Background: Deficiency of essential minerals is a widespread nutritional disorder in
the world, particularly in developing economies. Poor mineral accessibility from
foods is a major contributing factor to deficiency and associated health problems.
This study investigated the effect of malting on minerals, phytic acid, and physicochemical properties of finger millet varieties. Sorghum was used as external reference. Mineral composition was analyzed using an inductively coupled plasma atomic
emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) and mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS).
Results: Data showed that finger millet is rich in macroelements and trace elements.
Malting for 24 hr reduced mineral content of the grains except sodium. Increase in
the minerals was observed beyond 48 hr of malting particularly at 96 hr. Successive
decrease in phytic acid of the grains was not observed with malting time. Malting did
not result in any significant change in the physicochemical properties of the grains.
Conclusion: ICP-AES/MS showed that finger millet contain a variety of minerals in
amounts that were not previously reported, and malting the grain for 72 to 96 hr
positively affected the minerals. Changes in phytic acid suggest that phytate undergoes dissociation during malting rather than a degradation of phytic acid. Potential
exists for utilization of finger millet as functional ingredient to augment important
minerals in weaning, geriatric, and adult foods for health promotion.
The present study examined the influence of malting on the phenolic composition of two cultivars of finger millet using an ultra-performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometer. Total polyphenols and antioxidant activities of the grains were also evaluated using sorghum as an external reference. Catechin, epicatechin, quercetin, taxifolin, and hesperitin were isolated flavonoids, whereas protocatechuic acid was the phenolic acid detected in finger millet malt. Increases in the content of catechin, epicatechin, and protocatechuic acid were observed for 72 h and 96 h for brown finger millet and sorghum malt. Complete loss of taxifolin and hesperitin were observed with the malting period for finger millet cultivars. A similar loss was noted in the proanthocyanidin A1/A2 and catechin content of sorghum with malting time. The grain malt exhibited 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl,2,2′-azinobis-3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) radical scavenging and iron reducing activities. Increased ABTS and iron reducing activity with malting time were observed for the finger millet cultivars. The study demonstrates the presence of hesperitin in finger millet, and also shows that 72 h and 96 h of malting enhanced the catechin, epicatechin, and protocatechuic acid content, in addition to the antioxidant activity of the grain
Increased biosynthesis of abscisic acid (ABA) occurs in plants in response to water deficit, which is mediated by changes in the levels of reactive oxygen species such as H2O2. Water deficit and ABA induce expression of some RD22-like proteins. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of water deficit and exogenous ABA (50 µM ABA applied every 24 hours for a total of 72 hours) on H2O2 content in Zea mays (maize) and to characterise genes encoding two putative maize RD22-like proteins (designated ZmRD22A and ZmRD22B). The expression profiles of the two putative maize RD22-like genes in response to water deficit and treatment with ABA were examined in leaves. In silico analyses showed that the maize RD22-like proteins share domain organisation with previously characterized RD22-like proteins. Both water deficit and exogenous ABA resulted in increased H2O2 content in leaves but the increase was more pronounced in response to water deficit than to exogenous ABA. Lignin content was not affected by exogenous ABA, whereas it was decreased by water deficit. Expression of both RD22-like genes was up-regulated by drought but the ZmRD22A gene was not influenced by exogenous ABA, whereas ZmRD22B was highly responsive to exogenous ABA.
In this study, the descriptive sensory attributes, oral processing characteristics of and subjective satiety responses for extrusion cooked cassava-soy porridge with wheat bran at 0, 100 and 200 g/kg addition levels were determined. Fifteen subjects (23–47 years, mean BMI 22.6 kg/m2) consumed 250 g of each porridge type over 8 breakfast meals while being video recorded. Oral exposure time and number of bites, and eating and bite rates were determined. Subjects rated hunger, fullness and desire to eat before meal, post meal and periodically over 3 h post consumption. A separate panel profiled the descriptive sensory attributes of the porridges. The addition of wheat bran increased visually perceived viscosity and presence of visible particles. The porridge with 200 g/kg wheat bran was eaten with more bites and at a slower rate thus, having longer oro-sensory exposure. Also, the porridge with 200 g/kg wheat bran led to greater reduction in subjective reported hunger compared to the other porridges. Wheat bran as a source of dietary fibre has the potential to be incorporated as a component of extruded starch-rich foods to produce instant products which can promote satiety.
Bambara groundnut seed is an indigenous legume with good protein quality. However, the cooking time (3 h) has contributed to its under-utilisation. In this study, the effects of pre-soaking bambara groundnut seeds with or without dehulling (whole and dehulled), followed by infrared heating (130 °C, 0, 5, 10 and 15 min) on their cooking characteristics were studied. As infrared heating time increases (0, 5, 10 and 15 min), soluble pectin increased and cell wall separation was enhanced in the grains. Water absorption during soaking and cooking (whole and dehulled) were higher in infrared heated samples compared to untreated. The rate of water absorption during cooking (95 °C) was higher in pre-soaked whole and dehulled bambara groundnut after infrared heating treatment for 15 min compared to untreated seeds. Further, the cooking times of untreated whole (162 min) and dehulled (41 min) was reduced to about 60 min and 30 min respectively after infrared heating of pre-soaked seeds for 15 min. With or without dehulling, infrared heating especially at 15 min can produce bambara groundnut seeds with short cooking time limiting energy demand in both urban and rural communities in Africa.
Copper (Cu) is an essential plant micronutrient. Under scarcity, Cu2+ is reduced to Cu+ and taken up through specific high-affinity transporters (COPTs). In Arabidopsis, the COPT family consists of six members, either located at the plasma membrane (COPT1, COPT2, and COPT6) or in internal membranes (COPT3 and COPT5). Cu uptake by COPT proteins has been mainly assessed through complementation studies in corresponding yeast mutants, but the mechanism of this transport has not been elucidated. To test whether Cu is incorporated by an electrogenic mechanism, electrophysiological changes induced by Cu addition were studied in Arabidopsis thaliana. Mutant (T-DNA insertion mutants, copt2–1 and copt5–2) and overexpressing lines (COPT1OE and COPT5OE) with altered expression of COPT transporters were compared to wild-type plants. No significant changes of the membrane potential (Em) were detected, regardless of genotype or Cu concentration supplied. In contrast, membrane depolarization was detected in response to iron supply in both wild-type and in mutant or transgenic plants. Similar results were obtained for trans-plant potentials (TPP). GFP fusions of the plasma membrane COPT2 and the internal COPT5 transporters were expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes to potentiate Cu uptake signals, and the cRNA-injected oocytes were tested for electrical currents upon Cu addition using two-electrode voltage clamp. Results with oocytes confirmed those obtained in plants. Cu accumulation in injected oocytes was measured by ICP-OES, and a significant increase in Cu content with respect to controls occurred in oocytes expressing COPT2:GFP. The possible mechanisms driving this transport are discussed in this manuscript.
Marandure, T., Mapiye, C., Makombe, G., Nengovhela, B., Strydom PE., Muchenje V. and Dzama, K., 2016. Determinants and opportunities for commercial marketing of smallholder beef cattle in South Africa. African Journal of Range and Forage Science,33(3), p. 199-206,
Authors: Anne Marie Thow,Stephen Greenberg,Mafaniso Hara,Sharon Friel, Andries duToit and David Sanders
Like most other low and middle-income countries, South Africa must address a rising burden of diet-related chronic disease in a situation of persistent food insecurity and undernutrition. Supply-side policy interventions are a critical component of action to address the double burden of malnutrition. However, the food supply is governed by a number of different policy sectors, and policy incoherence can occur between government action to promote a healthy food supply and objectives for economic liberalization. We analysed the coherence of food supply policy content with respect to nutrition and food security in South Africa, and conducted 14 in-depth interviews with 22 public and private sector actors to identify opportunities to improve policy coherence across sectors governing the food supply. Drawing on Sabatier’s conceptualization of actors as influential in shaping policy outcomes, we identified three coalitions of actors related to food security and nutrition in South Africa: the dominant Economic Growth coalition, the Food Security coalition, and the Health coalition. Understanding the frames, beliefs and resources held by these coalitions offers insights into the policy tensions faced by the Government of South Africa with respect to the food supply. The analysis indicates that the current reconsideration of economic policy agendas favouring liberalization in South Africa, including the termination of most bilateral investment treaties, may present an opportunity for increased recognition of food security and nutrition priorities in food supply policy making. Opportunities to strengthen policy coherence across the food supply for food security and nutrition include: specific changes to economic policy relating to the food supply that achieve both food security/nutrition and economic objectives; creating links between producers and consumers, through markets and fiscal incentives that make healthy / fresh foods more accessible and affordable; increasing formal avenues for engagement by Civil Society in nutrition and food security policy making; and including consideration of the nutritional quality of the food supply in policy objectives across sectors, to create a framework for policy coherence across sectors relating to the food supply.
Food security double burden of malnutrition policy South Africa
Effective management of waste and the promotion and
management of recycling activities are necessary for sustainable
and liveable cities. A key but unrecognised element in promoting
recycling is the efforts of waste pickers who make a living from
recycling mainline recyclables. This article aims to describe the
approaches used on 10 landfills in South Africa to manage waste
pickers’ access to recyclables and their daily activities on the
landfills. A multiple case study design and cross-case analysis were
used in this study. The sustainable livelihoods framework (SLF) was
used to analyse and explain the data. The results showed that waste
management policies and practices directly influence the waste
pickers’ access to recyclable waste and their livelihoods. Finally,
some inclusionary and exclusionary practices are highlighted that
could guide inclusive, participatory and co-productive practices
for waste pickers in South Africa towards increased recognition,access, dignity and income.