Evaluation of nutrient composition, functional and sensory attributes of sorghum, pigeonpea and soybean flour blends as complementary food in Nigeria

Child malnutrition, due to poor quality of complementary foods, is a major cause of mortality among children in many sub-Saharan Africa, Nigeria inclusive. The study aimed to develop a nutritious complementary food from Nigeria’s staple foods. Complementary food was developed from flour blends of sorghum, pigeonpea and soybean with the help of D-optimal mixture design, using Design Expert 9.0. The proximate and antinutrient composition, functional and sensory properties of the blends were determined. One-way analysis of variance was employed to analyse the data, and Duncan’s multiple range test used to separate the means at p < 0.05. The moisture (8.60 - 9.71%), crude protein (21.84 – 22.63 %), crude fat (2.57 – 2.94 %), crude fibre (5.15 – 5.94 %), ash (3.71 – 4.12 %) and carbohydrate (56.06 – 57.44 %) contents of the blends varied significantly (p < 0.05) among the flour blends. The proteincontent of the blends increased as legumes increased in the formulation. There were significant (p < 0.05) differences in the antinutrient composition and pasting properties of the flour blends. Significant (p < 0.05) differences occurred in the functional properties of the blends except water absorption capacity. All the complementary foods were acceptable but the one obtained from flour blend of 71.4 % sorghum, 14.4 % pigeonpea and 14.3 % soybean had the highestoverall acceptability score. Hence, a nutritious and acceptable complementary food could be produced from flour blends of sorghum, pigeonpea and soybean.Key words : Sorghum, pigeonpea, soybean, complementary food, antinutrien

Changes in nutritional, texture, rancidity and microbiological properties of composite biscuits produced from breadfruit and wheat flours enriched with edible fish meal

Open Access Article; Published online: 30 Apr 2021The use of indigenous crops in the preparation of nutritious snacks such as biscuits has been reported as a means of alleviating the perennial problem of malnutrition among Nigerians, especially children. However, storage has been recognised as a factor affecting the attributes of these biscuits. This study investigated the quality changes of biscuit produced from fish meal enriched-composite flour of breadfruit and wheat. Freshly harvested seedless variety of breadfruit, matured catfish, wheat flour and other ingredients were procured from local outlets in Ogun State, Nigeria. Breadfruit flour (BF) was produced by washing, manual peeling, washing, grating, bagging, dewatering, pulverizing and drying. Edible fish meal (EFM) was produced by washing, eviscerating, steaming and drying Catfish. Five blends of BF, WF and EFM were obtained from the optimised solutions of the D-optimal mixture design. Samples were stored (HDPE; 28 ± 2 °C) for 12 weeks. The proximate and mineral compositions, rancidity, texture profile and microbial counts of the biscuits were determined. Data were subjected to Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and independent sample t-test. The means from ANOVA were separated using Duncan’s Multiple Range Test at p ≤ 0.05. At the end of the storage period, the biscuit blends were significantly (p ≤ 0.05) different in moisture, protein, fat, fibre, ash, carbohydrate, calcium, iron and zinc. Increased levels of EFM in the blends led to increase in protein, fat, calcium, peroxide value (PV) and free fatty acid (FFA) value of the biscuits. At the end of the storage period, moisture increased, while fat decreased. The PV and FFA of most samples increased significantly (p ≤ 0.05) with storage, and were within the maximum permissible level. Total bacterial and mould counts also increased significantly (p ≤ 0.05) and exceeded the permissible level after 4 weeks of storage. Hence, the biscuits are suitable for consumption within 4 weeks under the investigated storage conditions

Nutritional, texture, and sensory properties of composite biscuits produced from breadfruit and wheat flours enriched with edible fish meal

Open Access Article; Published online: 30 Sept 2020This study aimed to develop biscuits with improved nutritional contents using edible fish meal from catfish as the source of macro‐ and micronutrient enrichment while trying to reduce the input of wheat flour in biscuit‐making process. The biscuit was produced using edible fish meal (EFM: 0%–40%) from catfish, improved quality breadfruit (IQBF: 0%–60%), and wheat flours (WF: 0%–40%). Macro (crude protein, fat, fiber, ash, and carbohydrate)‐ and micro (calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, sodium, and iron)‐nutrient contents of the biscuit were determined. The color (lightness—L*, redness—a*, and yellowness—b*), texture (hardness, springiness, and adhesiveness), and sensory (taste, texture, and overall acceptability) attributes of the biscuits were assessed using standard methods. Model characteristics of the responses were profiled, and numerical optimization technique was used to predict combination/blends that produce biscuits with desired nutritional contents. Moisture, crude protein, fat, fiber, and ash values were in the range of 3.50%–5.57%, 3.06%–15.52%, 13.62%–26.00%, 0.31%–1.40%, and 1.98%–5.32%, respectively. The iron, calcium, and phosphorus contents of the biscuit ranged from 103.85 to 201.30 mg/100 g, 100 to 754 mg/100 g, and 8 mg/100 g to 304 mg/100 g, respectively. Interaction between the models for WF and EFM was significant and this significantly affected the L* (36.37–51.90) and adhesiveness (0.01–0.29) values for color and texture, respectively. Similar observations were also noticed for most of the nutrients. The quadratic models selected for the nutrients were all significant (p < .05) and the adjusted R2 ranged from 0.61 to 0.84 and 0.59 to 0.97 for the macro‐ and micronutrients, respectively. In conclusion, a biscuit from IQBF, WF, and EFM of 61.33, 0.07, and 38.60 with protein, fat, ash, iron, and calcium contents of 10.41%, 17.59%, 2.05%, 120.52 mg/100 g, and 500.00 mg/100 g, respectively, was produced

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

Quality Attributes of Custard Prepared from Selected Varieties of Sweet Potato Starch Enriched with Soy Protein Isolate

The study investigated the effect of soy protein isolate (SPI) addition on the quality attributes of custard from selected varieties of sweetpotato starch (SPS). Starch was prepared from orange-fleshed sweetpotato (OFSPS) and yellow-fleshed sweetpotato (YFSPS). Simplex lattice design was employed to obtain the various combinations of SPS and SPI. Proximate composition, instrumental colour, functional and pasting properties of the sweetpotato starch and the blends were determined. The sensory attributes of the optimized custard samples with the commercial custard were determined using t-test. The protein and ash contents increased while the fat and carbohydrate contents decreased as the inclusion level of SPI increased in the blends. The addition of SPI significantly decreased (p&lt;0.05) the dispersibility, packed bulk density; peak, trough, breakdown, final and setback viscosities but increased the least gelation concentration, water absorption capacity and swelling power of the blends. There was significant (p&lt; 0.05) difference in the sensory attributes of cooked custard prepared from the optimized blends and the control sample. In conclusion, blending 80% OFSPS with 20% SPI; and 75% YSPS with 25% SPI produced acceptable custard

Effects of Fat Content and Packaging Materials on the Functional Properties and Storage Stability of Dika Nut (Irvingia gabonensis) Flour

This study evaluated the influence of fat content and choice of packaging material on the functional properties and shelf stability of dika nut flour. Dika nut flour was partially defatted to achieve two levels of fat content (12 and 9% fat). The partially defatted and full fat (67%) dika nut flour samples were packaged in high and low density polyethylene films. The flour samples were stored at ambient condition (26 + 2°C, 78 + 2% RH) for twelve weeks and changes in chemical composition, functional properties and microbiological qualities of the flour samples were determined using standard methods. The results obtained showed significant (p&gt;0.05) increases in moisture (4.02 – 11.20%), free fatty acid (0.33 – 0.94%), peroxide value (2.30 – 11.50meq/kg), bulk density (0.26 – 0.71g/cm3), viscosity (12.53 – 48.90cP), total bacteria count (2.10 x 102 – 6.5 x 103cfu/g) and mould count (2.30 x 102 – 6.10 x 103cfu/g) of dika nut flour samples; while dispersibility (85.67 – 74.80%), water absorption capacity (25.50 – 20.65g/g) and oil  absorption capacity (5.07 – 3.60g/g) decreased significantly (p&gt; 0.05) during storage. Models of regression equation (0.801 &lt; R2 &lt; 0.992) used to estimate the shelf life gave 34 weeks for dika nut flour (12% fat) and 33 weeks for dika nut flour (9% fat) packaged in high density polyethylene film while those packaged in low density polyethylene films gave shorter estimated shelf life of 15 weeks for full fat dika nut flour. The study showed that partial defatting could be used to improve the functional properties of dika nut flour for soup preparation as well as its storage stability.Keywords: Dika nut flour, functional properties, defatting, packaging materials, shelf life