Color, pH, microbiological, and sensory quality of crickets () flour preserved with ginger and garlic extracts.

Although spices have been used in food for centuries, little is known about their use to preserve insect-based foods. This study assessed the flour produced from blanched crickets treated with extracts of either ginger, garlic or both at a ratio of 1:4 (v/w) for color, pH, microbiological profile, sensory quality, and acceptability. Sodium benzoate treated and untreated cricket flour was used as positive and negative controls, respectively.

Multi-response optimization of extrusion conditions of grain amaranth flour by response surface methodology.

The study was designed to optimize extrusion processing conditions for production of instant grain amaranth flour for complementary feeding. Multi-response criteria using response surface methodology and desirability function analysis were employed during the study. The central composite rotatable design (CCRD) was used to determine the level of processing variables and to generate the experimental runs.

Fruit and vegetable consumption, leisure-time physical activity, and sedentary behavior among children and adolescent students in Uganda.

Introduction: Fruit and vegetable (FV) intake and participation in leisure-time physical activity (PA) and in sedentary behavior in accordance with the recommendations are met in a minority of populations including children and adolescents.

Objective: To describe the frequency of FV intake, leisure-time PA, and sedentary behavior, assess compliance with international recommendations, and how selected factors are associated with these recommendations.

Methods: The FV consumption and PA questionnaire items previously assessed for reliability in a Ugandan setting were used to gather information about FV consumption, PA, and sedentary behavior among 621 children and adolescents attending schools in Kampala Uganda.

Influence of development, postharvest handling, and storage conditions on the carbohydrate components of sweetpotato (.) roots.

Changes in total starch and reducing sugar content in five sweetpotato varieties were investigated weekly during root development and following subjection of the roots to different postharvest handling and storage conditions. Freshly harvested (noncured) roots and cured roots (spread under the sun for 4 days at 29-31°C and 63-65% relative humidity [RH]) were separately stored at ambient conditions (23°C-26°C and 70-80% RH) and in a semiunderground pit (19-21°C and 90-95% RH). Changes in pasting properties of flour from sweetpotato roots during storage were analyzed at 14-day intervals.

Viscoelastic properties of sweet potato complementary porridges as influenced by endogenous amylases.

Sweet potato ( L.) roots contain amylolytic enzymes, which hydrolyze starch thus having the potential to affect the viscosity of sweet potato porridges provided the appropriate working conditions for the enzymes are attained. In this study, the effect of sweet potato variety, postharvest handling conditions, freshly harvested and room/ambient stored roots (3 weeks), and slurry solids content on the viscoelastic properties of complementary porridges prepared using amylase enzyme activation technique were investigated.