Traditional processing, microbial and physicochemical changes during fermentation of malwa

A survey was conducted to characterise production methods of malwa; a Ugandan traditional fermented millet beverage, in four divisions of Kampala district using a questionnaire. Lactobacillus and Lactococcus spp and coliforms were enumerated in the raw materials and during fermentation using standard microbiological methods. Changes in chemical parameters were determined using standard methods. Similarities in production methods were observed among the malwa producers. All producers germinated millet grains (2-3 days) to make green malt. The germinated grains were sun-dried for 2-3 days. Moistened millet flour was subjected to solid state pit fermentation for one week to produce acidified fermented dough. The acidified fermented dough was roasted over an open fire to produce roasted acidified dough. The duration of fermentation of malwa varied between 2 and 4 days. Only 5% of the producers practiced back slopping. Producers (90%) reported that consumers preferred sour malwa. Lactobacillus and Lactococcus spp numbers in the sour dough, roasted sour dough and green malt varied between 3.48 and 5.38, 2.02 and 2.60, and 4.45 and 6.25 log cfug–1 respectively. Coliforms in sour dough, roasted sour dough and green malt varied between 1.36 and 5.53 log cfug–1. Lactobacillus spp increased from 2.73 to 6.60 log cfu mL–1 whereas Lactococcus spp increased from 2.67 to 6.22 log cfu mL–1 during 72 h of fermentation. The greatest increase in numbers was observed during the first 24 h. Coliforms decreased from 2.80 to 1.19 log cfu mL–1after 24 h with a slight increase to 1.26 log cfu mL–1 after 48 h due to further addition of green malt. Coliforms were still detectable after 72 h. The pH decreased from 4.3 to 3.65 as titratable acidity increased from 0.69 to 1.47% lactic acid after 72 h of fermentation. Total soluble solids decreased from 17.7 to 7.7 oBrix during 72 h fermentation. Ethanol increased from 1.07 to 12% v\v. Carbohydrates and tannins decreased during germination and fermentation. Apparent increase in protein contentwas observed. The high numbers of Lactobacillus and Lactococcus spp and coliforms in the sour dough suggest their involvement in the solid state pit fermentation of millet flour. Higher numbers of Lactobacillus and Lactococcus spp in the green malt indicates that these organisms play a big role in the fermentation process of malwa.Key words: Lactococcus, Lactobacillus, Millet, Fermentation, Malw

Quality assessment of butter produced using traditional and mechanized churning methods

Traditional butter/ghee-making, predominantly done by women, is labor-intensive. To reduce this labor and/or increase incomes among these women, a hand-operated churner was previously developed with the capacity to reduce labor eight-fold. The present study was carried out to compare the quality of butter/ghee made using traditional churning in locally harvested plant containers (gourds and calabashes) and mechanized churning in the new device. As opposed to shaking the whole vessel, churning in the new device is achieved through a hand-operated crank connected to mixing baffles. Butter samples were aseptically collected from four locations (Kiboga1, Kiboga2, Kotido, and Ngoma) along the cattle corridor of Uganda. A “control” butter sample was made under laboratory conditions following standard procedure. The five samples were analyzed with respect to microbial safety, type and concentration of free fatty acids, and sensory attributes. Total viable count (TVC), Total coliforms (TC), Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella, yeasts and molds counts were determined using International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards. Fatty acid profile was determined by gas chromatography. Sensory evaluation of aroma, smell, taste, mouth feel, and overall acceptability of the products were also conducted. In the sensory evaluation, two commercially marketed ghee products (Sameer, and Lubega brands) were added. Total viable counts in all the samples were in the range of 102-107 cfu/g. Total coliforms were detected in Kiboga samples in the 101-103cfu/g range while none were detected from other regions’ samples. Yeasts and molds were detected in the 102-105 cfu/g range. Staphylococcus aureus was detected only in butter samples from Kiboga region (102 cfu/g) while Salmonella was not detected in any of the samples. The fatty acid profile consisted of saturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, trans-fatty acids, omega 3 fatty acids, omega 6 fatty acids, and omega 9 fatty acids. Saturated fatty acids were most dominant in the butter and ghee samples ranging from 70-82% whereas trans-fatty acids were present in the least concentration. From the overall acceptability dimension, the butter/ghee made using traditional churning and the new device scored the highest. However, Student’s t-test analysis showed no significant difference in the organoleptic parameters analyzed in all the samples (p>0.05). Therefore, the butter/ghee produced using mechanized churning is as acceptable and as microbiologically safe as butter/ghee produced using traditional churning and two representative marketed products.Key words: Butter, ghee, microbial safety, churning, traditional processing, human-centered desig

Evaluation of Solar Disinfection of E. coli Under Sub-Saharan Field Conditions Using a 25 Litre Borosilicate Glass Batch Reactor Fitted with a Compound Parabolic Collector.

The bacterial inactivation efficacy of a solar water disinfection (SODIS) reactor consisting of a 25L borosilicate glass tube fitted with a compound parabolic collector (BGTR-CPC) was assessed under equatorial weather conditions in Uganda. The SODIS BGTR-CPC was tested over a 17-month period in Sub-Saharan conditions in Kampala, Uganda. The BGTR-CPC was filled with natural water from a nearby protected well. A wild strain of Escherichia coli isolated from local natural water was added to the reactor to give a starting population of between 105 and 107 CFU/100ml. This spiked water was exposed to natural sunlight. Satisfactory bacterial inactivation (log10 reduction values \u3e6 units or inactivation to below the limit of detection (/100ml.)) was observed for 11 of 13 experiments. Rainfall and overcast/cloudy conditions were factors on both of the occasions when incomplete inactivation was observed. In conclusion, the use of CPC SODIS technology is suitable for treating drinking water both at household level and institutional level in Sub-Saharan and other similar tropical climates if careful consideration of the cloud cover and rainfall is taken into account

Sensory characterization of the perceived quality of East African highland cooking bananas (matooke)

Open Access ArticleBACKGROUND It has recently become increasingly evident that banana projects in Uganda need to consider consumer preferences as part of the breeding process to increase the acceptability of new cultivars. A trained panel used quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA) as a tool to assess the sensory characteristics of 32 cooking bananas (matooke). The aim was to investigate which sensory characteristics best describe matooke. RESULTS Fourteen descriptors were generated. The preferred attributes of matooke were high-intensity yellow color, homogeneous distribution of yellow color, good matooke aroma, highly moldable by touch, moist and smooth in the mouth. Analysis of variance revealed significant differences in the yellowness, homogeneity of color, firmness, moistness, smoothness, matooke aroma, hardness, and moldability across the genotypes (P < 0.05). Principal component analysis (PCA) showed strong positive correlations between yellowness and homogeneity of the color (R = 0.92). Smoothness in the mouth and moldability by touch were strongly and positively correlated (R = 0.88). Firmness in the mouth was well predicted by hardness to touch (R2 = 0.85). The matooke samples were ranked into two sensory clusters by agglomerative hierarchical clustering (AHC). CONCLUSION The study showed attribute terms that could be used to describe matooke and also revealed that QDA may be used as a tool during the assessment and selection of new cooking banana hybrids to identify relevant sensory attributes because of its ability to discriminate among the banana hybrids

Six-Month Mortality among HIV-Infected Adults Presenting for Antiretroviral Therapy with Unexplained Weight Loss, Chronic Fever or Chronic Diarrhea in Malawi.

In sub-Saharan Africa, early mortality is high following initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART). We investigated 6-month outcomes and factors associated with mortality in HIV-infected adults being assessed for ART initiation and presenting with weight loss, chronic fever or diarrhea, and with negative TB sputum microscopy

Towards access for all: 1st Working Group Report for the Global Gene Therapy Initiative (GGTI)

The gene and cell therapy field saw its first approved treatments in Europe in 2012 and the United States in 2017 and is projected to be at least a $10B USD industry by 2025. Despite this success, a massive gap exists between the companies, clinics, and researchers developing these therapeutic approaches, and their availability to the patients who need them. The unacceptable reality is a geographic exclusion of low-and middle-income countries (LMIC) in gene therapy development and ultimately the provision of gene therapies to patients in LMIC. This is particularly relevant for gene therapies to treat human immunodeficiency virus infection and hemoglobinopathies, global health crises impacting tens of millions of people primarily located in LMIC. Bridging this divide will require research, clinical and regulatory infrastructural development, capacity-building, training, an approval pathway and community adoption for success and sustainable affordability. In 2020, the Global Gene Therapy Initiative was formed to tackle the barriers to LMIC inclusion in gene therapy development. This working group includes diverse stakeholders from all sectors and has set a goal of introducing two gene therapy Phase I clinical trials in two LMIC, Uganda and India, by 2024. Here we report on progress to date for this initiative

Comparison of the microbial composition of African fermented foods using amplicon sequencing

Fermented foods play a major role in the diet of people in Africa, where a wide variety of raw materials are fermented. Understanding the microbial populations of these products would help in the design of specific starter cultures to produce standardized and safer foods. In this study, the bacterial diversity of African fermented foods produced from several raw materials (cereals, milk, cassava, honey, palm sap, and locust beans) under different conditions (household, small commercial producers or laboratory) in 8 African countries was analysed by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing during the Workshop “Analysis of the Microbiomes of Naturally Fermented Foods Training Course”. Results show that lactobacilli were less abundant in fermentations performed under laboratory conditions compared to artisanal or commercial fermentations. Excluding the samples produced under laboratory conditions, lactobacilli is one of the dominant groups in all the remaining samples. Genera within the order Lactobacillales dominated dairy, cereal and cassava fermentations. Genera within the order Lactobacillales, and genera Zymomonas and Bacillus were predominant in alcoholic beverages, whereas Bacillus and Lactobacillus were the dominant genera in the locust bean sample. The genus Zymomonas was reported for the first time in dairy, cereal, cassava and locust bean fermentations

Health relevance of the modification of low grade inflammation in ageing (inflammageing) and the role of nutrition

Ageing of the global population has become a public health concern with an important socio-economic dimension. Ageing is characterized by an increase in the concentration of inflammatory markers in the bloodstream, a phenomenon that has been termed "inflammageing". The inflammatory response is beneficial as an acute, transient reaction to harmful conditions, facilitating the defense, repair, turnover and adaptation of many tissues. However, chronic and low grade inflammation is likely to be detrimental for many tissues and for normal functions. We provide an overview of low grade inflammation (LGI) and determine the potential drivers and the effects of the "inflamed" phenotype observed in the elderly. We discuss the role of gut microbiota and immune system crosstalk and the gut-brain axis. Then, we focus on major health complications associated with LGI in the elderly, including mental health and wellbeing, metabolic abnormalities and infections. Finally, we discuss the possibility of manipulating LGI in the elderly by nutritional interventions. We provide an overview of the evidence that exists in the elderly for omega-3 fatty acid, probiotic, prebiotic, antioxidant and polyphenol interventions as a means to influence LGI. We conclude that slowing, controlling or reversing LGI is likely to be an important way to prevent, or reduce the severity of, age-related functional decline and the onset of conditions affecting health and well-being; that there is evidence to support specific dietary interventions as a strategy to control LGI; and that a continued research focus on this field is warranted

The use of starter cultures in the fermentation of bushera: a Ugandan traditional fermented sorghum beverage

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