Micronutrient deficiencies (hidden hunger), particularly in iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn), remain one of the most serious public health challenges, affecting more than three billion people globally. A number of strategies are used to ameliorate the problem of micronutrient deficiencies and to improve the nutritional profile of food products. These include (i) dietary diversification, (ii) industrial food fortification and supplements, (iii) agronomic approaches including soil mineral fertilisation, bioinoculants and crop rotations, and (iv) biofortification through the implementation of biotechnology including gene editing and plant breeding.These efforts must consider the dietary patterns and culinary preferences of the consumer and stakeholder acceptance of new biofortified varieties. Deficiencies in Zn and Fe are often linked to the poor nutritional status of agricultural soils, resulting in low amounts and/or poor availability of these nutrients in staple food crops such as common bean. This review describes the genes and processes associated with Fe and Zn accumulation in common bean, a significant food source in Africa that plays an important role in nutritional security. We discuss the conventional plant breeding, transgenic and gene editing approaches that are being deployed to improve Fe and Zn accumulation in beans. We also consider the requirements of successful bean biofortification programmes, highlighting gaps in current knowledge, possible solutions and future perspectives.

No data exist on the nutrient composition of some important Rwandan staples. The aim of this study was to evaluate the nutrient content of red kidney beans, sweet potato roots, amaranth leaves and carrot roots. About 6 kg of each raw material were cleaned and conditioned prior to mechanical drying, ground and sieved [60-mesh] into flour and then subjected to quantitative analysis for proximate content,energy, calcium (Ca), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), vitamin A and vitamin C. Proximate composition determination was done using Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS), carbohydrates were determined by difference, energy was calculated, mineral analysis was done by Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) and vitamin analysis was performed by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) methods. The results showed that red kidney beans, sweet potato roots, amaranth leaves and carrots contain 21.48, 6.66, 29.46 and 13.8% of protein; 2.58, 1.68, 7.89 and 2.08% of fat; 60.86, 79.13, 19.29 and 57.38% of carbohydrate; 2.33, 2.68, 8.98 and 9.63% of fiber; 8.82, 8.74, 10.08 and 8.88% of moisture content; 3.94, 1.11, 24.30 and 5.16% of ash; 357.2, 363.7, 284.0, 322.9 kcal/100g of energy; and 146.4, 182.7, 26,290 and 1,247mg/kg of calcium,respectively. Red kidney beans, amaranth leaves and carrots contained8.54, 30.48, and 15.55 mg/kg of zinc; and 21.36, 219.1and 8.81 mg/kg of iron,respectively. Zinc and iron were,however,not detected in sweet potato samples analysed. Red kidney beans, sweet potato roots, amaranth leaves and carrot contained 768.0, 10,880, 399.4, and 6,413 IU/100g of vitamin A; and 2.67, 30.99, 330.3 and 6.76 mg/100g of vitamin C,respectively. In conclusion, the staples analysed contained appreciable amounts of nutrients and could be used to overcome malnutrition and allow dietary diversity. It could be recommended to prepare a Rwandanfood composition database in order to improve awareness on local grown crops’ quality.

A bean-based composite soup flour (CSF) containing red kidney beans, sweet potatoes, amaranth leaves, and carrots was developed using Nutrisurvey software to choose four nutritious CSFs, which were then subjected to sensory evaluation to select the most preferred CSF by mothers with young children. The top-ranked beanbased CSF was then analyzed for energy, proximate composition, and selected mineral/vitamin content. Additionally, swelling capacity, water and oil absorption capacity, emulsion activity/stability, foaming capacity/stability, gelatinization temperature, and least gelatinization concentration were determined. The optimum quality CSF was composed of 70% red kidney beans, 15% amaranth leaves, 10% sweet potatoes, and 5% carrots. The compositional and energy analysis showed that the selected CSF had 20.58% protein, 59% carbohydrates, 2.93% fat, 3.38% fiber, 8.95% moisture, 5.08% ash, and 344.9 kcal/100 g energy. The mineral and vitamins contents of CSF per 100 g were 216.2, 1.14, 3.83, and 32.83 mg for calcium, zinc, iron, and magnesium, respectively; 3.55 mg for vitamin A; and 166.36 mg vitamin C. Vitamins B2, B5, B6, B9, and B12 were 0.57, 3.53, 0.27, 0.07, and 0.02 mg/100 g, respectively. Functional properties determined were 31.5 ml (swelling capacity), 70.5% (water absorption capacity), 28% (oil absorption capacity), 25%, 18% (emulsion activity), 18% (emulsion stability), 15% (foam capacity), 33.4% (foam stability), 88.5 C (gelatinization temperature), and 10% (least gelation concentration). Consumption of the formulated CSF can nearly meet the dietary reference intake (DRI) of children aged 1-3 years in determined nutrients except for fiber. The developed bean-based CSF can be used to improve dietary diversity and reduce malnutrition especially for young children.

Background: Nutritional deficiencies are common during pregnancy and a year after childbirth. At the same time, maternal depression affects many women during pregnancy up to 1 year after childbirth. The objectives of this study were to determine the associations between nutrition status, dietary intake, and maternal depression among pregnant women. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study that included 262 pregnant women aged 15 to 49 years attending the antenatal clinic in 2 public health facilities in urban-low income settlement Nairobi, Kenya. Maternal depression was assessed using Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) was used to determine nutritional status. Dietary intake was assessed using the 24-hour recall, and brain essential nutrients were assessed through a questionnaire. Odds ratio was used to test the associations. All maternal characteristics with P <.001 in the univariable analysis were considered in the multivariable logistic regression, variables with P < .05 were considered significant. Results: Of the 262 pregnant women, 33.6% (95% CI: 27.9-40.7) had depressive illness as indicated by EPDS >13. About 9.9% of pregnant women had MUAC less than <23 cm. The study established statistically significant association between poor nutrition by MUAC and maternal depression ( P < .001). Maternal depression was statistically significantly associated with inadequate intake of brain food essential ( P = .002). Maternal depression was statistically significantly associated with lower income ( P < .001). In multivariable regression analysis, the main predictor of maternal depression was poor nutrition ( P < .004). Conclusion: The finding reveals an association between poor nutrition and maternal depression. These results suggest that nutritional deficiencies could be the contributing factor for maternal depression. Study recommends dietary interventions as cost-effective way to reduce deficiencies and improve mental health problems for pregnant women. Assessment of maternal depression and dietary intake be integrated as fundamental components of antenatal care.

Whole grain flour is gaining an increase in demand for its nutritive and health promotion values in different food products for human consumption worldwide. Whole flour from wheat grain varieties (Gihundo, Kibatsi, Nyaruka and Reberaho), spent coffee grounds (SCG), juices of lemon fruit (L) and rosemary leaves (R), and dough fermentation were assessed for their impact on the texture profile, colour and sensory attributes of bread. Wheat grains (sampled from the stores of Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board, Kinigi, Rwanda) were conditioned to 15.5% moisture content and were wholly milled. The mixture of 200 g whole wheat flour, 4% spent coffee grounds, 1% juice of lemon fruit and 1% juice of rosemary leaves were fermented by using 2% instant dry yeast at 34 °C, 60% relative humidity (RH) for 60 min and at 39 °C, 85% RH for 120 min, separately. The dough was baked at 180 °C for 20 min. Data were subjected to one-way analysis of variance using SAS System. Treatment means were separated using Tukey’s test and the least significant difference was accepted at p ≤ 0.05. The control bread was made for 60 min of fermentation without incorporation of SCG and LR. The control bread was harder than the bread containing SCG and SCG+LR with the same time of fermentation. The long fermentation and the inclusion of SCG and SCG+LR in doughs, caused the supplemented bread to have lower L*, a* and b* values than control bread. Low L*, a* and b* values indicate minimum darkness, redness and yellowness of bread. Aroma, taste and appearance of SCG+LR bread from doughs fermented for 120 min were the most liked. Whole wheat bread obtained satisfied consumers’ preferences. Therefore, the application of spent coffee grounds, juices of lemon fruit and rosemary leaves in bread making represents a good opportunity at low cost.