Evaluating the potential for utilising migratory locust powder () as an alternative protein source in peanut-based ready-to-use therapeutic foods.

This study aimed at exploring the possibility of substituting powdered milk (PM) with migratory locust powder (MLP) as a cheap and sustainable alternative protein source in peanut-based ready-to-use therapeutic foods used in treatment of malnutrition. The migratory locust is a wide spread and underutilised high protein edible insect. Peanut-based ready-to-use therapeutic foods (RUTFs) were formulated according to the MSF/UNICEF 2013 nutritional standards.

Characterizing Selected Sorghum Grain Varieties and Evaluating the Suitability of Their Malt Extracts for Cultivating Microbial Biomass.

Microbial biomass is cultivated for different technological applications including food processing, medicine, waste management, and research. The conventional growth media used are generally expensive thus necessitating the development of more affordable alternatives. In this study, four sorghum grain varieties, SESO 1, SESO 3, , and , and their malt extracts were characterized which is aimed at determining their suitability for growing microbial biomass.

Sorghum Malt Extract as a Growth Medium for Lactic Acid Bacteria Cultures: A Case of MNC 21.

Cultivation of lactic acid bacteria cultures is vital for research and commercial production of fermented foods. However, the conventional growth media used are generally costly. Malt extracts from four sorghum varieties (SESO 1, SESO 3, Epuripur, and Eyera) were evaluated as alternative low-cost growth media for MNC 21.

Probiotic Potential of Lactic Acid Starter Cultures Isolated from a Traditional Fermented Sorghum-Millet Beverage.

The purpose of this study was to establish the probiotic potential of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) starter cultures, MNC 21, MNC 24, and MNC 20, isolated from a traditionally fermented sorghum-millet beverage from Uganda. The cultures were examined for tolerance to acid and bile salts, bile salt hydrolase (BSH) activity, antibiotic susceptibility, biogenic amine production, mucin degradation, hydrophobicity, auto-aggregation, adherence to the ileum, coaggregation, and antimicrobial properties against selected pathogenic species. yoba 2012, a known probiotic, was the reference.

Antimicrobial Activity of Lactic Acid Bacteria Starters against Acid Tolerant, Antibiotic Resistant, and Potentially Virulent Isolated from a Fermented Sorghum-Millet Beverage.

Bacterial contamination of fermented foods is a serious global food safety challenge that requires effective control strategies. This study characterized presumptive isolated from , a traditional fermented cereal beverage from Uganda. Thereafter, the antimicrobial effect of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) previously isolated from against the , was examined.

Nutritional Characteristics of Selected Insects in Uganda for Use as Alternative Protein Sources in Food and Feed.

Insects are potential ingredients for animal feed and human food. Their suitability may be influenced by species and nutritional value. This study was aimed at determining the nutritional profile of four insects: Dipterans; black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens Linnaeus) family stratiomyidae and blue calliphora flies (Calliphora vomitoria Linnaeus) family Calliphoridae; and orthopterans; crickets (Acheta domesticus Linnaeus) family Gryllidae and grasshoppers (Ruspolia nitidula Linnaeus) family Tettigoniidae to establish their potential as alternative protein sources for animals (fish and poultry) and humans.

Comparison of the microbial composition of African fermented foods using amplicon sequencing.

Fermented foods play a major role in the diet of people in Africa, where a wide variety of raw materials are fermented. Understanding the microbial populations of these products would help in the design of specific starter cultures to produce standardized and safer foods. In this study, the bacterial diversity of African fermented foods produced from several raw materials (cereals, milk, cassava, honey, palm sap, and locust beans) under different conditions (household, small commercial producers or laboratory) in 8 African countries was analysed by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing during the Workshop "Analysis of the Microbiomes of Naturally Fermented Foods Training Course".

Probiotic Enrichment and Reduction of Aflatoxins in a Traditional African Maize-Based Fermented Food.

Fermentation of food products can be used for the delivery of probiotic bacteria and means of food detoxification, provided that probiotics are able to grow, and toxins are reduced in raw materials with minimal effects on consumer acceptability. This study evaluated probiotic enrichment and detoxification of , a commonly consumed traditional fermented cereal beverage in Uganda, by the use of starter culture with the probiotic yoba 2012 and C106. Probiotic was produced by fermenting a suspension of ground maize grain at 30 °C for a period of 24 h, leading to a decrease of the pH value to ≤ 4.

Effect of sweet potato endogenous amylase activation on energy bioavailability and acceptability of soy-enriched orange-fleshed sweet potato complementary porridges.

Energy bioavailability can be influenced by food matrix factors and processing conditions or treatments. In this study, the effects of endogenous sweet potato amylase enzyme activation and slurry solids content of soy-enriched orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) porridges on energy bioavailability (energy, weight gain, and feed efficiency ratio) and porridge acceptability were determined. Fifty-six weanling albino rats were randomly assigned to two blocks each having eight groups of seven rats.

Nutritional composition, quality, and shelf stability of processed (edible grasshoppers).

The nutritional and commercial potential of the edible grasshopper (, in ), a delicacy in Uganda and many East African tribes, is limited by a short shelf life and unverified nutritional value. This research established that is nutritious with 36-40% protein, 41-43% fat, 2.5-3.

Influence of thermal processing on hydrolysis and stability of folate poly-gamma-glutamates in broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica), carrot (Daucus carota) and tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum).

The folate poly-gamma-glutamate profile, their concentrations, and hydrolysis by endogenous gamma-glutamyl hydrolase (GGH) were evaluated in broccoli, carrot and tomato. Further studies on the effect of time and temperature on folate poly-gamma-glutamate hydrolysis and stability were carried out in broccoli since this vegetable showed the highest long-chain and total folate poly-gamma-glutamate concentration. The evolution of l-ascorbic acid, total phenols and Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) values was evaluated in parallel.