Tecnologías poscosecha con cultivos biofortificados

La bioforti¬cación es una estrategia que utiliza el ¬tomejoramiento convencional de cultivos básicos para incrementar el contenido de nutrientes y mejorar sus características agronómicas. Es un complemento importante de otras intervenciones como la suplementación con micronutrientes y la forti¬cación de alimentos para mejorar la situación nutricional de la población. Una de las iniciativas para llegar con los cultivos bioforticados a las poblaciones más necesitadas es producir alimentos procesados industrialmente, que utilicen los cultivos bioforti¬cados como la materia prima, pero que sean elaborados con tecnologías de procesamiento que no eliminen sus ventajas de mayor densidad nutricional. En otras palabras, con el procesamiento de los cultivos bioforti¬cados se pueden obtener productos alimenticios de alto valor nutritivo, con los que sea más fácil lograr un consumo masivo y tener un mayor impacto con la estrategia de biofortificación

Refined cassava flour in bread making: a review

Different studies have developed a variety of breads using cassava flour, with similar characteristics to wheat flour breads. The use of cassava flour in bread making is a convenient alternative for promoting the use of a local crop as well as reducing imports of wheat flour, promoting the production of high quality cassava flour, offering a gluten-free product and developing biofortified and fortified foods. Although the substitution level of cassava flour is limited, in some products, the incorporation of additives or flours from other crops improve the nutritional value and breadmaking quality of the baked foods. Several limitations have hindered the success of initiatives to promote, in some cassava producing countries, the intensive use cassava flour in bread making. Among these include the costs and efficiency of processing technologies, standards of the quality of cassava flour and lack of favorable policies. Further studies about bioavailability and retention of nutrients on baked foods and evaluation on the effects of processing cassava flour in relation to increasing the resistance starch are required to provide scientific evident for the health benefits of this flour.Diferentes estudios han permitido desarrollar una variedad de panes utilizando harina de yuca, con características similares a los panes de harina de trigo. El uso de harina de yuca en productos de panificación es una alternativa conveniente para fomentar el uso de un cultivo local, reducir la importación de harina de trigo, promover la producción de harina de yuca de alta calidad, ofrecer un producto libre de gluten y desarrollar alimentos bio-fortificados y fortificados. Aunque el nivel de sustitución de harina de yuca es limitado, en algunos productos, la incorporación de aditivos o harinas de otros cultivos mejora el valor nutricional y la calidad panificable de los productos horneados. Varias limitaciones han impedido el éxito de iniciativas para promover, en algunos países productores de yuca, el uso intensivo de harina de yuca en panificación. Dentro de estas se incluyen costos y eficiencia de tecnologías de procesamiento, estándares de calidad de la harina de yuca y la falta de políticas favorables. Se requieren estudios adicionales sobre bio-disponiblidad y retención de nutrientes en productos horneados y evaluación de los efectos del procesamiento de la harina de yuca en relación a incrementar el almidón resistente para proveer evidencia científica de los beneficios para la salud de esta harina

Estudios poscosecha con cultivos biofortificados retención de micronutrientes en la elaboración de alimentos

La biofortificación es considerada, en muchos países del mundo y de América Latina, como una estrategia complementaria para la prevención y control de las deficiencias de micronutrientes. Cultivos biofortificados como el arroz y el maíz tienen contenidos más altos de zinc (Zn) y de proteína de alta calidad (QPM) comparados con las variedades convencionales. Sin embargo en la preparación casera o industrial de los alimentos, estos micronutrientes se pierden debido a las técnicas y condiciones de procesamiento usadas para su elaboración. Los _tatos por su parte son considerados antinutrientes, debido a su acción inhibitoria en la absorción de minerales, especialmente calcio, hierro y zinc. La información relacionada con la forma en que la población consume los alimentos, es de suma importancia, para determinar la contribución de ciertos productos en la reducción de la desnutrición por deficiencia de micronutrientes en América Latina y El Caribe

CLAYUCA: Latin American and Caribbean consortium to support cassava research and development

During the last 25 years, cassava research in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) has been the responsibility of the Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical (CIAT) in collaboration with national programs, and has been financed mainly with public-sector funds. At the end of the 1980s, this model was not longer viable due to changes in the world’s socio-economic situation, forcing institutions and countries to organize and establish strategic alliances to continue cassavabased research and development activities. The cassava sector in Latin America and the Caribbean also felt this need. To solve this situation, it was necessary to identify and establish new models for financing and supporting cassava research and development to attend to the interests and needs of different groups of end-users of the technology from both the public and the private sector. It was proposed to form a Consortium to finance and support research and development of cassava, to strengthen the transfer of improved technologies, and to enhance the exchange of experiences, information and technologies among LAC countries. Thus, CLAYUCA was established. The mission of CLAYUCA is to contribute to improving living standards and sustainable natural resource management in regions of LAC where cassava plays an important role in agricultural production systems, through the generation, transfer and exchange of technologies, information and scientific knowledge among public and private sector institutions and farmers in the region. The main objectives are: 1. The organized participation of public and private sector institutions, including universities, non-governmental organizations and farmer groups, in the discussion and identification of priority issues and the definition of a regional research and development agenda for the cassava crop. 2. Execution of collaborative cassava-based research and development activities, with participation of diverse institutions in each member country. 3. Seeking additional financial support to implement research and development activities that could benefit all member countries. 4. Strengthening national capacity in each member country to execute research and development activities at the national level and to participate in activities at the international level. Founding members of the Consortium are Colombia, Cuba, Bolivia, Ecuador and Venezuela, the International Center for Cooperation in Agricultural Research for Development (CIRAD) and CIAT. In each country, the group of participants in activities promoted by the Consortium are composed of institutions from the public and private sector, universities, nongovernmental organizations, farmer groups and other sectors involved in cassava production, processing, commercialization and utilization, training, research and technology transfer. Potential members are all cassava producing countries in LAC, which have the capacity to help finance and execute activities of the Consortium

El funcionamiento y evaluacion economica de las plantas de secado natural de yuca en la campana 1983-84

The operation and economic evaluation of the 7 cassava natural drying plants, established on the Colombian Atlantic Coast, are described for 1983-84. With a total drying floor area of 4000 square meters, 2395 t fresh cassava were processed to produce 946 t dry cassava (2:53:1). The av. occupation of the plants was satisfactory; those affected by rains and mechanical damages showed less than 90 percent occupation. The main problems faced by the plants in terms of infrastructure, equipment, and tools, as well as those relevant to farmer organization and institutional support, were assessed. The economic evaluation covered operational costs (maintenance, administration, labor, fuel, transportation, raw material, banking costs, and others) and an analysis of the economic profitability of each plant. The price paid for fresh cassava was the main factor determining both operating costs and profitability. Increasing the installed capacity of the plants would improve the economic results, but only if the plants operate at over 90 percent occupation efficiency. Training of plant management appears to be critical for efficient plant operation. Cassava var. of inferior quality (reduced DM) should have a reduced price. In general, cassava natural drying was highly profitable under the prevailing conditions. (CIAT