Abstract: The consumption of pumpkin seeds in oil form or roasted pumpkin seeds has been is proved to exhibit several positive health effects. The aim of the present study was to examine the physicochemical properties, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of pumpkin (Cucurbit sp.) Seed and pulp oils. The oil extraction was done in Soxhlet apparatus using hexane as a solvent. Then, physicochemical properties of the oil extracts were determined based on determination of oil content, specif...
Abstract: Studies have linked herbal teas to the prevention of many diseases, leading to an increase in their use and demand which has endorsed an increase in their commercial activity and production. Consequently, performing a quality assessment of herbal teas in Botswana to determine their safety, medicinal and economical value has become of greater importance. The quality assessment tools used in this study entail: Antioxidant activity profiling using 2,2- diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (D...
Abstract: Overuse of pesticides in vegetables and related fresh products raises serious public health concerns. However, the recognition and assessment of the magnitude of public health risk remains a low priority in low income African communities. Brassicas are a cosmopolitan crop in African horticulture, and equally so, is the major economic pest, the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.). In consequence, insecticide use on P. xylostella in brassica production systems presents persist...
Abstract: Livestock rearing link to food security and nutrition is an important aspect to farmers and research institutions. Push-pull technology,an innovation at nternational Centre for Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE), has been distinguished as an advocate to livestock growth and production. This Push-pull novelty follows a chain to income boost and household food purchase power. This study sought to establish the perfect link of Push-pull livestock production to an enhanced household...
Abstract: This research aims to advance knowledge on the impact of four processing methods on volatile compounds from insect-based baked products (cookies) to provide insights on consumer acceptance. Samples were exposed to double step enzyme digestive test, volatiles characterized through headspace analysis, while semi-trained panelists were recruited for the sensory test. Blanched and boiled samples of R. differens had considerably higher digestibility (83.42% and 81.61%, respectively) (p ...
Abstract: Edible orthopterans (grasshoppers, crickets, and locusts) are major delicacies, especially across sub-Saharan Africa. Their promotion as food ingredients is increasingly gaining momentum.This study evaluates the nutritional profiles of three widely consumed orthopterans: Gryllus bimacu latus, Locusta migratoria, and Schistocerca gregaria after blanching and oven-drying. All three species had high protein (65.3, 54.2, and 61.4% on a dry matter (DM) basis for G. bimaculatus, L. migra...
Abstract: Rodents are one of the major postharvest pests that affect food security by impacting on both food availability and safety. However, knowledge of the impact of rodents in on-farm maize storage systems in Kenya is limited. A survey was conducted in 2014 with a total of 630 farmers spread across the six maize growing agro-ecological zones (AEZs) to assess postharvest losses magnitudes in on-farm maize storage systems in Kenya, and the contribution of rodents to the losses. Experiment...
Abstract: For centuries, maize producers in sub-Saharan Africa have been plagued by post-harvest losses from insect infestation and mould infections, with small-scale producers representing the most vulnerable populations. Participatory on-farm trials were conducted to assess the effectiveness of triple layer hermetic (PICS™) bags for storage of maize in small-scale farmers’ stores in rural villages in Makueni County,Kenya. PICS bags are three-layer hermetic bag-system that forms a barri...
Abstract: Long-horned grasshopper (Ruspolia differens), an edible insect native to sub-Saharan Africa, is considered a delicacy by some communities in the region and contributes 5-10% of the protein intake. However, its full utilization as food across the different cultural constructs has been hampered by neophobia and disgust occasioned by uncommon food cultural practices, thereby limiting its potential to combat malnutrition in the region. Therefore, there is need to process and hide the i...
TABLE OF CONTENTS TITLE PAGE CERTIFICATION DEDICATION ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES LIST OF FIGURES ABSTRACT CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY 1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM 1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY 1.3.1 MAIN OBJECTIVE 1.3.2 SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES 1.4 JUSTIFICATION 1.5 SCOPE OF STUDY CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 9 2.1 COCOYAM 2.1.1 History and Origin of Cocoyam 2.1.2 Scientific Classification of Cocoyam 2.1.3 Composition of Cocoyam 2.1.3.1 Nutritional Compo...
ABSTRACT This study assessed the effect of drying on smoked horse mackerel fillets during storage at room temperature. Smoked horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus) fillets were prepared by smoking brined horse mackerel fillets in a traditional improved kiln for 4 hours at 60 – 70oC. The fillets were later oven-dried at 65-70oC for 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 hours, spread on perforated trays and stored at room temperature of 24.5 – 34oC and relative humidity range of 59 – 87% for a period of 30 da...
ABSTRACT African oil bean seed slices (Pentaclethra macrophylla Benth) were prepared by two traditional methods, packaged in sterilized plastic containers and fermented at two different temperatures (ambient (28 ± 2 oC) and 37.5 oC temperature) for 96 hours to produce Ugba (a Nigerian indigenous protein rich food). Proximate analysis (moisture, ash, protein, fat, carbohydrate and fibre content), physicochemical analysis (peroxide, saponification, iodine, pH value), protein solubility and mi...
ABSTRACT This research was carried out to study the influence of three cooking methods (frying, smoking and roasting) on the physicho-chemical properties and the shelf – life of snail meat (Achachatina marginata). The snail meat was first washed using different washing agents (lime, alum, salt and ash) and through sensory evaluation, the best washing agent was selected and used to prepare snail meat samples for subsequent processing. The snail from the best washing agents was divided into ...
ABSTRACT Yoghurt was produced and flavoured with graded levels of watermelon pulp and juice. Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) juice and pulp was used to substitute 0, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50% of yoghurt. The chemical, sensory and microbiological properties of the yoghurts were determined. The results showed that the pH of the yoghurt ranged from 4.68 to 4.90. The protein, ash, and fat content decreased with increase in watermelon juice and pulp. The fiber content increased with the watermelon pu...
ABSTRACT Cleaned Bambara groundnut seeds were divided into four lots. Each lot was separately pretreated thus: germinated, roasted, germinated and roasted, and unprocessed which served as control. Each sample was ground, sieved, and extruded using single screw extruder. Consumer preference test was done by a taste panel of 50 people who rated the products on the attributes of colour, taste, flavour and overall acceptability using a 9-point hedonic scale. The treatment (roasting) given on the...