Composition, functional and nutritional quality of marama ( storage root.

Marama root is known to be the major source of nutrition for the first settlers (the Herero, Tswana and Khoisan people) of Sub-Sahara Africa, but it is not yet domesticated. The potential of Marama () root in food and nutrition security may pave way for the domestication of the plant in Sub-Saharan Africa. Marama storage roots collected from two locations, Omipanda and Okomumbonde in Namibia were analysed and compared to commercial potato and waxy potato tuber as well as sweet potato root.

Hydrolysis and antioxidant activity of starch modified with phenolic extracts from grape pomace and sorghum bran under alkaline conditions.

The effect of modification with phenolic extracts from grape pomace (GPE) and sorghum bran (SBE) under alkaline conditions for 6 and 12 h, with and without washing with aqueous ethanol (post modification) on the enzymatic hydrolysis as measured by viscosity decrease and antioxidant activity of maize starch was studied. Phenolic-modified starches showed lower rate of starch hydrolysis. The DSC of residues after enzyme hydrolysis showed the conversion of type I inclusion complexes in the unwashed to type II inclusion complexes in the washed phenolic-modified starches.

Pasting, flow, thermal and molecular properties of maize starch modified with crude phenolic extracts from grape pomace and sorghum bran under alkaline conditions.

This study determined the effects of phenolic extracts from grape pomace and sorghum bran, reaction time and washing with aqueous ethanol on the pasting, flow, thermal and molecular properties of maize starch. The starch modification was carried out under alkaline conditions. The phenolic extracts increased the peak viscosity of the starch.

Dynamic Oral Texture Properties of Selected Indigenous Complementary Porridges Used in African Communities.

Child malnutrition remains a major public health problem in low-income African communities, caused by factors including the low nutritional value of indigenous/local complementary porridges (CP) fed to infants and young children. Most African children subsist on locally available starchy foods, whose oral texture is not well-characterized in relation to their sensorimotor readiness. The sensory quality of CP affects oral processing (OP) abilities in infants and young children.

Effects of stearic acid and irradiation alone and in combination on properties of amylose-lipid nanomaterial from high amylose maize starch.

This study determines the effects of stearic acid and gamma irradiation, alone and in combination, on properties of amylose-lipid nanomaterials from pasted high amylose maize starch (HAMS) with and without alpha amylase hydrolysis. HAMS was incorporated with stearic acid (0, 1.5% and 5%, w/w), irradiated at 0, 30 and 60 kGy and pasted under pressure in a rheometer.

Isolation and characterisation of nanoparticles from tef and maize starch modified with stearic acid.

Nanoparticles were isolated from tef and maize starch modified with added stearic acid after pasting at 90°C for 130min. This was followed by thermo-stable alpha-amylase hydrolysis of the paste. The resultant residues were then characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic laser scattering particle size distribution (DLPSD), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM).

Effects of stearic acid and gamma irradiation, alone and in combination, on pasting properties of high amylose maize starch.

The effects of stearic acid and gamma irradiation on pasting properties of high amylose maize starch (HAMS) were studied. Stearic acid (0%, 1.5%, and 5%) was added to HAMS, and then irradiated at 0, 30, and 60 kGy before pasting.

Inducing PLA/starch compatibility through butyl-etherification of waxy and high amylose starch.

In this study, waxy and high amylose starches were modified through butyl-etherification to facilitate compatibility with polylactide (PLA). Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and wettability tests showed that hydrophobic butyl-etherified waxy and high amylose starches were obtained with degree of substitution values of 2.0 and 2.