A model for education and promoting food science and technology among high school students and the public

A model for education and promoting food science and technology (FST) as a career among high school students and the public is proposed. Important as FST may be, there has been a general down trend in the number of students enrolling for the course in the institutions worldwide. This is not unconnected with the “home economics/catering” image perception of the discipline by the public. The efforts of some developed countries in reversing this trend were reviewed. The USA, UK, Australia and Canada have put activities in place to this end, hence their stride in food security. If developing continents like Africa will overcome food insecurity, deliberate effort should be geared in making sure FST as a discipline/profession, receives the proper image and boost in enrolment. The proposed model uses the food chain to make a distinction between FST and other food-related professions such as home economics, hospitality management and nutrition/dietetics. FST operates at the secondary stage (processing and distribution) of the food chain closer to the farm gate, providing its end product (food) for other professions while targeting the public. All the other food related disciplines operate at the tertiary stage (retail) directly with the consumer while depending on the product of FST. The core business of the food industry is the product, process and the company, with FST directly involved in all of these areas. The model also highlights the involvement of FST in these areas as well as the need for industry-academia partnership.Key words: Food science and technology, image, home economics, dietetics, nutrition, food chain

Optimisation of wheat-sprouted soybean flour bread using response surface methodology

The effect of sprouted soybean flour on wheat bread was studied. Sprouting significantly increased the vitamin C content of soybean flour from 2.0 mg kg-1 to 3.25 mg kg-1. The sprouted soybean flourresulted in increased loaf volume, a firmer, spongy and more elastic loaf. However, increasing the sprouted soybean flour beyond 10% adversely affected these qualities. The loaf with 4% yeast and 5% sprouted soybean was significantly rated better in taste and general acceptability than the control. Significant differences existed (p < 0.05) in the proximate composition between the wheat-sprouted loaves and their respective controls. The addition of the 5% sprouted soybean resulted in a significantincrease in protein, fibre and ash content of white bread. The quadratic polynomial regression model was adequate and acceptable at 0.05% for predicting the specific loaf volume and apparent yield stress. Response surface was saddle shaped for specific loaf volume where a maximum or minimum response is found at various combinations of the independent variables, corresponding to the optimal yeast (2.15%) and sprouted soybean flour (11.8%). Apparent yield stress value of 120 kN/m2 can beobtained from baking with yeast (2.4%) and sprouted soybean flour (10.6%)

Characteristics of local pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) grains

The physico-chemical characteristics of local pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) grains (\"gero\", \"dauro\", \"gayamba\") for \"fura\" production are reported. The colours of the pericarps of the three cultivars were different. \"Dauro\" had a blue-gray colour; \"gero\" had a brown colour and \"gayamba\" a yellow colour. The \"gero\" cultivar is significantly lighter in weight (4.56 1.21g) compared with \"dauro\" (7.06 0.01g) and \"gayamba\" (8.43 1.07g). There was no significant difference (p>0.05) in 1000-kernel weight between \"dauro\" and \"gayamba\". \"Dauro\" and \"gero\" had non-waxy endosperm, while \"gayamba\" had waxy endosperm. Total amylose content of the pearl millet flours showed significant variation. \"Gayamba\" had a lower amylose content. The implication of the waxy endosperm and amylose content of \"gayamba\" has been highlighted. Differences existed among the flours in cooking yield and water added cooking yield. Cooking yield is not dependent on the water added, rather on the swelling capacity of the flours, \"gero\" and \"gayamba\" flours having a higher swelling capacity gave higher cooking yield. There was no significant difference (p>0.05) among the \"fura\" samples in hardness, springiness, cohesiveness, chewiness and gumminess. However, significant differences (

System Parameters and Product Properties Responses During Extrusion of Fura from Millet-Soybean Mixtures

A three-factor, three-level central composite rotatable composite design (CCRD) was adopted to study the effect of feed composition (X1), feed moisture content (X2) and screw speed (X3) on the system parameters (torque, pressure, and specific mechanical energy) and fura extrudate properties (expansion ratio and bulk density) from blends of pearlmillet and soybean flour mixtures. The torque was influenced negatively but significantly (p &lt; 0.05) by linear effects of feed composition and screw speed. The die pressure was also influenced negatively by the linear effects of the screw speed significantly (p &lt; 0.05). The response surface plot showed that the specific mechanical energy SME was decreasing as screw speed increased while SME marginally decreased as feed moisture increased. The linear effects of the independent variables significantly (p &lt; 0.05) affected the expansion ratio. The linear and quadratic effects ofthe independent variables significantly (p &lt; 0.05) affected the bulk density. The CCRD was effective in explaining the effect of the process conditions on fura as influenced by feed composition, feed moisture and screw speed. The importance of process variables on system parameters and physical properties could be ranked in the following order: Feed Composition (X1) &gt; Feed Moisture (X2) &gt; Screw Speed (X3). Response variables predicted with model equations under optimum conditions were in general agreement with experimental data. The data obtained from the study could be used for control of product characteristics and possible projection for the commercial production of fura