Traditional production,consumption and storage of Kunu – a non alcoholic cereal beverage

A survey of the production, consumption and storage ofKunu was carried out. Some of the information included consumption rate, processing techniques andequipment, producer's status and grains used. About73% consume Kunu daily, 26% occasionally; 1% knowit is produced but may or may not be consuming it. Millet (Pennisetum typhoideum), sorghum (Sorghum vulgare), maize (Zea mays), rice (Oryza sativa) and acha (Digitalis exilis) wereused in its production in decreasing order ofpreference. The grains were used singly or combined;sorghum/millet was the most common combination in aratio of 1:2 (w/w). Steeping was done in ordinary water for 12–72 h, depending on the grain type, in localclay pots, plastic buckets, calabashes or basins or5–7 h in warm water (60–70 ^°C). The grainswere dry or wet milled with or without spices such asginger, red pepper, black pepper, clove and garlic.Other ingredients introduced included: sweet potatoes,malted rice, malted sorghum and Cadaba farinosacrude extract. Both dry and wet milling was done withgrinding mills, mill stones or mortar and pestle,depending on locality. The product was then cookedinto a thin free flowing gruel. The various types ofkunu were: Kunun zaki, Kunun gyada, Kunun akamu, Kununtsamiya, Kunun baule, Kunun jiko, Amshau and Kunungayamba. Kunun zaki was the most commonly consumed. Production and consumption cut across all socialclasses of the society.     

Selenium Biofortification of Agricultural Crops and Effects on Plant Nutrients and Bioactive Compounds Important for Human Health and Disease Prevention – a Review

Plant Foods for Human Nutrition - Selenium supplementation in humans has been suggested for the prevention of chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease, cancer, and neurodegenerative...     

A study of the measurement of fracture toughness in cohesive soil – relationship between the size of initial crack and diameter of specimen

The phenomenon of hydraulic fracturing is considered to be one of the causes of leakage in fill-type dams. In recent years, it has been found that an estimate of the fracture toughness of a given type of soil could be used as an indicator of the soils resistance to hydraulic fracturing. One of the problems encountered in its estimation is the assumption that fracture toughness has been theoretically defined for samples of infinite sizes. In this study, laboratory tests were conducted to determine the fracture toughness of samples (of the same size) prepared with initial cracks of various lengths. The main objective was to investigate the relationship of the initial crack length to fracture toughness. The stress distribution around the crack tip for each laboratory test sample was estimated by FEM analysis and by a theoretical equation. These analytical results corresponded reasonably well to results from laboratory tests to determine the appropriate length of the initial crack for the test specimens.     

Genetic analysis of grain protein content,grain hardness and dough rheology in a hard×hard bread wheat progeny

Kernel texture (hard vs soft grain) and more subtle within-class variations are known to have a large influence on end-use properties, mostly through the proportion of damaged starch and subsequent water requirement. In this study, quantitative trait loci (QTL) affecting kernel texture and dough rheology in a progeny from a cross between two ‘medium-hard’ wheat cultivars were identified and compared to the QTL locations for both traits. One hundred and sixty-five F₇ recombinant inbred lines were studied in three environments in 1999. Kernel texture was estimated by both near infrared reflectance (NIR: Hard_NIR) and the single-kernel characterisation system (SKCS: Hard_SKCS). Dough rheology, taken as a predictor of end-use quality, was estimated by the empirical parameters measured by Chopin alveograph. The genetic map for this population consisted of 254 loci quite evenly distributed over the wheat genome. Considering only the QTL which were stable (detected in the three locations) and robust (through bootstrap resampling), five genomic regions were found to influence Hard_NIR, but only two of them are significant for Hard_SKCS, which was probably due to a less representative measure of the phenomenon. Eight QTLs were found for rheological traits. Some QTLs for dough rheology co-located with those for hardness or grain protein content, particularly on chromosomes 3A and 5B and close to the unlinked marker Xgwm130. According to trait, individual QTLs explained from 5.4 to 26.6% of the phenotypic variation and when taken together up to 46.0% of the variation.     

Oat malt as a baking ingredient – A comparative study of the impact of oat,barley and wheat malts on bread and dough properties

Oat malt is a nutritionally rich ingredient mainly used in a small number of speciality products. The aim of this study was to evaluate the suitability of oat malt in wheat baking. The effect of oat malt on bread and dough properties at levels ranging from 0.5% to 5% was studied and compared with barley and wheat malts. The addition of all malts increased loaf specific volumes. Barley and wheat malts at levels above 2.5% led to a sticky and coarse crumb, but the effect of oat malt on the crumb grain was negligible. Rheological characterisation could not explain the superior baking performance of oat malt, as it increased extensibility and decreased resistance extensively indicating weakening of the extensional properties of the gluten network. The high lipolytic activity may have compensated for the loss of dough strength by improving the surface properties of gas cells. The results show that oat malt can be used in wheat baking to improve the loaf volume and nutritional quality without the detrimental effects associated with the excess amylolytic activity of barley and wheat malts.     

Drycore Appears to Result from an Interaction between Rhizoctonia solani and Wireworm (Agriotes ssp.)—Evidence from a 3-Year Field Survey

Drycore is an important quality deficiency in Europe especially in organic potato production and after grass clover leys. The drycore symptom is attributed to Rhizoctonia solani Kühn (teleomorph: Thanatephorus cucumeris (Frank) Donk). In the framework of a 3-year survey (2001–2003), data concerning potato quality, crop rotation, management, and site parameters were analysed from 185 potato fields. The hypothesis was tested that injuries on potatoes caused by wireworms facilitate the penetration of R. solani and favour the formation of drycore. Analysis of variance showed a significant influence of wireworm damage, seed quality, and grass clover leys in the crop on the level of drycore damage. On fields which had both a low occurrence of black scurf on the seed tubers and a low occurrence of wireworm damage at harvest, significant drycore damage was never observed. The relative risk for drycore damage on tubers was significantly higher if black scurf or wireworm damage was on the same tuber. In contrast, no higher risk for drycore was observed on tubers with slug damage. Abiotic factors like farm manure application, organic matter content, texture, and pH of the soil also had no significant influence on the level of drycore. Thus, the wounding of potatoes by wireworm could be confirmed as the major variable for drycore. The mode of action has to be clarified under controlled conditions.     

Relationship between physical property of soil and growth of Monochoria vaginalis under paddy condition of organic farming—analysis using settled soil volume in water of superficial layer.

Field experiments were conducted to analyze the relationship between the settled soil volume in water (SSVW) and the growth of Monochoria vaginalis (Burm. f.) Kunth under organic farming conditions. SSVW corresponds to the mud volume per dry matter weight. Soil was sampled from the superficial layer of the topsoil (<10 mm), which was of a finer texture than the rest of the topsoil. Without the application of rice bran, there was a negative correlation between SSVW and the number of individuals of M. vaginalis. This finding suggests that SSVW is useful as a physical indicator for the growth suppression of M. vaginalis. The application of rice bran dramatically reduced the number of M. vaginalis. The values of SSVW with rice bran were greater than those without rice bran. The analysis of SSVW indicates that the change in soil physical properties following the application of rice bran was one of the factors responsible for the suppression of M. vaginalis growth.     

The Nutritional and Health Benefits of Kiwiberry (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Actinidia arguta</Emphasis>) – a Review

The kiwiberry (Actinidia arguta) is a new product on the market that is enjoying growing consumer acceptance around the world. This widespread interest has created increased demand for identification of the kiwiberry’s nutritional health benefits. Containing over 20 essential nutrients and a range of vitamins, the kiwiberry comes near the top of fruits classed as superfoods. It is one of the richest sources of vitamin C with up to 430 mg/100 g fresh weight (FW) and is considered the richest dietary source of myo-inositol (up to 982 mg/100 g FW). The kiwiberry is also one of the richest sources of lutein (up to 0.93 mg/100 g FW) in commonly consumed fruit. Furthermore, containing up to 1301.1 mg/100 g FW phenolics and significant amounts of the essential minerals of potassium, calcium and zinc, the kiwiberry rates very highly as a ‘healthy food’. The type and number of this fruit’s medicinally promising nutrients have motivated ongoing investigations into its antioxidant, anti-tumour and anti-inflammatory properties. Early research has pointed to the kiwiberry being a very promising treatment for some cancers and health issues involving the gastrointestinal system, hypercholesterolemia and certain cancers. A pharmaceutical composition of A. arguta, A. kolomikta, and A. polygama extracts has already been registered for the prevention and treatment of some immune (inflammatory) mediated diseases, as well as the treatment of some non-allergic inflammatory diseases. This paper reviews and highlights the limited nutritional and therapeutic information currently available on the kiwiberry, a minor fruit possessing such major properties.