Survey on Consumption of Vegetables and Fruits in a Coastal District in Ghana

In 2000, The World Health Organisation reported that at least 254 million preschool children suffer from subclinical vitamin A deficiency (VAD) globally. Vitamin A deficiency adversely affects growth, reproduction and resistance to infection, which could have serious economic consequences for a nation in terms of increased medical cost and reduced workforce. Strategies to reduce VAD included periodic vitamin A supplementation of children, but this is donor-dependent and therefore not sustainable. Dietary diversification in low income groups using beta-carotene rich foods such as orange fleshed foods and green leafy vegetables is being advocated. For an effective nutrition promotion drive, however, it is important to study the foods consumed in a particular locality so as to design an appropriate intervention package for that community. The current work therefore surveyed the consumption of vegetables and fruits in a coastal district of Ghana so as to identify the potential vegetables that could be promoted in the district for improving their vitamin A status. The results showed that several fruits and vegetables are eaten in the district, but the potential beta-carotene rich ones that could be promoted on a sustainable basis are mangoes and drumstick leaves. Mangoes are abundant in the district during the two fruiting seasons and could be easily accessed by the inhabitants. Likewise, drumstick leaves are available all year round and these could be incorporated into selected recipes in the school feeding programme, and could also be used in making convenience foods for easy access. Keywords: Beta-carotene, vitamin A deficiency (VAD), green leafy vegetables, fruit

Effectiveness of three different storage structures and curing process for the storage of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) in Ghana

Three different storage structures and two curing processes for the storage of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) were studied at the CSIR-Food Research Institute, Accra. Sweet potato roots initially cured under warm(30-35 °C) and very humid (90-95% relative humidity) conditions for 7 and 14 days were stored in local (traditional), pit, and clamp storage structures for 84 days. After 0-84 days of storage, the roots were sampled and physically assessed into wholesome, sprouted, fungalinfected, and insect and rodent-damaged. The decrease in percentage wholesome roots corresponded to an increase in percentage fungal-infected roots from 0 to 84 days of storage in all the three different storage structures. Clamp storage structure recorded the highest percentage wholesome roots (20.0%) compared to pit (16.3%) and local (0%) after 84 days of storage when roots were cured for 7 days. However, for 14 days cured roots stored for 84 days, local storage structure recorded the highest percentage wholesome roots (20%), pit (0%), and clamp (10%). Higher percentages of fungal-infected sweet potato roots were recorded from roots cured for14 days. Percentage sprouted roots was higher in clamp, followed by pit and local storage structures. Sprouting was delayed for sweet potato roots that were cured for 14 days in all the storage structures. Percentage damage of sweet potato roots by insect and rodent was lower inall the three storage structures compared to the fungalinfected sweet potato roots

Neutron Activation Analysis as a tool to Determine Concentration of Selected Metals in Table Salt Mined from Benya Lagoon, Ghana

This project was funded by The Directorate of Research, Innovation and Consultancy (DRIC) and the Management of the University of Cape Coast. It was sponsored as a Group-led Research involving researchers from the Department of Physics during the third call for proposals for Research Support Grants (RSGs) in 2018   Abstract Table salt is essential for life and if it contains metal impurities, it can affect the people that consume it. The Komenda Edina Eguafo Abrem municipality makes salt by evaporating brine from the Benya Lagoon. Benya lagoon is a lagoon known to be polluted due to various anthropogenic activities within its environs. The concentration of eight metals, Arsenic (As), Cadmium (Cd), Manganese (Mn) Lead (Pb), Aluminium (Al), Copper (Cu), Magnesium (Mg), and Vanadium (V) have been determined in salt mined using water from the Benya lagoon. Salt samples were selected from five fixed-sampling stations and the concentrations of the metals determined using Neutron Activation Analysis. The ranges of the measured concentrations in the salts are as follows: 161.04-632.63 mg/kg for Al, 0.001-0.004 mg/kg for As, 1.50-2.70 mg/kg for Mg, 49.14-3883.00 mg/kg for Mg, 17.24-110.96 mg/kg for Mn, and 2.85-7.10 mg/kg for V. An assessment according to the metal concentration marked Mg as the most abundant, whiles Cd and Pb the least being 0.001 mg/kg at all the five stations. Principal Component Analysis also established Mg to be the most abundant metal, and used to identify two major clusters; Group 1 (stations 4 and 5) and Group 2 (stations 1, 2 and 3). Group 2 recorded higher intensities of Mg. Using Pearson's correlation coefficient, significant correlations were drawn between Al and Mg (r = - 0.862), Mg and Mn (r = 0.863) and Mn and V (r = 0.735), indicating the same or similar source inputs for each pair. Comparison with Codex Standard for Food Grade Salt showed that concentration values recorded for Al, Mg and Mn were above recommended limits. The contamination factor (CF) and degree of contamination (CD) confirmed this level of contamination for Al, Mg and Mn for all the five Stations, with Station 2 recording the highest Degree of Contamination. the least and corroborated salt from station 2 as most contaminated considering the combined toxicity at each station. Using an average daily salt intake of 6,000 mg, the mean daily intake of the elements when one consumes salt mined from the Benya lagoon was found to be above each element’s Upper Tolerable Limit of its Recommended Dietary Allowable for the various Life Stage Groups. The associated Hazard Index suggests the probability of adverse effects when consumed. High standard deviation values for Al and Mn indicated the non-uniform spatial distribution of the individual metal contaminates at the various stations. Keywords: Benya Lagoon; salt; heavy metal; contamination factor; degree of contamination, neutron activation analysis; recommended daily allowance, GHARR-1 DOI: 10.7176/CMR/11-8-06 Publication date:October 31st 201

Performance of different strains of Pleurotus species under Ghanaian conditions

The spawn run period, time for first appearance of mushrooms, number of flushes and biological efficiency (yield) of eight different strains of oyster mushrooms grown on composted sawdust of Triplochiton scleroxylon K (Schum) were studied. The spawn run period on the compost bags for the strains ranged from 40-48 days. Plewotus citrinopileatus strain PCB showed very poor and patchy growth and the mycelium never fully colonised the substrate. This indicates that the different strains of the mushrooms utilize the given substrate at different rates. The time for first appearance of mushrooms ranged from 4 to 35 days. With the exception of P. burundii strain HK-51, which produced only one flush, all strains produced at least three flushes. Pleurotus eous strain Kapak, the highest yielding strain produced six flushes. With all the strains flush 1 gave the highest yield of 63.9g, and flush 6 the lowest yield of 0.9g. Pleurotus eous strain Kapak gave the best yield and biological efficiency whilst P. burundii strain HK-51 produced the least yield. P. citrinopileatus strain PCB did not produce any fruiting bodies during the period of study. Significant differences (