Vitamin A stability during storage of fortified gari produced using different fortification strategies.

Food fortification is an effective strategy to combat vitamin A deficiency. Gari, a cassava-based West African food product, is an interesting product to fortify with vitamin A, but the low stability of vitamin A poses a challenge. We showed that toasted wheat bran can stabilise vitamin A as retinyl palmitate (RP) during storage of RP-fortified gari to a limited extent.

Quality Assessment of Tomato Paste Products on the Ghanaian Market: An Insight Into Their Possible Adulteration.

Tomato paste is the most consumed tomato product on the Ghanaian market, the majority of which are imported into the country. This food product is easily adulterated, and thus, routine quality checks are necessary. Therefore, the current study is aimed at assessing the quality of eight tomato paste products on the Ghanaian market and checking for the presence of starch and artificial colourant erythrosine as possible adulterants.

Repellent and larvicidal properties of selected indigenous plants in the control of Anopheles mosquitoes.

Background Objectives: Widespread pyrethroid resistance and plastic-feeding behaviour of most malaria vectors across Africa threaten the efficacy of current insecticide-based vector control interventions like Insecticide-Treated Nets (ITNs) and Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS). This study examined the larvicidal activity ofMorinda citrifolia against Anopheles gambiae larvae and the repellent properties of Morinda citrifolia (Noni), Moringa oleifera (Moringa), and Ocimum basilicum (Basil) as complementary vector control tools against Anopheles gambiae sensu lato (s.l.

Development of yoghurt incorporated with beetroot puree and its effect on the physicochemical properties and consumer acceptance.

Background: Yoghurt is one of the most popularly consumed fermented products which provides several nutritional benefits. Yoghurt products often include flavour and colour additives however, growing awareness of the risks associated with synthetic food additives has necessitated the need to explore more natural colour and flavour as food additives.

Methods: This study evaluated the effect of beetroot puree as flavouring and colourant in yoghurt production and quality.

Assessment of some quality parameters and chemometric-assisted FTIR spectral analysis of commercial powdered ginger products on the Ghanaian market.

Background: Roscoe (ginger) rhizome is a global spice with marked pharmacological activities and industrial applications. The demand for the powdered spice soared in the wake of the COVID-19 global pandemic. The present study sought to assess powdered ginger products on the Ghanaian market for some quality parameters and compare their chemical composition via chemometric analysis of their FT-IR data.

Sensory characteristics and consumer segmentation of fried sweetpotato for expanded markets in Africa.

Prepared foods are increasing in popularity in West Africa alongside rapid urbanisation. Growing demand for fried products calls for targeted breeding efforts to meet consumer needs, but little is known regarding consumer preferences. This research identified the sensory attributes of fried sweetpotato preferred by different consumer groups using a combination of consumer acceptance testing and descriptive sensory analysis.

Fried sweetpotato user preferences identified in Nigeria and Ghana and implications for trait evaluation.

Fried sweetpotato quality is important for variety adoption in West Africa. To inform breeding efforts, the study developed a product profile for sweetpotato chunk fries using mixed qualitative and quantitative methods. Root characteristics, processing attributes, in-mouth attributes and appearance of fried product were critical to final product quality.

Effect of Size and Drying Time on the Rehydration and Sensory Properties of Freeze-Dried Snails ().

Snails, a delicacy in most tropical communities, are highly perishable and seasonal. Employed preservative methods are highly temperature dependent, adversely affecting their nutritional value and sensory properties. This study was aimed at determining the effect of size and drying time on the rehydration and sensory properties of freeze-dried snails.

Utilizing cocoyam () for food and nutrition security: A review.

The critical role of indigenous crops in the socioeconomic growth of developing nations has necessitated calls for accelerated exploitation of staples. Cocoyam, is food for over 400 million people worldwide and is the most consumed aroid in West Africa. However, it remains an underexploited food resource.

Characteristics of roots during cooking, using physicochemical analysis, uniaxial compression, multispectral imaging and low field NMR spectroscopy.

To effectively promote the industrial utilization of cocoyam () roots for enhanced food sustainability and security, there is a need to study their molecular, mechanical and physicochemical properties in detail. The physicochemical and textural characteristics of the red and white varieties of cocoyam roots were thus analysed by low field nuclear magnetic resonance relaxometry, multispectral imaging, uniaxial compression testing, and relevant physicochemical analysis in the current study. Both varieties had similar dry matter content, as well as physical and mechanical properties.