Can the image processing technique be potentially used to evaluate quality of frying oil?

Open Access JournalThe objective of this study was to investigate the feasibility of a computer vision system (CVS) for assessing the contact angle of frying oil. The oil was used to fry carbohydrate- and protein-based foods for 40 h, and the oil was collected for measuring free fatty acids (FFA), peroxide value (PV), total polar materials (TPMs), and FOS reading (dielectric constant). The results showed that FFA linearly increased with frying time (R2 > 0.95) while the polynomial correlation between TPMs and FOS reading as a result of time was observed (R2 > 0.97). The contact angle obtained from CVS was highly correlated with all chemical qualities (R2 > 0.94), except PV. In addition, the contact angle models could be used to adequately predict FFA, TPMs, and FOS reading of frying oil (R2 > 0.91). This result suggested that the image processing technique through CVS could be an appropriate alternative to chemical analysis, especially for small- and medium-scale industrial frying

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Effect of vacuum frying conditions on physico-chemical properties of banana chips

Open Access Article; Published online: 12 Dec 2018The feasibility of vacuum frying technology to produce high quality banana chips with lower oil absorption and better flavor and color was investigated. The effects of three frying temperatures (120, 130, and 140C) and three vacuum pressures (21.3, 31.3, and 41.3 kPa) were studied. The quality of vacuum fried chips was subsequently compared with that of chips fried under atmospheric conditions (101.3 kPa) at 170°C. The rate of moisture loss significantly increased (p 0.05) difference in color (L* = 58.8, a* = 5.1, b* = 23.9) was found in any of the chips fried under each vacuum condition. Banana chips fried under vacuum pressure conclusively contained (p < 0.05) less oil, were lighter in color, had higher volume shrinkage, less crispness, and a harder texture than atmospherically fried chips

Optimal physicochemical properties of dried litchis for Thai consumers

The litchi is a fruit essential for the economies of several Southeast Asian countries, but markets regularly reject it, mainly due to spoilage. Drying extends the shelf-life of litchis, but in Thailand the optimal characteristics of the dried product have not yet been determined. The purpose of this study was to determine the optimum physicochemical properties of dried litchis – those suitable for Thai consumers. The dried fruits were submitted to physicochemical measurement and consumer evaluation, with datasets subsequently integrated using circular ideal-point regression analysis. Response surface methodology was then used to predict the optimum physicochemical properties of the fruits. It was found that Thai consumer preferences with regard to dried litchis are for the fruits to be of golden-yellow color (L* ranging around 54; H ranging around 79°), to have a soft flesh (SMF ranging between 13 and 14 kN/100 g) and to have a sweet taste (TSS:TA ranging between 25 and 28). The results may be used in the future to prescribe pretreatments and drying conditions

Innovative technologies to manage aflatoxins in foods and feeds and the profitability of application – a review

Article purchased; Published online:18 January 2017Aflatoxins are mainly produced by certain strains of Aspergillus flavus, which are found in diverse agricultural crops. In many lower-income countries, aflatoxins pose serious public health issues since the occurrence of these toxins can be considerably common and even extreme. Aflatoxins can negatively affect health of livestock and poultry due to contaminated feeds. Additionally, they significantly limit the development of international trade as a result of strict regulation in high-value markets. Due to their high stability, aflatoxins are not only a problem during cropping, but also during storage, transport, processing, and handling steps. Consequently, innovative evidence-based technologies are urgently required to minimize aflatoxin exposure. Thus far, biological control has been developed as the most innovative potential technology of controlling aflatoxin contamination in crops, which uses competitive exclusion of toxigenic strains by non-toxigenic ones. This technology is commercially applied in groundnuts maize, cottonseed, and pistachios during pre-harvest stages. Some other effective technologies such as irradiation, ozone fumigation, chemical and biological control agents, and improved packaging materials can also minimize post-harvest aflatoxins contamination in agricultural products. However, integrated adoption of these pre- and post-harvest technologies is still required for sustainable solutions to reduce aflatoxins contamination, which enhances food security, alleviates malnutrition, and strengthens economic sustainability

Review of solar dryers for agricultural products in Asia and Africa : An innovation landscape approach

Solar drying is one of the most efficient and cost-effective, renewable, and sustainable technologies to conserve agricultural products in Asian and sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries. This review paper presents the different types of solar dryers that are widely used in Africa and Asia. In addition, the pre-eminent effects of their use on product quality, as well as their economic, environmental, and social impacts, are highlighted. Since financial, external, and structural factors play a key role in the adoption and scaling of solar dryers, this paper also discusses the impact of these factors on the effectiveness of solar drying technologies in selected Asian and SSA countries.</p

What are the key factors influencing consumers' preference and willingness to pay for meat products in eastern DRC?

Dietary patterns for consumers among the elite and middle‐income classes in developing countries are shifting rapidly toward the consumption of more animal‐based products. Although this shift presents opportunities, there are significant market failures affecting their preferences and willingness to pay (WTP). This study used a multistage sample survey of 309 consumers from three different communities of Bukavu, Eastern DRC, to examine the effect of socioeconomic/socio‐demographic characteristics and quality attributes on consumers’ purchasing decisions and WTP for meat products. The results suggested that about 53% of the respondents were dissatisfied with meat products in the market due to their high price, low quantity, unhealthiness, and harmful effects. Older female respondents living in urban areas were more likely to purchase meat products. Their WTP was significantly determined by attributes such as color, in‐mouth texture, and availability. Nutrition, harmful effects, and availability of meat products are the important factors that influence purchasing decisions among higher income groups. Addressing these market failures could have an impact on the meat market, improving the nutrition of low‐income consumers and ensuring food safety standards in DRC and other developing countries with similar challenges

Occurrence of aflatoxin in agricultural produce from local markets in Burundi and Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo

Open Access JournalAflatoxins are noxious secondary metabolites, of certain fungal species, found in food and feed. Contamination of a commodity with aflatoxins is associated with production and storage losses, and subsequently less food availability. Aflatoxins can also pose human health risks and represent a barrier to the development of trade, in both domestic and international markets. In this study, samples of cassava, maize, groundnut, beans, soybean, sorghum and milk, and their processed products were collected from local markets in Burundi and Eastern DRC. In order to investigate the levels of aflatoxin, crop samples were analyzed using a single step lateral flow immunochromatographic assay (Reveal Q+), while enzyme‐linked immune‐sorbent assay (ELISA) was used to analyze aflatoxin‐M1 in milk, yogurt, and cheese samples. The results revealed the presence of aflatoxins in all samples from both countries, with levels ranging from 1.3 to 2,410 μg/kg. Samples collected from Burundi contained relatively higher (p > 0.0.5) levels of aflatoxins. In 51% of all the crops samples, total aflatoxin contamination was above the EU maximum tolerable level of 4 μg/kg. Processed products, particularly from groundnut, maize, and sorghum, had the highest levels of aflatoxin contamination when compared to unprocessed grain. With regard to milk and dairy products, the level of aflatoxin‐M1 ranged from 4.8 to 261.1 ng/kg. Approximately 29% of milk and yogurt samples had aflatoxin‐M1 higher than the EU regulatory limit of 50 ng/kg, whereas 20% of cheese samples were found to be contaminated at levels higher than the maximum limit of 250 ng/kg. These results can serve as the basis for pre‐ and postharvest approaches to reduce aflatoxin contamination in agricultural commodities in Burundi and Eastern DRC in order to reduce health risk, avoid reduced production in livestock, and open up export markets

Variability of provitamin A carotenoids in plantain: influence of cultivar, bunch type, maturation stage, and location

Open Access Article; Published online: 01 Sept 2020In this study, the effect of ripening stage (R), cultivar (C), bunch type (T), and location (L) on the variability of provitamin A carotenoids (pVACs) in 16 plantain cultivars grown in Cameroon and Gabon was investigated. For the sixteen plantain cultivars, fruits were collected at stages 1 (unripe), 5 (ripe), and 7 (overripe) from three different bunch types (French, False Horn, and True Horn) across 13 locations in Cameroon and Gabon. For all cultivars, the highest concentration of carotenoids was found in ripe pulp (p < 0.05). For bunch type, a higher level of pVACs was observed in the French type compared with the False Horn and True Horn types at all ripening stages. In addition, the concentration of pVACs at each ripening stage varied greatly across locations. In both countries, the interaction between the four factors, particularly between R × C, R × T, R × L, R × C × L, and R × T × L, contributed significantly (p < 0.05) to the variability of pVACs in plantain. Daily consumption of 100 g of ripe plantain could meet 36.2–101.7 % of the dietary reference intakes (DRIs) for children 1–5 years old, 20.7–58.1 % for adult women, and 16.1–45.2 % for adult men. These findings can serve as a guide to reducing vitamin A deficiency (VAD) in Africa

Assessing milk products quality, safety, and influencing factors along the dairy value chain in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo

Dairying is one of the new promising economic sectors in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), but still not explored enough to ensure consumers' safety. This study aimed to assess the health risks and nutritional profile of milk products along the value chain in South-Kivu and Tanganyika provinces. A total of 288 milk actors, including 160 producers, 35 collectors and 93 vendors, were concerned for interview and milk samples collection. A total of 302 milk samples (159 raw, 44 pasteurized, 76 fermented and 19 white cheese so-called “Mashanza”) were collected for physicochemical [pH, fat, non-fat dry matter (NFDM), lactose, protein, freezing point, density] and microbiological (total Aerobic Mesophilic Flora, Escherichia coli, Total Coliforms, Fecal Coliforms, Salmonella and Staphylococci) analyses. Results revealed that the physicochemical characteristics of the milk mostly varied according to the type of milk and the regions. The pasteurized milk from Tanganyika presented the best physicochemical parameters [crude protein (CP) = 4.36%, Fat = 4.06%, NFDM = 12%, lactose = 5.4%, density = 1.02 and pH = 6.59] compared to other types of milk. For microbiology, no E. coli was recorded but Salmonella and Staphylococci were found in all the milk types with the values not exceeding 3 × 104 CFU ml−1 and 3 × 103 CFU ml−1, respectively. This implies a long-term consumers' health issue if appropriate measures are not taken by milk actors along the value chain. The microbiological quality was influenced by the ecologies of production axis (representing the production zones) and by handling methods and infrastructures used by the actors involved along the value chain. Factors related to animal husbandry, milking method, milk processing and packaging had no significant effect on the physicochemical parameters under study. These results indicated that health risks for milk consumers are accrued by production practices and handling by milk actors due to shortage of required skills and appropriate equipment along the milk value chain. Observance of hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP) measures is carefully required along the milk value chain nodes to improve the quality of milk produced and sold and thus reduce the risks among consumers in South-Kivu and Tanganyika provinces