Advances in Food Science and Technology

Advances in Food Science and Technology Vol. 2 (7), pp. 239-244, July, 2014. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Ideal extension Practice for improved food products in Kakamega District

Batila Taranji, Wangari Amal and Siddharth Shinoda

School of Public Health and Community Development and Administration Africa Nazarene University, Ongata Rongai, Kenya.

E-mail: [email protected].

Accepted 29 June, 2014

Abstract 

Despite the importance of agriculture to Kenya's economy, the Kenya government's budgetary allocation to the sector has declined over the years. This resulted in the sector being resource constrained with a high farmer to staff ratio, hence the need for extension methods that can effectively reach more clients at the lowest cost. This paper reviews effective extension methods which have the least constraints and most cost effective that can be used by extension staff in Kakamega district. Kakamega district experiences low food production, despite the fact that it is one of Kenya's food baskets. One hundred extension staffs were systematically sampled from the department of livestock and the department of agriculture from the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics, cross tabulations, correlations and Chi-square. The research revealed that group demonstrations were the most cost effective extension methods with the least constraints. The study therefore recommended that group demonstrations and a combination of group demonstration and individual farmer follow-up be used to pass extension methods in Kakamega district.

Key words: Extension methods, food production, Kenya, Kakamega district, extension service.

Advances in Food Science and Technology Vol. 2 (7), pp. 232-238, July, 2014. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Synergy between city household food security and agriculture in Gweru City, Zimbabwe

Tatender Mapeto

Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, University of Zimbabwe, Mount Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe.

Email:[email protected]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

Accepted 02 June, 2014

Abstract 

It is estimated that 25% of Zimbabwe’s population lives in urban areas (CSO, 2002), 70% below the poverty line, and a million in the city of Gweru. The worsening macroeconomic situation in 2008 resulted in urban food insecurity. Households adopted different survival strategies, including the intensification of urban agriculture. In an effort to assess the extent to which urban household food insecurity is mitigated by UA activities, a comparative analysis between households practicing and not practicing UA was done in Gweru in 2009. Household size as well as household head sex, age and employment status were found to affect household UA practice. Results indicated that UA practicing households were food-secure than non-practicing households. Household size, UA participation, household income, household head sex, maize meal price affected household food expenditure. Household head sex, UA participation, household head age and informal activities carried out by household members significantly affected urban household food security. The study concluded that there are synergies that exist between UA and urban household food security.

Key words: Urban agriculture, household food security, Gweru.

Advances in Food Science and Technology Vol. 2 (6), pp. 225-231, June, 2014. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

The use of ethanol product from food waste hydrolysate by co-culture of (Zymomonas mobilis) and (Candida shehata) under non-sterile situation

Buttowski E., Tawongsa W. and Adran Abdelmoula

Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Thaksin University of Bangkok Metropolis. Bangkok 10300, Thailand

E-mail: [email protected].

Accepted 20 May, 2014

Abstract 

A complete conversion of the hexose and pentose sugars in the food wastes hydrolysates (FWH) to ethanol is a prerequisite for maximizing the profitability of an industrial process for bioethanol production. Response surface methodology (RSM) was employed to optimize the effects of nitrogen source [(NH₄)₂SO₄], phosphorus source (KH₂PO₄), yeast extract and inoculum size on ethanol production from FWH by co-culture of Zymomonas mobilis and Candida shehatae under non-sterile condition. The optimal conditions for ethanol production were 1.15 g/L of (NH₄)₂SO₄, 0.95 g/L of KH₂PO₄, 1.38 g/L of yeast extract and 14.75%v/v of inoculum. The results indicate that the most significant parameters affecting ethanol production from FWH by co-culture under non-sterile condition was yeast extract. Ethanol production of 77.6 g/L obtained under optimized condition was 56% increased as compared with the use of raw FWH (34 g/L) and was in good agreement with the value predicted by quadratic model (79.98 g/L), thereby confirming its validity. Ethanol yield of FWH in batch fermentation by co-culture was 0.15 g-ethanol/g-food waste (77.6 g/L), which was 94.6% of the theoretical yield while Z. mobilis alone yielded 0.11 g-ethanol/g-food waste (54.2 g/L) and C. shehatae alone yielded 0.09 g-ethanol/g-food waste (48 g/L). Ethanol production from FWH in 1-L fermentor by co-culture also gave ethanol yield of 0.16 g-ethanol/g-food waste (78.8 g/L) which was 96% of the theoretical yield. Despite of being a waste, an ethanol yield of 0.16 g-ethanol/g-food waste demonstrated the potential of food waste as a promising biomass resource for ethanol production.

Key words: Co-culture, food waste hydrolysates, non-sterile fermentation, response surface methodology, optimization.

Advances in Food Science and Technology Vol. 2 (6), pp. 216-224, June, 2014. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Some Protective measures of vitamin C against mutagenic effects of synthetic food color tartrazine

Hasnain Haider, Yaseen B. and Habib Naeem

Botany Department, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Gaza, Palestine.

E-mail: [email protected]

Accepted 05 May, 2014

Abstract

The present study has been carried out to investigate the possible mutagenic effects of the synthetic food color tartrazine on mitosis, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA) contents of Allium cepa roots and protein banding pattern of A. cepa seeds. The obtained results indicated that the synthetic food color tartrazine (E102) had the ability to cause different mitotic changes varying from reduction in mitotic index to the production of a large number of mitotic abnormalities. These changes appeared in varying degrees depending on the applied concentration and duration of treatment. The types of abnormalities produced were laggards, bridges, stickiness, C-metaphase and disturbed phases as well as micronuclei. The amounts of both DNA and RNA were generally decreased with increasing of most concentrations and time of treatment. At electrophoretic level, E102 induced alternations in the protein banding pattern of A. cepa seeds as compared with the control. These alternations were expressed as disappearance of some characteristic bands, appearance of new bands, and changes in band intensities. The administration of vitamin C was found to be very helpful in minimizing the toxic effects induced by E102.

Key words: Allium cepa, tartrazine, chromosome aberration, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA) content, protein banding patterns, vitamin C.

Advances in Food Science and Technology Vol. 2 (5), pp. 209-215, May, 2014. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

A study of cleanliness and sanitary practices of street food vendors in Northern Nigeria

Lawal Abdulkareem,  Dalhatu Garba and Ahmedu Abubakar

Department of Microbiology, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. Kaduna State, Nigeria.

E-mail: [email protected]

Accepted 27 April, 2014

Abstract 

This study examined the general hygiene and sanitary practices of street food venders in Nigeria. 110 random samples of street food venders were selected to represent 18% of street food venders in the study area. Data was collected using pre-test structured questionnaire and observation checklists. The relationships in the factors studied were determined. Food venders lacked basic training on hygiene and only 2.7% had formal training on food preparation. 63.6% acquired skills from parents while 33.7% acquired skills by self practice. 44.5% of vendors used their mouths to blow air into polythene bags to open, before using it to package foods for customers. 60.0% of the vendors prepared foods in unkempt environment with flies around the foods. The study indicated absence of evidence of relationship between venders’ education and vending location as well as between gender and personal hygiene. This study largely suggested non-compliance with the Codex Alimentarius Commission guidelines for street food control in Africa. The non regulation of street food vending business in Africa especially Nigeria portends danger of outbreak of food poisoning.

Key words: Street foods, hygiene, sanitation, vendors, food safety, Kaduna-North Central Nigeria.

Advances in Food Science and Technology Vol. 2 (5), pp. 204-208, May, 2014. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

An insight into food quality amongst metropolitan citizens: A case of Bangladesh

¹Yasir Haxor, ¹Jordan Monir and ²Koushik Rocy

¹Department of Business Administration, Bangladesh Open University, Bazar Bangladesh.

²School of Business, North South University. Bangladesh.

E-mail: [email protected]

Accepted 14 April, 2014

Abstract

Contaminated and unhygienic food intake is a major problem in the urban cities of Bangladesh. This raises a serious concern for health of the urban citizens. The research investigates into the attitude of the urban educated people on their awareness of food safety. The findings of the study suggest a high degree of awareness amongst respondents of the attitudinal survey. People with higher educational background show higher degree of awareness of how the quality of food should be maintained. A lack of confidence on the functions of government regulatory agency in testing the food standard is also reflected in the study.

Key words: Food quality, contaminated food, unhygienic environment, processed food.