustaining benefit for their communities

Changing Regulatory Environment for Small-Medium Size Enterprises and Their Performance in Ghana

Public Economics,