The influence of different drying methods on physical and nutritional properties of shrimp meat was investigated in this study. Peeled shrimps were dried separately using an air-oven dryer and a tunnel solar dryer. The drying profile of shrimp meat was determined in the two drying systems by monitoring moisture loss over the drying period. Changes in color, proximate composition, and rehydration capacity were assessed. The rate of moisture removal during solar drying was faster than the air-oven drying. The development of red color during drying was comparable among the two methods, but solar-dried shrimps appeared darker (L ⁎ = 47.4) than the air-oven-dried (L ⁎ = 49.0). Chemical analysis indicated that protein and fat made up nearly 20% and 2% (wb) of the shrimp meat, respectively. Protein and ash content of shrimp meat dried under the two dryer types were comparable but fat was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in oven-dried meat (2.1%), compared to solar-dried meat (1.5%). Although rehydration behavior of shrimp from the two drying systems followed a similar pattern, solar-dried shrimp absorbed moisture more rapidly. The results have demonstrated that different approaches to drying may affect the physical and nutritional quality of shrimp meat differently.

No abstract

Background: Sweet potato, cocoyam, water yam, maize, millet, sorghum, and rice are major staple foods in Ghana. Flour from these roots and tubers and cereals are relatively cheaper, easy to produce and can be used in the manufacturing of wide range of products, including bread, cookies, meat pies, cake, chips and doughnut. However, due to the processing techniques used these flours may be contaminated with trace metals and aflatoxins. It was therefore necessary to determine the concentration of trace metal: As, Cu, Fe, Hg, Pb, Zn, and aflatoxin B 1, B 2, G 1, and G 2 in maize, sorghum, millet, rice, cocoyam, water yam and sweet potato flour samples used as composite flour for making bread and other pastries. Results: The trace metal concentration of essential metals: Cu, Fe and Zn in all the seven flour samples analyzed ranged from 0.03 ± 0.01 to 6.63 ± 0.02, 10.97 ± 0.01 to 201.40 ± 0.14, and 6.04 ± 0.03 to 34.36 ± 0.06 mg/Kg, respectively. The maximum concentrations of toxic metals: As, Hg and Pb determined in all the seven flour samples were < 0.01, < 0.01, and 0.05 ± 0.01 mg/Kg, respectively. Aflatoxin B 1, B 2, G 1, and G 2 were not detected in any of the samples. Conclusion: The concentrations of As, Cu, Hg, Pb and Zn determined in all seven flour samples were below the WHO set limits and therefore pose no health threat whiles Fe concentration in some flour samples was above the WHO set limit. Aflatoxin B 1, B 2, G 1, and G 2 were not detected in all flour samples and hence pose no health threat.

No abstract

Background: High Quality Cassava Flour (HQCF) has gained popularity in most parts of West Africa because of its versatility in many industries. However, due to the processing techniques used HQCF may contain trace metals and aflatoxins. Imperatively, the safety of HQCF was assessed when the levels of trace metal and aflatoxin contaminants was determined at the various unit operation during HQCF production.

No abstract

A survey was conducted to study production, vending, and consumption of kenkey, a sour dumpling in Ghana. Information was obtained on the socio-cultural profile of the actors, processing technologies, practices which adversely affected product quality, shelf life, and quality attributes important to consumers. Kenkey production and retailing was the domain of women, and carried out mainly as a family business in home-based operations. Three types of kenkey were encountered: Ga-, Fanti-, and nsiho-kenkey. Production was dominated by the Ga and Fanti socio-cultural groups but consumption cut across all socio-cultural groups. The majority of producers processed 10-100 kg of maize per week but frequency of production varied from 1 to 10 times in a week. Unit operations in kenkey production were labour intensive and manually carried out apart from milling. The texture of kenkey was more critical to most consumers than taste and depended on a procedure called aflatalization yielding a product with a semi-sticky, elastic consistency. (Résumé d'auteur

Changes in the heavy metal content and proximate composition during the 28 day composting of cassava peels used in the cultivation of the oyster mushrooms Pleurotus ostreatus strain EM-1 was studied. Significant dry weight variations of cellulose, hemicellulose and fat contents were observed from day 0 to 12. Decreases from day 12 to 28 had the values of 15.4, 57.6 and 56.12%, respectively, while lignin, protein and crude fibre values showed a gradual increase from day 0 to 28, with maximum values of 23.73, 49 and 73%, respectively. Cyanide content however showed a reduction from the initial 3.89 to 2.01 mg/L by day 12 and a marginal increase of 16 by day 28. This was however not detected in the mushroom harvested. The levels of heavy metal content in composted cassava peels in decreasing order was iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), lead (Pb) and copper (Cu) while that for uncomposted cassava was Fe, Zn, Pb, Mn and Cu. Levels of Cu, Mn, Pd and Zn in mushroom samples analysed were in agreement with reported values in literature. Of all the heavy metals examined, iron accumulated excessively, indicating that P. ostreatus strain EM-1 is a good bio-accumulator of Fe.