Methodology design of the regional Sub-Saharan Africa Total Diet Study in Benin, Cameroon, Mali and Nigeria.

The core food model was described more than three decades ago, and has been used ever since to identify main food contributors to dietary intakes for both nutrients and other food chemicals. The Sub-Saharan Africa Total Diet Study (SSA-TDS) uses this model to describe the food consumption habits of some selected populations of Benin, Cameroon, Mali, and Nigeria, prior to use in the completion of quantitative risk assessments with regard to food chemicals. Food consumption data were derived from food expenditure data contained in national household budget surveys that were provided by the national institutes of statistics in each country. A classification of African foods was established for the purpose of the study and core foods were selected, so as to reflect 96 ± 1% of the average national total diet expressed in weight. Populations from eight study centers were selected by national stakeholders. This approach involves the purchase of 4020 individual foods, prepared as consumed and pooled into 335 food composite samples, for analysis of mycotoxins, PAHs, PCBs and dioxins, pesticides, metals and trace elements, PFAs, and BFRs. This sampling plan aims to provide a representative, cost effective, and replicable approach for deterministic dietary exposure assessments in developing countries.

Piloting an intervention to improve microbiological food safety in Peri-Urban Mali.

INTRODUCTION: Diarrhoeal diseases remain a major cause of preventable death among children under five years old in developing countries. Studies related to infant diarrhoea causation have demonstrated a higher level of faecal contamination in weaning foods than in drinking water. Many studies have examined the microbiological quality of such foods, but few of them have resulted in an intervention. The present study builds upon an experiment in which the HACCP approach was applied to preparation of two common weaning foods (moni and fish soup) and used to develop simple hygiene measures which mothers could take in preparing and serving foods to their children, to prevent contamination. METHODS: A randomly selected sample of 60 volunteer mothers was split into two groups of 30, the first receiving messages promoting implementation of the hygiene measures, and the second as a control. Samples of the food were taken in all 60 households at the point where they would have been served to a child. These were examined microbiologically, and physical parameters were measured. The process was repeated after the mothers had received three weeks' training in the preventive measures, and again three months later on an unannounced visit. RESULTS: Before the intervention, thermotolerant coliform (TTC) contamination levels exceeded 100 per gram in 55% of food samples cooled after cooking (prior to child service) and in 86% of samples of food stored prior to child service. After the intervention, the contamination was detected (i.e. >10TTC/g) in less than 17% of food samples cooled (prior to child service) after cooking and in only 4% of food samples reheated after storage and cooled prior to child service. The reduction in faecal contamination was highly significant (P<0.0001). The follow-up visit three months later produced still better results; only 0% to 17% of food samples failed to meet our standard of <10TTC/g. CONCLUSION: The HACCP approach can lead to effective measures for improving home food safety, and is applicable with modest resources for promotion of food hygiene and safety in a low-income community.

[Use of the food cubes in the fattening of the bovines and the small ruminants in the district of Bamako. Evaluation of the potential effects on the libido of the animals]. / Utilisation des Cubes Alimentaires dans L'Embouche des Bovins et des Petits Ruminants dans le District de Bamako. Evaluation des Effets Potentiels sur la Libido des Animaux.

UNLABELLED: The goal of this work was to study the possible use of the food cubes in bovines' and the small ruminants' feeding in Bamako district and to evaluate its potential effects on these animals' libido. MATERIAL AND METHODS: To undertake this study, a transversal investigation among 384 emboucheurs and emboucheurs stockbreeders were carried out from 22 to 24 April, 2007 in 11 cattle markets in the District of Bamako. The study included 20 Moor rams aged 2 to 3 years old, divided into 4 batches of 5 heads each; 15 Moor ewes aged 2 to 3 years old were synchronized regularly and put in heat for measurements of the libido. The sheep were fed with food made up with fan of Niébé and cotton oil cake, with respectively 0 cubes jumbo for the 1st batch (control group), 2 cubes for the 2nd batch and 4 cubes for 3rd and 6 cubes for the 4th batch (the study groups). RESULTS: Finding showed that the principal ration used by the emboucheurs was the combination of straw of bush and cattle food provided by HUICOMA factories (ABH), 98,70%. The investigations revealed also that only 0,50% of the emboucheurs used the cubes Jumbo or Maggi chicken to accelerate the weight increase of their animals. Regarding the measurement of the libido, findings showed that the addition of food cubes in rams of batches II, III and IV feeding, reduced in a remarkable way time that these animals put before jumping in the presence of a ewe in heat. Regarding dimensions of the scrotum, testicles of the rams, the addition of the food cubes does have any influence. CONCLUSION: The study enabled us to affirm that the addition of food cubes in rams feeding improved considerably the libido of these animals and any impact on their health have been observed.