Contribution of scaling up nutrition Academic Platforms to nutrition capacity strengthening in Africa: local efforts, continental prospects and challenges

Addressing contemporary nutrition problems often require application of knowledge from multiple disciplines. The scaling up nutrition (SUN) movement harnesses multiple sectors for effective global and in-country planning and implementation. Although the role of knowl- edge networks (academia and research institutions) is recognised, the how of engaging knowl- edge networks in the current SUN architecture is only now becoming apparent. For relevant sectors to play their roles effectively, observed capacity gaps, particularly in developing coun- try settings, need to be addressed. The present paper presents the work being undertaken by the Ghana SUN Academic Platform, a local knowledge network, towards strengthening nutrition capacity in Ghana. The Platform presently provides technical support, evidence and capacity towards scaling up effective nutrition interventions in Ghana and beyond. The data presented draws heavily on the observations and collective experiences of the authors in practice, com- plemented by a review of relevant literature. The ultimate goal of the AP is to build capacity of professionals from nutrition and cognate sectors (including planning, agriculture, health, economics, research and academia). This is an essential ingredient for effective and durable SUN efforts. The paper recognises that both disciplinary and interdisciplinary capacity is required for effective SUN efforts in Africa, and offers an approach that utilises cross-sector/inter-professional, peer-learning and experiential learning initiatives

The Potential of Sweetpotato as a Functional Food in Sub-Saharan Africa and Its Implications for Health: A Review

Increasing urbanization in developing countries has resulted in busier lifestyles, accompanied by consumption of fast foods. The consequence is an increased prevalence in noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). Food-based approaches would be cheaper and more sustainable in reducing these NCDs compared to drugs, which may have side effects. Studies have suggested that consuming functional foods could potentially lower NCD risks. Sweetpotato is regarded as a functional food because it contains bioactive compounds. Recently, sweetpotato has gained attention in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), but research has focused on its use in alleviating micronutrient deficiencies such as vitamin A deficiency, particularly the orange-fleshed variety of sweetpotato. Some studies conducted in other parts of the world have investigated sweetpotato as a functional food. There is a need to characterize the sweetpotato varieties in SSA and determine how processing affects their bioactive components. This review highlights some of the studies conducted in various parts of the world on the functionality of sweetpotato, its bioactive compounds, and how these are influenced by processing. In addition, the potential health benefits imparted by sweetpotato are expounded. The knowledge gaps that remain in these studies are also addressed, focusing on how they can direct sweetpotato research in SSA

Household Processing Methods and Their Impact on Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Activities of Sweetpotato Genotypes of Varying Storage Root Flesh Colours

Sweetpotato storage roots, peeled and unpeeled, of varying flesh colours (white, cream, yellow, pale orange, deep orange, and purple) were spectrophotometrically evaluated for their bioactive compounds and antioxidant activities. Roots were boiled, steamed, baked, fried, or microwaved. The unpeeled roots had relatively higher (p p < 0.001), except the deep-orange-fleshed genotype, in which frying slightly increased carotenoids from 269.81 to 304.74 µg/g. Microwaving retained 69% vitamin C in the cream-fleshed one, the highest among the cooking methods. Anthocyanins decreased with baking and frying in the purple-fleshed one but increased with other methods; microwaving being highest at 13.9% (17.43 mg/g). While the 2,2′-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid antioxidant activity decreased with all cooking techniques in some genotypes, ferricyanide-reducing antioxidant potential increased. The retention of bioactive compounds in sweetpotato storage roots depends on the processing method. Thus, to obtain the most health benefits, consumers should use different cooking methods but retain the peels

Wound healing and dry matter content of orange-fleshed sweetpotato cultivars as influenced by curing methods

Curing in sweetpotato is a crucial pre- or postharvest practice that could guarantee improved shelf life,but rarely practised by sweetpotato farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa, principally due to lack of knowledge. Wound healing ability of cultivars has been associated with good root storability. In this study, two orange fleshed sweetpotato cultivars (Apomuden and Nane) were either cured in-ground by dehaulming prior to harvest or field-piled over a seven-day period to study their responses to wound healing and changes in dry matter content. Apomuden is a low dry matter content(19%) variety in Ghana while Nane is a high dry matter content (27%) farmer cultivar under evaluation for formal release. A potato peeler was used to deliberately create the wounds on 21 storage roots. The curing treatment was applied and the subsequent post-treatment quality status of the storage roots was monitored daily over a seven-day period. Wound healing ability was scored as follows: 0 = no lignification, 0.5 = patchy lignification and1= complete lignification. Wound healing ability score was not significantly different for Apomuden and Nane (0.83,0.78, respectively; p = 0.120). However, storage roots curedby field-piled curing method resulted in significantly better wound healing ability than dehaulming (0.86, 0.75,respectively, p = 0.001). Over the seven-day curing period,Nane had a significantly higher and stable dry mattercontent compared with Apomuden (p = 0.008), whose dry matter content was lower and fluctuating. The field-piled curing resulted in higher (p = 0.020) dry matter content,24%, compared with in-ground curing (22%). The field piled curing method, which can easily be adopted by sweetpotato farmers, increased the dry matter content of the storage roots; therefore, it could potentially reduce the post-harvest losses in sweetpotato. The high dry matter content of Nane is a desirable root quality attribute for orange-fleshed cultivars and could augment existing cultivars in Ghana

Quality evaluation of orange-fleshed sweet potato-pineapple blended jam

This research aimed to develop a jam using orange-fleshed sweet potato puree (OFSPP) and pineapple pulp (PP) and to assess nutritional, gelling, sensory, and microbiological qualities. Four jam formulations of OFSPP: PP (70%:30, 50%:50%, and 30%:70) and 100% PP were developed and evaluated. Increasing the level of OFSPP resulted in a significant (P<0.05) decrease in moisture content (34.39–23.70%), but increased the fat (0.16–0.18%), ash (0.35–0.40%), protein (0.93–1.57%), and carbohydrates (61.70–67.69%) content. The concentration of β–carotene decreased with a reducing OFSPP fraction (P<0.05). After 12 weeks of storage, the 50% OFSPP and 50% pineapple jam had a total plate count of 4.50 CFU/g, although coliform and mould were not present in all the processed jam samples. The mixed jam with 50% OFSPP: 50% PP had a higher sensory acceptance. These results indicate that food processors could develop OFSP-PP jams as a β–carotene enriched functional food

Development of a bilayer biodegradable packaging material enriched with coffee waste extract for cake preservation

Abstract The study aimed to develop an active packaging, functionalized by spent coffee grounds extracts (SCGE) to preserve cake. The antioxidant extracts were obtained using three extraction methods: conventional extraction (CE), ultrasound‐assisted extraction (UAE), and microwave‐assisted extraction (MAE). The SCGE obtained with UAE and MAE produced the highest total phenolic contents and antioxidant activities, and were incorporated into bilayer films composed of polylactic acid, konjac glucomannan, and wheat gluten. The SCGE improved the film's antioxidant activity (8.40 to 90. 56%) and oxygen transmission rate (5.05 ± 0.04 to 2.22 ± 0.13). Active packaging with microwave extracts was more effective in preserving cake's lipids than the ultrasound extracts as measured by the peroxide value, thiobarbituric acid, and acid value during 21 days of storage. Overall, the study demonstrates the potential safe utilization of coffee waste in active packaging

Types of indigenous vegetables consumed, preparation, preferences and perceived benefits in Ghana

Indigenous vegetables (IVs) are rich sources of essential nutrients, particularly vitamins and minerals, and other non-nutritive phytochemicals. IVs play a critical role in the food culture of the Ghanaian people. Despite their importance, they have over the years been mostly associated with the resource-poor. In this study, the types of IVs, preparation preferences, frequency of consumption and some perceived benefits ascribed by some Ghanaian consumers (n = 1393) were investigated in a cross-sectional survey. Descriptive analysis and a chi-square test of independence were conducted to summarise and determine the relationship between gender, age and consumption frequency of the IVs. The study identified okra (Abelmoschus esculentus), cocoyam (Xanthosoma sagittifolium) leaves, jute mallow (Corchorus olitorius) and garden egg (Solanum melongena) as the popular IVs consumed by respondents. Among these, about 13.3% of women and 15.3% of men indicated they consume okra. Eight per cent of the women respondents and 6.7% of the men consumed jute mallow. Almost 57% of the respondents said the IVs were used to prepare stew and soup. More than a third (39%) of the respondents indicated that they consumed the IVs either daily or more than once a week. Women respondents’ frequency of IVs consumption was significantly different [X2 (4, n = 1393) = 30.11, p = 0.000] from the men. The frequency of consumption of IVs for the elderly was significantly higher [X2 (12, n = 1393) = 30.53, p = 0.002] as compared to the younger respondents. The main perceived benefits of IVs were nutrition- and health-related. The major barriers to the consumption of IVs were cost, non-availability, palatability and cultural. The IVs were largely wet-cooked and consumed as stews or sauces and soups. These findings form good bases for further empirical studies on the nutritional and other health-benefiting attributes of the specific IVs found in this study for sustainable promotion and utilisation in Ghana