The scope of nanotechnology is increasingly covering every facets of life, with applications to food taking a lead. Starting from the first-generation passive nanomaterial and now, the energetic nanotechnology to food and food systems is growing exceedingly, although nano foods are in growing stage. Applications include utilization of nanotechnology in Food safety and food safety assurance, production of nanoparticles which are better biologically active than large sized particles, neutraceut...
Abstract: The term 'locusts' refers to insect species which can aggregate into migratory swarms that cause wide-scale destruction of crops and pasture, causing significant effect to food security. This review assesses the potential of harnessing locust swarms for beneficial uses. Among 21 known locusts, ~10 species have been traditionally consumed by humans or fed to animals for millennia in 65 countries. Their nutritional composition is comparable or superior to that of conventional meat. H...
Abstract: Enset (Ensete ventricosum), is a perennial herbaceous plant belonging to the family Musaceae, along with banana and plantain. Despite wild populations occurring in eastern, central and southern Africa, it is only in Ethiopia that the crop has been domesticated, where it is culturally and agriculturally symbolic as a food security crop. Although an under-researched orphan crop, enset serves as a staple food for about 20% of the Ethiopian population, comprising more than 20 million p...
Abstract: The unfavorable soil (low supply of nutrients, high levels of toxic elements, salinity, compaction) and climatic (drought, waterlogging, high temperature, low temperature) conditions reduce plant and crop productivity (Pereira, 2016). Low fertility soils, and extreme weather events resulting from climate change, are a major threat to global food security (Evans, 2009). Plants have evolved sophisticated adaptive mechanisms to withstand the multiple abiotic stresses to which they are...
Abstract: In this era of global climate change, intrinsic rapid and evolutionary responses of invasive agricultural pests to thermal variability are of concern given the potential implications on their biogeography and dire consequences on human food security. For insects, chill coma recovery time (CCRT) and critical thermal minima (CTmin ), the point at which neuromuscu-lar coordination is lost following cold exposure, remain good indices for cold tolerance. Using laboratory-reared Spodopte...
Weaning food was produced from the blends of sprouted and unsprouted sorghum–Irish potato, and groundnut flour. In the developed weaning foods, moisture content ranged from 8.44% to 12.70%, crude protein (7.40%–14.53%) crude ash (1.53%–1.77%), crude fiber (6.65%–6.88%), crude fat (3.31%–3.73%) and carbohydrate content (65.10%–69.15%). Sprouting and protein supplementation with groundnut improved the protein content of the formulated meals with values comparable to commercial sam...
Abstract: Lepidoptera represents one of the most abundant and diverse insect groups globally, with more than 178,159 species described in more than 4000 genera. This paper discusses the economic importance of these insects in Cameroon. The work was built on a comprehensive review of 60 relevant published articles from 1955 to 2021.Results show a great diversity of insects of economic importance belonging to the order Lepidoptera, of which 51 are known at the species level, eleven at the genu...
A spice is a vegetable substance of indigenous or exotic origin, which has a hot pigment taste that could be used to enhance taste of food or add to food some necessary stimulant ingredients. Knowledge of radioactivity levels in human diet is of particular concern for the estimation of possible radiological hazards to human health. In this study, the radioactivity concentrations of 40K, 238U and 232Th in some selected natural food spices commonly used in Nigeria were determined using gamma sp...
Abstract Almost one-third of lactating mothers in Sub-Saharan Africa are undernourished. The study examined the effect of food price hike on the nutritional quality of lactating mothers in Nigeria with particular reference to Gusau metropolis, Zamfara state, Nigeria. The study is quantitative using cross-sectional and survey research techniques. The research analysed data from 467 lactating mothers in Gusau metropolis employing snowballing sampling technique. Data were analysed using Statisti...
Abstract: This research focuses on the SME's in the food processing industry in Kenya. Mainly due to the realization that the Agricultural sector especially with regard to food processing is still vastly unexploited and with great potential for contributing in the economic growth of this country. Adoption of Operations based strategies in the : processing of food products is key to realizing the contribution anticipated in this sector in terms of creation of employment and contribution to th...
Abstract: In Africa, the human person is the supreme force, the most powerful and dominant among all created beings. While this decreed power makes the lower beings subservient to humanity, it is only intended to be a source of harmony in the advancement of the hospitality and the joy of the human species. Today however, the traditional lifestyles of Africans are threatened with virtual extinction by insensitive development over which the indigenous peoples have no participation. Africa has n...
Abstract: The current honey bee decline necessitates the use of alternative native pollinators to ensure global food security. Here, we compared the pollination behaviour and efficiency of the African honey bee (Apis mellifera) and six African endemic Meliponini (Meliponula bocandei, Dactylurina schmidti, Meliponula lendliana, Hypotrigona gribodoi, Meliponula ferruginea and Meliponula togoensis) in a greenhouse with the non-parthenocarpic cucumber variety Super Marketer. Honey bees and D. sc...
Abstract Improving food security and environmental conservation should be the main targets of innovative farming systems. Conservation agriculture (CA), based on minimum tillage, crop residue retention and crop rotations has been proposed against poor agricultural productivity and soil degradation. This paper discusses the applicability and potential benefits of CA in Rwanda under the unfolding climate change scenario. The potential and benefits from CA may vary with rainfall regime. In high...
The study evaluated the relationship between green recruitment and organizational performance infood, beverage and tobacco manufacturing firms in Enugu State. The specific objectives were to:examine the relationship between attracting knowledgeable employees and quality service; evaluatethe relationship between retaining skilled employees and the profitability and identify the relationshipbetween recruiting innovative employees on the sales volume of food, beverage and tobaccomanufacturing fi...
Abstract This study addresses three distinct but interrelated issues in the integration of local food suppliers in modern food distribution in Tanzania. These issues are: What are key factors driving the development of modern food retailing in Tanzania? What factors influence the participation of local modern food suppliers in the industry? And, finally: What policies and strategies can be adopted to increase local suppliers‘ participation in the industry? The study used a critical realism...