Purpose – The purpose of this study was to composite maize, a cereal grain with low protein and lysine
content, with groundnut a rich source of protein, to improve the nutritional quality of maize–groundnut
composite flours and their resultant porridges.
Design/methodology/approach – Defatted and full fat groundnut flours were used to prepare maize–
groundnut composite flours and porridges at the ratio of 100:0, 55:45, 70:30 and 85:15, respectively. They were
analyzed for proximate composition, energy value, amino acid and fatty acid profiles.
Findings – Compositing maize with groundnut significantly (p ≤ 0.05) increased proteins from 10 per cent
in maize flour to up to 21 per cent in composite porridge (denoted DFC1). The energy values for composite
porridges were 434 Kcal/100 g when compared with 398 Kcal/100 g established for maize porridge alone.
Lysine content was three times higher in composite flours than for maize flour, while for composite porridges,
lysine was four times higher than in maize porridge. There was an increase of 35 per cent in oleic acid content
when maize flour was composited with groundnut flour.
Research limitations/implications – Further research is required to evaluate the properties of full fat
and defatted maize–groundnut porridges and their effects on consumer acceptability.
Originality/value – It can be concluded that compositing maize with full fat and defatted groundnut has the
capability of improving the nutritional quality of cereal-based diets consequently contributing to a significant
increase in nutritional security of African populations and those of other developing countries of the world.
The contribution of the fresh produce production environment to human exposure with bacteria bearing extended spectrum β-lactamases and AmpC β-lactamases (ESBL/AmpC) has not been reported. High prevalence of ESBLs/AmpC bearing E. coli as well as a high gene transfer efficiency of lettuce and irrigation water E. coli isolates was previously reported. This stochastic modeling was aimed at quantitatively assessing human exposure to ESBL/AmpC bearing E. coli through lettuce attributable to irrigation water and subsequent horizontal gene transfer. Modular process risk approach was used for the quantitative exposure assessment and models were constructed in Ms. Excel spreadsheet with farm to consumption chain accounted for by primary production, processing, retail and consumer storage. Probability distributions were utilised to take into account the variability of the exposure estimates. Exposure resulting from ESBL/AmpC positive E. coli and gene transfer was taken into account. Monte Carlo simulation was carried out using @Risk software followed by sensitivity and scenario analysis to assess most effective single or combinations of mitigation strategies for the ESBL/AmpC positive E. coli events from farm to fork. Three percent of South African lettuce consumers are exposed to lettuce contaminated with about 106.4±106.7 (95% CI: 105.1-107) cfu of ESBL/AmpC positive E. coli per serving. The contribution of originally positive isolates and conjugative genetic transfer was 106±106.7 (95% CI: 105-107) and 105.2±105.6 (95% CI: 103.9-105.8) cfu per serving respectively. Proportion of ESBL/AmpC positive E. coli (Spearman’s correlation coefficient (ρ)=0.85), conjugative gene transfer (ρ=0.05-0.14), washing in chlorine water (ρ=0.18), further rinsing (ρ=0.15), and prevalence of E. coli in irrigation water (ρ=0.16) had highest influence on consumer exposure. The most effective single methods in reducing consumer exposure were reduction in irrigation water microbial quality variation (87.4% reduction), storage period (49.9-87.4% reduction) and growth rate reduction by 75% (90% reduction). Reduction in growth rate together with storage time (92.1-99.4%) and reduction in storage time combined with E. coli concentration in irrigation water (95-96% reduction) were most effective combinations of mitigation measures. The high variation in exposure reflected the high irrigation water quality variation. The exposure levels may impose higher consumer risk than acceptable for irrigation water risk. E. coli contamination and growth related measures, as well as measures to reduce contamination with antimicrobial resistant E. coli from lettuce production environment are recommended. This exposure model could form a basis for the development of similar models assessing the impact of contaminated irrigation water and gene transfer in other microbial hazards, antimicrobial resistance types and fresh produce types.
Beef traders’ and consumers’ perceptions on the development of a natural pasture-fed beef (NPB) brand by smallholder cattle producers were investigated. In total, 18 meat traders (five abattoirs and 13 beef retailers) and 155 beef consumers were interviewed using structured questionnaires. All meat traders had the potential but were not willing to support the development of a NPB brand citing smallholder farmers’ limited ability to supply sufficient volumes of high-quality cattle. Consumers (81%) were prepared to purchase NPB upon availability on the market but were not willing (80%) to pay a brand premium. Logistic regression model results showed that consumers’ willingness to buy NPB and pay a premium were influenced (P < 0.05) by gender, household size, income source, meat preference, meat consumption frequency, money spent on beef, frequency of beef purchases and consumption. Overall, beef traders and consumers held positive impressions regarding the development of a NPB brand by smallholder cattle producers but were not willing to support its development. Positive impressions held by value chain partners on the development of a NPB brand provide a basis for advancing development of a NPB brand. Initial efforts should enhance farmers’ capacity to supply sufficient volumes of high-quality cattle.
Beef traders’ and consumers’ perceptions on the development of a natural pasture-fed beef (NPB) brand by smallholder cattle producers were investigated. In total, 18 meat traders (five abattoirs and 13 beef retailers) and 155 beef consumers were interviewed using structured questionnaires. All meat traders had the potential but were not willing to support the development of a NPB brand citing smallholder farmers’ limited ability to supply sufficient volumes of high-quality cattle. Consumers (81%) were prepared to purchase NPB upon availability on the market but were not willing (80%) to pay a brand premium. Logistic regression model results showed that consumers’ willingness to buy NPB and pay a premium were influenced (P < 0.05) by gender, household size, income source, meat preference, meat consumption frequency, money spent on beef, frequency of beef purchases and consumption. Overall, beef traders and consumers held positive impressions regarding the development of a NPB brand by smallholder cattle producers but were not willing to support its development. Positive impressions held by value chain partners on the development of a NPB brand provide a basis for advancing development of a NPB brand. Initial efforts should enhance farmers’ capacity to supply sufficient volumes of high-quality cattle.
The objective of this study was to examine the factors influencing smallholder producers’ potential to sell cattle and identify marketing opportunities for sustainable beef production in South Africa. A total of 95 structured questionnaires was administered to the Ncorha and Gxwalibomvu communities in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Average cattle herd size per household was higher (P < 0.05) in Ncorha (13.7 ± 1.9) than in Gxwalibomvu (11.3 ± 1.9). The logit model showed that households with few members, young farmers, Christians, large cattle herds, low income levels and access to extension services had high potential to sell cattle compared with other households (P < 0.05). Beef branding (∼40% of respondents from each community), feedlotting (∼30%), group marketing (∼25%) and forward contracting (>5%) were mentioned as potential strategies for improving commercial marketing of cattle in the studied areas. Most producers (70%) indicated their potential and willingness to participate in developing a natural pasture-fed beef brand. Overall, commercial marketing of beef cattle raised on communally owned natural pastures in the surveyed areas in South Africa was largely determined by farmer’s demographic characteristics, cattle herd size and access to extension services with branding and feedlotting as the major opportunities for improving sales.
Ninety-five farmers were involved in deriving a set of social, environmental, and economic sustainability indicators, which were used to assess sustainability of the smallholder cattle production system in Ncorha and Gxwalibomvu communities in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. The derived indicators were scored on a 5-point Likert-type scale and aggregated to provide a net sustainability score. Net sustainability scores were grouped into three categories; non-sustainable (<33%), partially sustainable (33–65%), and sustainable (>65%). Aggregate sustainability scores showed that the smallholder cattle production system in Ncorha and Gxwalibomvu, respectively, was socially (48.2% and 56.6%) and environmentally (54.2% and 57%) partially sustainable, but economically (15.7% and 10.8%) non-sustainable. Aggregate scores of the two communities (Ncorha, 37% and Gxwalibomvu, 41.0%) indicated that they were both partially sustainable. Holistic agroecological interventions and institutional support have the potential to improve the economic dimension of sustainability while simultaneously maintaining or improving the social and environmental dimensions. Adoption of agroecological interventions can be facilitated through farmer field schools.
Wheat bran was substituted with cassava‐defatted toasted soy composite at 0, 10, and 20% substitution levels followed by extrusion cooking and some nutritional, functional, and rheological properties of the extrudates were determined. There was a significant (p < 0.05) increase in starch digestibility of composites after extrusion cooking, but the substitution of wheat bran lowered the rate and extent of starch hydrolysis. Extrusion cooking led to a reduction in NSI and IVPD. Substitution of cassava‐defatted toasted soy composite with wheat bran reduced expansion and solubility index of extrudates. Extrusion cooking also promoted fiber fragmentation with a consequent increase in soluble dietary fiber and a decrease in insoluble dietary fiber content. All the composites exhibited a shear thinning behavior and the composite with 20% wheat bran had the highest viscosity. The result indicates that substitution of starch with wheat bran together with extrusion cooking can be applied to produce products with improved nutritional and functional properties.
Wheat bran was substituted with cassava‐defatted toasted soy composite at 0, 10, and 20% substitution levels followed by extrusion cooking and some nutritional, functional, and rheological properties of the extrudates were determined. There was a significant (p < 0.05) increase in starch digestibility of composites after extrusion cooking, but the substitution of wheat bran lowered the rate and extent of starch hydrolysis. Extrusion cooking led to a reduction in NSI and IVPD. Substitution of cassava‐defatted toasted soy composite with wheat bran reduced expansion and solubility index of extrudates. Extrusion cooking also promoted fiber fragmentation with a consequent increase in soluble dietary fiber and a decrease in insoluble dietary fiber content. All the composites exhibited a shear thinning behavior and the composite with 20% wheat bran had the highest viscosity. The result indicates that substitution of starch with wheat bran together with extrusion cooking can be applied to produce products with improved nutritional and functional properties.
There is no doubt of the contributions made by mobile phones and mobile network operators in increasing access to communications in rural areas of developing countries. Yet how affordable is this ubiquitous access in such an ICT ecosystem? Using data from two stratified random surveys conducted in a South African rural community, this paper provides a unique in-depth picture of the expenditure and communication patterns of its dwellers. Results show a high access ratio of people using mobile phone services weekly and a high proportion of disposable income dedicated to a very constrained set of mobile phone services. Factors such as mobile phone charging and the extra charges added by airtime resellers contribute to increase the communication costs. This data and its analysis can be used by the following: regulators and government agencies to better design their policy implementations to provide universal service and access; competing industry players to understand the dynamics within rural communities to better target their products; civil society organizations to use it as a case in their efforts to make affordable communications a constitutional right.
Functional properties of flours from pre-soaked and micronised (130 °C) whole and dehulled bambara seeds (5, 10 and 15 min) were determined. An increase in micronisation time significantly reduced the pasting viscosity of the flours. Significant reductions in the differential scanning calorimetry endothermic peak enthalpies and loss of birefringence in the starch were found, indicating starch pre-gelatinisation when micronised. The low viscous paste of resultant flours seems to be related to protein denaturation as shown by decrease in nitrogen solubility index. Starch was embedded in a protein matrix as shown by confocal laser scanning microscopy. This denatured protein matrixes could be in part preventing starch hydration and dispersion during pasting and thus reduced viscosity. Dehulling reduced the pasting viscosity suggesting higher effect of micronisation for dehulled than whole samples. Resulting flours can be useful ingredients in protein energy-dense foods due to low viscosity.