Influence of selected washing treatments and drying temperatures on proximate composition of dagaa (Rastrineobola argentea), a small pelagic fish specie.

Proximate analysis for moisture, crude protein, crude fat and total ash was carried out on dagaa (Rastrineobola argentea), a small pelagic fish specie found in Lake Victoria. The first phase of the study involved sampling of fresh, sundried (for 1 day, 2 days, 3 days, 4 days) and retail market dagaa. The second phase of the study involved pre-washing of fresh dagaa with selected solutions namely, salted solution (3% NaCl), chlorinated solution (100 ppm) or potable tap water (control) and thereafter oven-drying the respective pre-washed samples at 30oC (31hrs), 40oC (23hrs) or 50oC (15hrs). Results showed that the crude protein composition of fresh dagaa (74.4% dry weight basis, dwb) was significantly higher (

Effects of selected washing treatments and drying temperatures on biochemical and microbiological quality of dagaa (Rastrineobola argentea).

Dagaa (Rastrineobola argentea) is one of the most important fish foods for the lowincome households in the Nyanza Province, Kenya. However, the off-flavour and offodour that results from the traditional sun-drying process of sun-dried dagaa is a major disincentive to the use of the fish for human consumption, hence leading to utilization in animal feed. Chemical analyses for pH, Thiobarbituric reactive substances (TBARS), Total volatile bases-nitrogen (TVBN) and aerobic bacterial counts were carried out on dagaa sampled from various process steps within the openfield sun-drying and market conditions. Dagaa was also oven-dried at 30oC, 40oC and 50oC after washing with selected solutions namely salted (3% sodium chloride), chlorinated solutions (100ppm) and potable tap water (control). Results indicated that TBARS values increased significantly (

OCCURRENCE OF AFLATOXIGENIC FUNGI AND AFLATOXINS IN MAIZE GRAINS AND ASSOCIATED AWARENESS AND HANDLING PRACTICES AMONG FARMERS AND TRADERS IN SOUTH SUDAN

Maize is a popular staple food among the urban population of South Sudan. However, due to inadequate food safety surveillance and enforcement systems, there is limited information on the aflatoxin safety of maize grains at farm and market levels. Therefore, this study aimed at assessing aflatoxins awareness and handling practices of maize grains among randomly selected farmers (n=30) and traders (n=30) as well as determining the moisture content, Aspergillus species counts and aflatoxins contamination. A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out in Magwi maize producing areas, Juba retail/wholesale markets and Nimule border points of South Sudan. Moisture content, fungal and aflatoxins contamination in maize grain samples were determined using dry air oven method, dilution plating technique, and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), respectively. The respondent results showed that farmers (97%) and traders (83%) were unaware of aflatoxins. About 83% of the farmers dried their maize grains on tarpaulins, for 4 - 5 days (77%). In addition, most farmers (77%) stored their maize grain bags on raised platforms, whereas most traders (73%) stored grains on bare ground. All the maize grains met the required moisture content limit (below 13.5%). Maize from Nimule main park had the highest levels of contamination with Aspergillus flavus (9 log CFU/g), Aspergillus parasiticus (12 log CFU/g), aflatoxin B1 (505.56 μg/kg) and total aflatoxins (1,032.19 μg/kg). Maize from Gudele market was contaminated with Aspergillus parasiticus (12 log CFU/g), and aflatoxin B1 (76.55 μg/kg), and had a total aflatoxin content of 94.09 μg/kg. Omeo farmers’ maize grains had the least levels of contamination of Aspergillus parasiticus (6 log CFU/g), aflatoxin B1 (4.39 μg/kg), and total aflatoxins (7.83 μg/kg). In addition, Aspergillus flavus was not detected from Omeo farmers’ maize grains and no aflatoxins were detected from Agoro and Paluonganyi farmers’ grains. This study recommends wider aflatoxins awareness and regular aflatoxin screening of maize grains by the relevant stakeholders in South Sudan

Effect of Selected Washing Treatments and Drying Temperatures on bacterial Quality and Safety of Dagaa (Rastrineobola argentea)

Microbiological analyses for aerobic bacteria counts and pathogens (coliforms, E. coli, S. aureus, Salmonella spp and V. cholerae) were carried out on small pelagic fish specie commonly found in Lake Victoria, dagaa (Rastrineobola argentea). The samples were obtained from various process steps within the field sun-drying and market conditions in Kisumu, Kenya. Dagaa was also oven-dried at 30oC, 40oC and 50oC after washing with selected solutions i.e. salted (3% sodium chloride), chlorinated solutions (100ppm) and potable tap water, which was used as control. Results obtained indicated that total aerobic bacterial counts in the freshly caught dagaa increased significantly (

OCCURRENCE OF AFLATOXIGENIC FUNGI AND AFLATOXINS IN MAIZE GRAINS AND ASSOCIATED AWARENESS AND HANDLING PRACTICES AMONG FARMERS AND TRADERS IN SOUTH SUDAN

Maize is a popular staple food among the urban population of South Sudan. However, due to inadequate food safety surveillance and enforcement systems, there is limited information on the aflatoxin safety of maize grains at farm and market levels. Therefore, this study aimed at assessing aflatoxins awareness and handling practices of maize grains among randomly selected farmers (n=30) and traders (n=30) as well as determining the moisture content, Aspergillus species counts and aflatoxins contamination. A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out in Magwi maize producing areas, Juba retail/wholesale markets and Nimule border points of South Sudan. Moisture content, fungal and aflatoxins contamination in maize grain samples were determined using dry air oven method, dilution plating technique, and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), respectively. The respondent results showed that farmers (97%) and traders (83%) were unaware of aflatoxins. About 83% of the farmers dried their maize grains on tarpaulins, for 4 - 5 days (77%). In addition, most farmers (77%) stored their maize grain bags on raised platforms, whereas most traders (73%) stored grains on bare ground. All the maize grains met the required moisture content limit (below 13.5%). Maize from Nimule main park had the highest levels of contamination with Aspergillus flavus (9 log CFU/g), Aspergillus parasiticus (12 log CFU/g), aflatoxin B1 (505.56 μg/kg) and total aflatoxins (1,032.19 μg/kg). Maize from Gudele market was contaminated with Aspergillus parasiticus (12 log CFU/g), and aflatoxin B1 (76.55 μg/kg), and had a total aflatoxin content of 94.09 μg/kg. Omeo farmers’ maize grains had the least levels of contamination of Aspergillus parasiticus (6 log CFU/g), aflatoxin B1 (4.39 μg/kg), and total aflatoxins (7.83 μg/kg). In addition, Aspergillus flavus was not detected from Omeo farmers’ maize grains and no aflatoxins were detected from Agoro and Paluonganyi farmers’ grains. This study recommends wider aflatoxins awareness and regular aflatoxin screening of maize grains by the relevant stakeholders in South Sudan