ABSTRACT
Yam (Dioscorea spp) is an essential tuber crop for hundreds of millions of people in many African, Asian and South American countries. Considering in particular Southwest Nigeria, chips, flakes and flours are amongst the most common shelf-stable traditionally-processed yam products. This paper reports a systematic study on the proximate (moisture, protein, carbohydrate, fibre, fat, ash and gross energy) and mineral composition of these three food commodities sold in Nigerian markets. Results showed no significant differences in the moisture, crude protein and fibre content of all samples (10.0-12.3, 2.7-4.3 and 1.3-2.0 wt%, respectively). Gross energy was also comparable for all yam derived food items (between 3300 and 3507 kcal/kg), contradicting the common belief that yam flakes have lower nutritional value than chips and flours. Considering the mineral composition, Ca, Mg, P and K were the predominant macronutrients. Micronutrients such as Zn, Co, Mn and Cu were also detected. Significant differences existed between products, and their various sources (markets). Principal component analysis showed a direct correlation between ash content of the samples and the assessed macronutrients, irrespective of the market, or the seller of the commodities. This study confirmed that yam derived food stuffs have an adequate nutritional composition, irrespective of their form and/or origin.
ABSTRACT
AIMS: To develop a multiplex TaqMan-based real-time PCR assay (qPCR) for the simultaneous detection and quantification of both RNA and DNA viruses affecting cassava (Manihot esculenta) in eastern Africa. METHODS AND RESULTS: The diagnostic assay was developed for two RNA viruses; Cassava brown streak virus (CBSV) and Uganda cassava brown streak virus (UCBSV) and two predominant DNA viruses; African cassava mosaic virus (ACMV) and East African cassava mosaic virus (EACMV), which cause the economically important cassava brown streak disease (CBSD) and cassava mosaic disease (CMD) respectively. Our method, developed by analysing PCR products of viruses, was highly sensitive to detect target viruses from very low quantities of 4-10 femtograms. Multiplexing did not diminish sensitivity or accuracy compared to uniplex alternatives. The assay reliably detected and quantified four cassava viruses in field samples where CBSV and UCBSV synergy was observed in majority of mixed-infected varieties. CONCLUSIONS: We have developed a high-throughput qPCR diagnostic assay capable of specific and sensitive quantification of predominant DNA and RNA viruses of cassava in eastern Africa. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The qPCR methods are a great improvement on the existing methods and can be used for monitoring virus spread as well as for accurate evaluation of the cassava varieties for virus resistance.
Subject(s)
Begomovirus/genetics , Manihot/virology , Plant Diseases/virology , Potyviridae/genetics , DNA Viruses/genetics , Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction/methods , RNA Viruses/genetics , Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction/methodsABSTRACT
High-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) was applied to the separation and quantification of aflatoxin in 300 jars of "crunchy" peanut butter. A critical evaluation of the proposed HPTLC method has been carried out by statistical comparisons with a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit and a high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method. The statistical tests indicated that whilst the distributions of the data sets obtained with each method were similar, the HPLC method was found to be biased. Over-all results indicated that the HPTLC method gave more consistent data, relatively lower standard deviations and lower coefficients of variation. The ELISA kit was found to be less precise than the HPTLC and HPLC methods and prone to some loss of sensitivity caused by matrix interference.