Influence of contrasting cultivation altitudes on the physicochemical, digestive, and functional properties of four Musa starches produced in Cameroon.

BACKGROUND: Bananas and plantains are important food sources for many people in the world. Their high starch content places them among the highest energy providers. This study aimed to determine the effects of altitude on banana starch properties in Cameroon. A dessert banana, a cooking banana, a plantain cultivar, and a plantain-like hybrid were grown at low and high altitudes (respectively at 80 m and 1300 m above sea level). RESULTS: Starch analyses showed an increase in moisture and pH values against a drop in total titratable acidity and dry matter content with respect to altitude. Amylose content, as well as water absorption capacity, oil absorption capacity and syneresis of high-altitude plantain and plantain-like hybrid, were significantly higher. Starch digestibility was low and ranged between 13.4% and 37.9% after 2 h of incubation. High-altitude plantain starches contained more amylose and were more resistant to enzymatic hydrolysis. CONCLUSION: Starches from CARBAP K74 and Kelong mekintu, grown at high altitude, showed good water and oil absorption capacities, low digestibility, and high resistance. The adequate properties of these banana starches predispose them for use as thickeners and gelling agents as well as ingredients for the formulation of low-calorie foods. This study highlights the importance of altitude when discussing banana and plantain starch properties. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Organoleptic and Physicochemical Properties of Soy-Milk Yoghurt Enriched with Moringa Oleifera Root Powder.

The organoleptic and physicochemical properties of soy-milk yoghurt enriched with moringa root powder are evaluated here. Moringa oleifera soy-milk yoghurt is produced at different formulations blended from cow milk: soymilk: Moringa in a ratio of A (100%:0%:0%; B (60%:39.9%:0.1%); C (50%:49.9%:0.1%), D (40%:59.9%:0.1%), and E (0%:99.9%:0.1%) with sample A serving as the control. Sensory analysis is done for each formulation and the physicochemical properties of the preferred formulations are performed. The pH and titratable acidity are measured by a pH meter and titration respectively. Proximate composition is measured according to Association of Official Analytical Chemists methods. The mineral content is determined by atomic spectrophotometry. Results show that soy-milk Moringa enriched yoghurts (B and C) are preferred after choosing the control (A) as the best. The incorporation of the soy-milk Moringa significantly increases the fat, fiber, protein, copper manganese, and iron content in the samples (p < 0.05). Thus Moringa enriched soy-milk yoghurts (B and C) represent a cheaper alternative to the control (A) providing protein-energy for low income families that is expected to help reduce the occurrence of kwashiorkor and wasting. The presence of zinc and calcium is expected to help in bone growth and development hence preventing stunting in children under five years and iron is expected to help reduce the prevalence of anemia among pregnant women.

Dietary intake, zincemia and cupremia of Cameroonian schoolchildren of Ngali II.

The present study is aimed at investigating the dietary intake, zincemia and cupremia of Cameroonian schoolchildren of Ngali II. A total of 211 and 200 schoolchildren aged between 7 and 18 years were recruited during the rainy season and dry season, respectively. Information on dietary intake was collected using 7-day measured food diaries. The zincemia and cupremia of the subjects were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The energy, nutrient intakes, zincemia and cupremia obtained were compared with reference values. The energy and most nutrient intakes of these schoolchildren were higher in the rainy season than in the dry season. Energy and nutrient intakes were generally insufficient, when compared with reference values in children except zinc, iron, magnesium and vitamin E intakes and in adolescents (except magnesium and vitamin E intakes). The zincemia and cupremia of the subjects were low when compared with standard values.

Risk Factors of Hypertension among Diabetic Patients from Yaoundé Central Hospital and Etoug-Ebe Baptist Health Centre, Cameroon.

Uncontrolled blood pressure is a threat to diabetic patients' life. The aim of this study was to identify risk factors of hypertension among diabetic patients at different stages from Yaoundé Central Hospital and Etoug-Ebe Baptist Health Center of Cameroon. A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted for 6 months, and 109 participants (types 1 and 2), aged 24-81 years, were enrolled using simple random sampling. A pretested structured questionnaire was used to collect sociodemographic data, habitual behaviors, clinical history blood pressure, and anthropometric measures. The prevalence of hypertension was 86.2%. Of the total, 13.8% participants were normotensive, 32.1% stage 1 hypertensive, and 54.1% stage 2 hypertensive. Being a male (p = 0.046) and not smoking (p = 0.036) were negatively associated with stage 1 hypertension whereas eating less than 3 times (p = 0.046) and duration of diabetes greater than 9 years among women (p = 0.039) were positively associated. Age above 40 years (p = 0.002) was negatively associated with stage 2 hypertension. However, age above 40 years had a negative effect among Christian, less educated diabetics, people having diabetes for more than 9 years, and those on medical treatment (5.556 ≤ specific OR ≤ 10.278). Duration of diabetes (age-adjusted OR = 1.155; p = 0.003) and abnormal waist circumference (crude OR = 4.074; p = 0.024) were positively associated with stage 2. Abnormal waist-to-hip ratio (crude OR = 3.773; p = 0.028) and feeding rate greater than 2 times a day (WHR-adjusted OR = 3.417; p = 0.046) were positively associated with hypertension (stages 1 and 2). This study suggests that hypertension, present at its two stages, is a serious health issue among diabetic patients. Thus, appropriate intervention should be put in place to prevent and control hypertension by managing identified risk factors.

The reduction of cocoa cake bitterness using natron and its effects on chocolate nutritive value.

This study aims at finding how natron reduces the bitterness of cocoa cake and also examines its effect on chocolate nutritive value. Two hundred grams of cocoa cake was treated with different amounts of natron (0 g, 0.961 g; 1.082 g; 1.202 g; 1.322 g; and 1.442 g). Sensory analyzes were performed on each natron-treated cake. Three ranges of chocolates (black chocolate, milk chocolate, and spread chocolate) were formulated with three cakes (cake with 0 g, 1.202 g and 1.442 g of natron). The nutritive value of the most preferred chocolates was determined by standard Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) methods. Results showed that natron significantly reduces the bitterness of cocoa cake (p Ë‚ .05). The natron treatment significantly improves the taste and overall acceptability (p Ë‚ .05) of all chocolate ranges. The most appreciated chocolates are those containing 1.442 g; 0 g and 1.202 g of natron, respectively, for black, milk and spread chocolate. Natron significantly decreased (p < .05) the phenolic composition of milk and spread chocolate as well as the moisture, lipid, ash, and energy content. Nevertheless, it significantly increases (p < .05) the levels of carbohydrates and fiber. The treatment with 1.202 g and 1.442 g of natron significantly increases (p Ë‚ .05) the sodium and iron content of all ranges of chocolates. For the black chocolate range, treatment with 1.442 g of natron significantly increases (p < .05) the levels of sodium, iron, zinc, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, manganese and potassium. Natron treatments improve taste, overall acceptability, and sodium and iron contents of chocolate ranges.

Elements of kitchen toxicology to exploit the value of traditional (African) recipes: The case of Egusi Okra meal in the diet of HIV+/AIDS subjects.

The Egusi Okra soup is a traditional African meal that is considered of high nutritional value and protective against weight loss. We introduce the concept of "kitchen toxicology" to analyse the recipe of the Egusi Okra soup and highlight possible mitigation measures for toxic and/or antinutritional effects in the wide spectrum of health and nutritional needs of HIV+/AIDS subjects. In particular, we focus on toxicants (environmental contaminants, process contaminants, substances leaching from food contact materials) dysregulating the immune status, as well as on interactions between nutrients, contaminants, and/or antinutrients which may lead to secondary/conditioned nutritional deficiencies or imbalances; in their turn, these can modulate the ability to cope with toxicants, and increase nutritional requirements. Recommendations are given for practices preserving the Egusi Okra soup from such risk factors, identifying points of particular attention during meal preparation, from purchase of raw ingredients through to food handling, cooking, storage, and consumption. The Egusi Okra soup is discussed in the context of a diet that is asked to mitigate complications (weight loss, opportunistic infections) and support antiretroviral therapy in African countries with high HIV/AIDS prevalence. The paper discusses how nutritional interventions benefit of the integration of kitchen toxicology practices in everyday life. Toxicological risk assessment is crucial to understand the history and status of the person exposed to or affected by infectious diseases.

Nutrient content of some Cameroonian traditional dishes and their potential contribution to dietary reference intakes.

Malnutrition is a serious public health problem in Cameroon. The research study was conducted to determine nutrient content of some Cameroonian traditional dishes and their potential contribution to dietary reference intakes. These dishes were Ekomba, prepared from maize flour with roasted peanuts paste; Ekwang, prepared from crushed cocoyam tubers and cocoyam leaves; Tenue militaire, prepared from dried maize flour and cocoyam leaves and Koki, prepared from dried crushed cowpea seeds. The samples were subjected to proximate, minerals, carotenoids, and amino acids analyses. Results showed that the protein content ranged between 1.4 and 5.4 g/100 g edible portion. The mineral content expressed in mg/100 g edible portion ranged between 13.4 and 38.9 (calcium), 12.9-30.7 (magnesium), 336.2-567.9 (sodium), 63.3-182.7 (potassium), 0.5-1.5 (iron), 0.3-1.1 (zinc), 0.1-0.2 (copper), and 0.3-0.4 (manganese). Vitamin A activity content ranged between 0.1 and 0.4 mg Retinol Activity Equivalents/100 g edible portion. Consumption of each dish (100 g) (Ekwang, Tenue militaire, and Koki) by children aged 1-2 years would meet more than 100% of their daily recommended intake for vitamin A. Except in Ekomba, essential amino acids in all dishes represented up to 33% of total amino acids, indicating a good equilibrium between amino acids. This up-to-date appropriate information will contribute for the calculation of accurate energy and nutrient intakes, and can be used to encourage the consumption of these dishes.

In vitro determination of volatile compound development during starter culture-controlled fermentation of Cucurbitaceae cotyledons.

The effects of Lactobacillus plantarum UFLA CH3, Pediococcus acidilactici UFLA BFFCX 27.1, and Torulaspora delbrueckii UFLA FFT2.4 inoculation on the volatile compound profile of fermentation of Cucumeropsis mannii cotyledons were investigated. Different microbial associations were used as starters. All associations displayed the ability to ferment the cotyledons as judged by lowering the pH from 6.4 to 4.4-5 within 24h and increasing organic acids such as lactate and acetate. The population of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and yeasts increased during fermentation. In the fermentation performed without inoculation (control), the LAB and yeast populations were lower than those in inoculated assays at the beginning, but they reached similar populations after 48 h. The Enterobacteriaceae population decreased during the fermentation, and they were not detected at 48 h in the L. plantarum UFLA CH3 and P. acidilactici UFLA BFFCX 27.1 (LP+PA) and L. plantarum UFLA CH3, P. acidilactici UFLA BFFCX 27.1, and T. delbrueckii UFLA FFT2.4 (LP+PA+TD) samples. The assays inoculated with the yeast T. delbrueckii UFLA FFT2.4 exhibited the majority of volatile compounds (13 compounds) characterized by pleasant notes. The LP+PA+TD association seemed to be appropriate to ferment C. mannii cotyledons. It was able to control the Enterobacteriaceae population, and achieved high concentrations of esters and low concentrations of aldehydes and ketones.