African
Journals Online
The Journal of Food Technology
in Africa
Abstracts
(Vol 5 No 1)
Development in the Active
Packaging of Foods
ABSTRACT
Active packaging is one of the innovative food
packaging concepts that has been introduced as a response
to the continuous changes in current consumer demands and
market trends. Major active packaging techniques are
concerned with substances that absorb oxygen, ethylene,
moisture, carbon dioxide, flavours/odours and those which
release carbon dioxide, antimicrobial agents,
antioxidants and flavours. The main objectives of this
article are to: (1) provide a literature review about the
different types of active packaging concepts with respect
to mechanisms of action, effectiveness and the effects on
foods, (2) provide a state of the art about the
experimental development and commercialisation of active
packaging concepts, (3) provide a scope of applications
and (4) discuss the obstacles to be overcome in order to
make extensive commercial application of active packaging
in Europe feasible.
Sweet Potato Ketchup: Feasibility,
Acceptability, and Production costs in Kenya
ABSTRACT
Ketchup sauce is increasingly a popular condiment used
as a flavouring ingredient in fast-food businesses in
East African urban areas. It is one of a myriad of
products that can be made using sweet potato (Ipomoea
batatas) roots. We assessed the feasibility, consumer
acceptability, and cost of production for a ketchup sauce
made by substituting tomatoes with sweet potatoes. The
final product, in which up to 80% tomatoes were
substituted with sweet potato, was found to be
organoleptically acceptable in Nairobi, Kenya. The yellow
flesh colour of the sweet potato had a good influence on
the final consumer preference of the product. Adding
sweet potato to the ketchup formulation had little
influence on the final pH, which ranged from 3.8 to 4.1.
Titratable acidity values ranged from 0.36 to 0.60 g
(acetic acid) per 100 g sauce. Shelf life test indicated
that ketchup sauce incorporating sweet potato could
safely be stored for 2 to 3 months. The addition of sweet
potato in the ketchup formulation significantly reduced
the production cost of the sauce.
The Safety of Dark, Moulded Casava
Flour Compared with White - a Comparison of
Traditionally Dried Cassava pieces in north-east
Mozambique
ABSTRACT
Fresh cassava roots (9) were split into segments to
obtain pieces with similar levels of cyanogenic
glucosides. From each root, one segment was deep-frozen
immediately and analysed to serve as a reference.
Remaining segments were dried and stored for 8 months
under traditional household conditions in rural north
east Mozambique. In these pieces, a varying extent of
fungal growth occurred. They were ground and analyzed
individually for moisture, cyanogenic potential and
cyanohydrins plus HCN, pH, brightness, aflatoxins and the
number and genus of fungal propagules.
Mean (+SD) initial cyanogenic potential was 399 (+273)
mg CN equivalent per kg on dry weight basis. By the
traditional processing and storage a considerable (range
92.3 - 99.5%) loss in cyanogenic potential was achieved.
Levels of cyanohydrins plus HCN together ranged from 19
to 89% of the total cyanide. There was no correlation
between the initial and residual cyanoigenic potential.
However, darker flours had significantly lower levels of
cyanogenic potential, as well as cyanohydrins plus HCN.
Similarly, darker flours showed a higher pH. No
aflatoxins could be detected. It is concluded that safety
cassava flour cannot be judged by colour or extent of
fungal growth.
Implementing a Sensory Evaluation
System in the Manufacturing Environment
ABSTRACT
Often the people responsible for implementing sensory
evaluation systems have had no formal training in sensory
evaluation and the task can seem quite daunting. This
paper presents some elements that are considered
important when planning the design and implementation of
a sensory system for process control.
Attention to the types of people involved, the setting
of minimum standards of operation, the systematic
application of the system, the realistic approach to
ongoing maintenance, the base of consumer preference and
the link to other functions such as marketing and
research and development are explored.
Water Reuse in Industrial food
Processing
ABSTRACT
While water, as an industrial commodity, is considered
increasingly as a valuable material and the subject of
responsible care for the environment, water reuse is
increasingly regarded as a tool for substantial reduction
in water supply needs, and saving in related costs.
A strategic approach to water reuse must be based on a
systematic analysis and on the principle that any water
user must never use more water of a higher quality than
strictly needed.
In this paper some hints are given for implementing
water reuse in the food processing industry, particularly
referring to the practical case of tomato processing for
which a case study is also reported.
The results clearly show how remarkable environmental
and economic advantages can be simply obtained by
implementing low investment cost solutions, and that
water supply and discharge flow rates can be dramatically
reduced without implementing any special water upgrading
treatment process.
Bioactive Peptides in Milk Products
ABSTRACT
Some peptides produced in vitro or in vivo by
enzymatic hydrolysis of caseins and whey protein can
affect some biological functions of the body and
therefore they are called bioactive peptides. In this
paper the physiological significance of bioactive
peptides is reviewed and the analytical methods for their
purification and determination are summarized. Moreover
this article deals with the effects of food processing on
biopeptide availability.
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