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An open fracture is when the fractured part of a bone is exposed to the external environment by breaching the overlying soft tissue and skin. Open fractures often arise from high-energy injuries, and the risk of microbial contamination is high. There is a need to understand the management of open fractures in Africa by assessing the overall prevalence of open fractures, the mechanisms of injury, management approaches and outcomes. A literature search was conducted using PubMed, African Journal Online, and Google Scholar regarding open fracture management in Africa from inception till date. Thirty-nine (39) studies were included in this review. Road traffic accidents represented the majority of all mechanisms of open fractures, with the Tibia being the most affected bone. 320 cases were classified as Gustilo Anderson Type 1, with 487 classified as Type 2. Type 3 was divided into 3A (330), 3B (248), and 3C (34). Most studies recorded the immediate administration of intravenous antibiotics, but tetanus prophylaxis was only given in 13 studies, while initial debridement and washout were done in 35 studies. External fixators and Kirschner wires were most used for initial fixation. Follow-up for patients was between six weeks to 50 months. There were 645 cases of malunion, 83 cases of non-union, and 88 patients who had delayed union. There were 147 cases of wound infection and 119 cases of pin tract infections. Our findings emphasize the need for standardized protocols and robust emergency services to manage open fractures within Africa., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work., (Copyright © 2024, Zubair et al.)

Background: Spinal tuberculosis (STB) is a significant contributor to nontraumatic myelopathy. There is a rising burden in Africa, in parallel with the high prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus. We conducted a scoping review to highlight the disparities in the management and outcomes of STB in Africa., Methods: This study was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis extension for scoping review guidelines. AJOL, Embase, MEDLINE, Google Scholar, and Cochrane CENTRAL databases were searched to identify all relevant peer-reviewed articles published on the management of STB in African centers, excluding abstract-only articles, literature reviews, and meta-analyses., Results: Sixty studies were eligible for inclusion, comprising data from 3416 patients aged 8 months to 89 years (median, 32 years). Thoracic and lumbar segments were the most commonly affected vertebral regions (thoracic = 42.7%; lumbar = 35.9%). The most common clinical features were back pain and neurological deficits. Lack of essential laboratory and imaging diagnostic infrastructure was a common problem. Patients received antitubercular therapy (ATT) for varying durations, and only 18.3% underwent surgery. A favorable outcome was achieved in 51.6% of patients, 20.3% developed a permanent disability, and the mortality rate was 2.1%. Treatment outcome was adversely affected by a high rate of late presentation and treatment default., Conclusions: ATT remains the mainstay of treatment; however, the duration of treatment varied widely among studies. Further research is required to explore the feasibility and efficacy of short-course ATT in treating STB in the African population., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Yam (Dioscorea alata L.) is the staple food of many populations in the intertropical zone, where it is grown. The lack of phenotyping methods for tuber quality has hindered the adoption of new genotypes from breeding programs. Recently, near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) has been used as a reliable tool to characterize the chemical composition of the yam tuber. However, it failed to predict the amylose content, although this trait is strongly involved in the quality of the product., Results: This study used NIRS to predict the amylose content from 186 yam flour samples. Two calibration methods were developed and validated on an independent dataset: partial least squares (PLS) and convolutional neural networks (CNN). To evaluate final model performances, the coefficient of determination (R 2 ), the root mean square error (RMSE), and the ratio of performance to deviation (RPD) were calculated using predictions on an independent validation dataset. The tested models showed contrasting performances (i.e., R 2 of 0.72 and 0.89, RMSE of 1.33 and 0.81, RPD of 2.13 and 3.49 respectively, for the PLS and the CNN model)., Conclusion: According to the quality standard for NIRS model prediction used in food science, the PLS method proved unsuccessful (RPD < 3 and R 2  < 0.8) for predicting amylose content from yam flour but the CNN model proved to be reliable and efficient method. With the application of deep learning methods, this study established the proof of concept that amylose content, a key driver of yam textural quality and acceptance, can be predicted accurately using NIRS as a high throughput phenotyping method. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.)

Background: Cassava utilization for food and/or industrial products depends on inherent properties of root dry matter content (DMC) and the starch fraction of amylose content (AC). Accordingly, in the present study, near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) models were developed to aid breeding and selection of DMC and AC as critical industrial traits taking care of root sample preparation and cassava germplasm diversity available in Uganda., Results: Upon undertaking calibrations and cross-validations, best models were adopted for validation. DMC in calibration samples ranged from 20 to 45 g 100g -1 , whereas, for amylose content, it ranged from 14 to 33 g 100g -1 . In the validation set, average DMC was 29.5 g 100g -1 , whereas, for amylose content, it was 24.64 g 100g -1 . For DMC, a modified partial least square regression model had regression coefficients (R 2 ) of 0.98 and 0.96, respectively, in the calibration and validation set. These were also associated with low bias (-0.018) and ratio of performance deviation that ranged from 4.7 to 5.0. In addition, standard error of prediction values ranged from 0.9 g 100g -1 to 1.06 g 100g -1 . For AC, the regression coefficient was 0.91 for the calibration set and 0.94 for the validation set. A bias equivalent to -0.03 and a ratio of performance deviation of 4.23 were observed., Conclusion: These findings confirm the robustness of NIRS in the estimation of dry matter content and amylose content in cassava roots and thus justify its use in routine cassava breeding operations. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.)

Background: Assessment of the key preferred quality traits in pounded yam, a popularly consumed yam food product in West Africa, is often done through sensory evaluation. Such assessment is time-consuming and results may be biased. Therefore, there is a need to develop objective, high-throughput methods to predict the quality of consumer-preferred traits in pounded yam. This study focused on how key quality traits in pounded yam proposed to yam breeders were determined, measured by biophysical and biochemical methods, in order to shorten the breeding selection cycle through adoption of these methods by breeders., Results: Consumer tests and sensory quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA) validated that preferred priority quality traits in pounded yam were related to textural quality (smooth, stretchable, moldable, slightly sticky and moderately hard) and color (white, cream or light yellow). There were significant correlations between sensory textural quality attributes cohesiveness/moldability, hardness, and adhesiveness/stickiness, with textural quality measurements from instrumental texture profile analysis (TPA). Color measurement parameters (L*, a*, and b*) with chromameter agreed with that of sensory evaluation and can replace the sensory panel approach. The smoothness (R 2  = 1.00), stickiness (R 2  = 1.00), stretchability (R 2  = 1.00), hardness (R 2  = 0.99), and moldability (R 2  = 0.53) of pounded yam samples can be predicted by the starch, amylose, and protein contents of yam tubers estimated by near-infrared spectroscopy., Conclusion: TPA and Hunter colorimeter can be used as medium-high throughput methods to evaluate the textural quality and color of pounded yam in place of the sensory panelists. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.)

Roots, tubers and bananas (RTBs) contribute immensely to food security and livelihoods in sub-Saharan Africa, Asia and Latin America. The adoption of RTB genotypes in these regions relies on the interplay among agronomic traits, ease of processing and consumer preference. In breeding RTBs, until recently little attention was accorded key textural traits preferred by consumers. Moreover, a lack of standard, discriminant, repeatable protocols that can be used to measure the textural traits deter linkages between breeding better RTB genotypes and end user/consumer preferences. RTB products texture - that is, behaviour of RTB food products under unique deformations, such as disintegration and the flow of a food under force - is a critical component of these preferences. The preferences consumers have for certain product texture can be evaluated from expert sensory panel and consumer surveys, which are useful tools in setting thresholds for textural traits, and inform breeders on what to improve in the quality of RTBs. Textural characterization of RTBs under standard operating procedures (SOPs) is important in ensuring the standardization of texture measurement conditions, predictability of textural quality of RTBs, and ultimately definition of RTB food product profiles. This paper reviews current SOPs for the textural characterization of RTBs, including their various associated methods, parameters, challenges and merits. Case studies of texture characterized during development of SOPs and evaluation of texture of RTB populations are discussed, together with insights into key textural attributes and correlations between instrumental, sensory and consumer assessment of texture unique to various RTB food products. Hardness was considered a universal key textural attribute to discriminate RTBs. The review should provide adequate insight into texture of RTB food products and critical factors in their measurement. It aims to promote inclusion of texture in breeding pipelines by investigating which textural traits are prioritized by consumers, particularly since the inclusion of textural traits has recently gained prominence by breeders in improving RTBs. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.)

Introduction: The biofortification of staple foods such as cassava is one of the technological breakthroughs in the nutritional improvement of foods. Fufu is one of the fermented cassava products produced and consumed in major West African countries, including Sierra Leone, and the majority of the processes involved in its production have direct and indirect effects on its properties. This study looked at how the concentration and retention of micronutrients in yellow-fleshed cassava fufu varied depending on genotype and processing method., Methods: Six yellow-fleshed cassava root genotypes (TMS-070557, TMS-011371, TMS-011412, TMS-011663, TMS-083724, TMS-083774) and one white (TME 419 as a control) were processed into fufu using both conventional (oven and sun-dried) and traditional (bowl and river) methods. The Statistical Analysis System (SAS) version 9.4 was used to analyze data using means, percentages, analysis of variance and means separated by least significant differences (LSD)., Results and Discussion: In the modified traditional river method, raw and cooked fufu samples had significantly higher β-carotene concentrations and true retention (TR) percentages (11.06  g/g (46.77%) and 4.54 g/g (16.94%), respectively) than other genotypes (p  <  0.0001). Modified traditional fufu processing methods increased total β-carotene concentrations, while raw roots showed a significant decrease in total carotenoid and β-carotene concentrations, regardless of genotype or processing method. Sun-drying was the most effective method, with significantly higher concentrations and TR percentages of iron (10.01  mg/kg, 18.02%) and zinc (11.49  mg/kg, 40.64%) in raw and cooked fufu samples. Genotype TMS-083724 outperformed both conventional fufu processing methods, displaying a significant total carotenoid concentration and true retention percentage. Finally, this study found that the concentrations and percentages of TR of micronutrients varied depending on the processing method and genotype. It is recommended that a modified traditional river fufu processing method be further developed and improved in order to maximize provitamin A carotenoids, concentrations, and percentage TR., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The author(s) declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers, at the time of submission. This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision., (Copyright © 2024 Williams-Ngegba, Onabanjo, Anthony, Alamu, Maziya-Dixon and Oguntona.)

Background Infection in orthopedic surgery is one of the most dreaded complications. It is associated with prolonged morbidity, disability, and increased mortality. One of the cornerstones of the prevention of infections is antibiotic prophylaxis. This study assessed the practice of antibiotic prophylaxis in arthroplasty surgeries in our local hospital. Methods One hundred and seventy-one elective joint replacement patients were retrospectively analyzed for documentation of antibiotic plan in postoperative instruction, choice of antibiotic, dose, and dosage. Compliance with the dosage (duration and frequency) of antibiotic prophylaxis was compared among patients who underwent different operations, among patients whose operation notes had antibiotics plans, and among those patients whose operation notes lacked this information. Results Ninety-six females and 75 males with a mean age of 71.4±9.8 years who underwent hip replacement, knee replacement, or shoulder replacement were included in this study. Preoperative and postoperative antibiotics were received by 100% and 94.7% of patients, respectively. In 19.3%, there was no instruction about postoperative antibiotics while 4% missed at least one postoperative dose. The dosage of postoperative prophylactic antibiotics was variable as 26.3% of the patients experienced delayed administration of doses. Not having intravenous access, failure to prescribe antibiotics, and prescribing antibiotics in the "once only" rather than "regular medication" section of the medication chart were the reasons for improper timing of antibiotic doses. Observing surgical safety checklist was effective in ensuring preoperative antibiotic administration, whereas failing to document antibiotic plan in operation note was associated with poor compliance with postoperative dosage. Interprofessional participation is crucial to compliance with antibiotic prophylaxis practice. Conclusion This study identified key areas for improvement in our antibiotics prophylaxis practice. It resulted in implementing strategies to improve staff's awareness about the importance of timely administration of prophylactic antibiotics and proper documentation by all team members., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2024, Oladeji et al.)

This study aimed to assess the antioxidant, enzyme inhibitory, physicochemical and sensory properties of instant bio-yoghurts containing multi-purpose natural additives. Multi-purpose natural additives were formulated with three natural additives (sweet detar seed, ginger rhizome, and hibiscus calyx flours, as a thickener, flavourant and colourant, respectively) blends at proportions derived from the Design Expert. The additives' synthetic counterparts were formulated with sodium carboxymethylcellulose, vanilla flavor, and red colourant at the same proportions. After that, yoghurt was produced and the additives blends were incorporated into it either in aqueous extract or flour form, yielding bio-yoghurts designated multi-purpose natural additive extract-containing yoghurt (MNAE-yoghurt), multi-purpose natural additive flour-added yoghurt (MNAF-yoghurt), and their multi-purpose synthetic additives-containing counterparts (MSAE-yoghurt and MSAF-yoghurt). A commercially-available bio-yoghurt served as a control. All the yoghurts were lyophilized to obtain instant bio-yoghurts. Subsequently, bioactive components (total phenolics, tannins, total flavonoids and saponins), antioxidants and enzymes [alpha-amylase, alpha-glucosidase, pancreatic lipase, and angiotensin 1-converting enzyme (ACE)] inhibitory activities, as well as proximate, physicochemical and sensory qualities of the bio-yoghurts were determined. The MNAE-yoghurt and MNAF-yoghurt had higher bioactive constituents, total titratable acid levels, and more potent antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory properties, but a lower pH than their synthetic counterparts and the control. The total phenolics, tannins, total flavonoids and saponins levels of MNAE-yoghurt and MNAF-yoghurt were 14.40 ± 0.24 and 16.54 ± 0.62 mg/g, 1.65 ± 0.04 and 1.74 ± 0.08 mg/g, 4.25 ± 0.03 and 4.40 ± 0.02 mg/g, 0.64 ± 0.01 and 0.66 ± 0.02 mg/g, respectively. Among the natural multi-purpose additives-containing bio-yoghurts, MNAF-yoghurt had higher bioactive constituents and stronger antioxidant and enzymes inhibitory properties. Its α-amylase, α-glucosidase, ACE, and pancreatic lipase IC 50 values were 72.47 ± 0.47, 74.07 ± 0.02, 25.58 ± 2.58, and 33.56 ± 29.66 μg/mL, respectively. In contrast, MNAE-yoghurt had the highest protein (13.70 ± 0.85%) and the lowest fat (2.63 ± 0.71%) contents. The sensory attributes of all the bio-yoghurts fell within an acceptable likeness range. Overall, the inclusion of multi-purpose natural additives blends enhanced the instant bio-yoghurts' nutritional, health-promoting, and sensory qualities., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The author(s) declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers, at the time of submission. This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision., (Copyright © 2024 Irondi, Bankole, Awoyale, Ajani and Alamu.)

Background:  Motorcycle is a popular and growing form of intracity transportation in many Nigerian cities owing mainly to poorly developed transport systems. It contributes significantly to road traffic injuries (RTIs), which are a leading cause of death and disabilities in low- and middle-income countries. There is a lack of information on the quality of care received and the treatment outcome in patients with motorcycle RTIs in Ibadan and many cities in Nigeria. This study evaluated the characteristics of motorcycle-related RTIs, the quality of care received, and the outcome of the patients managed in a trauma reference center in Ibadan, Nigeria., Methods:  This is a prospective cohort study. All patients involved in motorcycle road traffic crashes who presented to the emergency department of the University College Hospital, Ibadan, between August 2020 and May 2021, were included in the study. Data on patients' demographics, history of the crash, injuries sustained, definitive care, and the outcome of in-hospital care were obtained from patients (and/or their carers) and the medical records., Results:  A total of 156 patients were seen, out of which 74.4% were males. About 76.2% were less than 45 years with a mean age of 35.7 ± 16.3 years, and the peak age group was 18-44 years. About 37 (23.7%) patients were involved in motorcycle/motorcycle collisions, whereas 67 (42.9%) were involved in motorcycle/car collisions. Riders accounted for 59.6% (93), and although 62% (97) of the patients presented within six hours of the crash, only 10.9% (17) presented within one hour. About 48% received some form of prehospital care rendered by officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps, police officers, or passers-by, and none was attended by a dedicated emergency ambulance team. The head and the limbs were the most affected anatomical areas, while orthopedic and neurosurgical procedures were the most required emergency surgical interventions. About 66.7% were discharged home with only 21.2% of them fit to return to pre-trauma function at discharge, and the mortality rate was 17.3%. Patients who presented at 7-24 hours (AOR = 2.99; 95% CI = 1.04-8.62; p-value = 0.043) and >24 hours after the accident (AOR = 5.65; 95% CI = 1.64-19.53; p-value = 0.006) were 2.99 and 5.65 times, respectively, more likely to die from motorcycle-related accident compared to those who presented within the first six hours., Conclusion:  This study identified the growing burden of disabilities and mortalities related to motorcycle RTIs. It highlights the lack of prehospital trauma care, which is a reflection of the deficiency of a national, regional, or jurisdictional trauma system and the critical need to develop a functional trauma system., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2023, Ezeme et al.)

Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is an essential stable food crop in Sub-Saharan Africa commonly consumed amongst the low-income communities in Africa. Though cassava roots and leaf have vast economic and commercial benefits, it produces cyanogenic glycosides, which are toxic and most often responsible for the bitter taste of some cassava cultivars. The study evaluates the cassava roots and leaves' cyanogenic potential and dry matter content of the Genetic Gain Assessment trial grown in a different environment. It establishes the association between the cyanogenic potential (CNP) and the roots and leaves dry matter (DM). Genetic Gain Assessment (GGA) cassava genotypes (N = 400) selected for the Uniform Yield Trial (UYT) breeding stage were planted under IVS (Dry season in Inland Valley Hydromorphic area) and Upland (rain-fed conditions) in two locations of IITA Research Farms, namely; Ibadan (IVS and Upland) and Mokwa (Upland) in Nigeria. The CNP content of cassava leaves in IVS, Mokwa, and Upland ranged from 3.39 to 272.16 mg/100 g, 4.28 to 228.72 mg/100 g, and 13.13 to 127.39 mg/100 g, respectively. However, the respective CNP range in root samples across IVS, Mokwa, and Upland was 0.76-76.31 mg/100 g, 0.94-136.53 mg/100 g, and 2.37-47.11 mg/100 g. Also, the mean ± SD of DM content of leaves were 27.97 ± 3.01%, 28.81 ± 4.01%, and 13.65 ± 3.69%, respectively, in IVS, Mokwa, and Upland, while the root samples had mean ± SD of DM content of 38.09 ± 4.80%, 32.69 ± ,5.93% and 24.63 ± 5.07% respectively. Furthermore, location and genotype had a highly significant effect (p < 0.001) on the CNP and DM of roots and leaves. Also, linear regressions were established between CNP and DM of root and leaf with regression equation; DM-Root = 1.1999*DM-Leaf (r = 0.956) and CNP-Root = 0.29006*CNP-Leaf (r = 0.54). The relationship between the DM (root and leaf) and CNP (root and leaf) could serve as a valuable "inter-prediction" tool for these parameters., (© 2023. Springer Nature Limited.)

Gari is a creamy, granular flour obtained from roasting fermented cassava mash. Its preparation involves several unit operations, including fermentation, which is essential in gari production. Fermentation brings about specific biochemical changes in cassava starch due to the actions of lactic acid bacteria. Consequently, it gives rise to organic acids and a significant reduction in the pH. Consumer preferences for gari are influenced by these changes and impact specific functional characteristics, which are often linked to cassava genotypes. Measurement of these functional characteristics is time-consuming and expensive. Therefore, this study aimed to develop high-throughput and less expensive prediction models for water absorption capacity, swelling power, bulk density, and dispersibility using Near-Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy (NIRS). Gari was produced from 63 cassava genotypes using the standard method developed in the RTB foods project. The prediction model was developed by dividing the gari samples into two sets of 48 samples for calibration and 15 samples as the validation set. The gari samples were transferred into a ring cell cup and scanned on the NIRS machine within the Vis-NIR range of 400-2,498 nm wavelength, though only the NIR range of 800-2,400 nm was used to build the model. Calibration models were developed using partial least regression algorithms after spectra pre-processing. Also, the gari samples were analysed in the laboratory for their functional properties to generate reference data. Results showed an excellent coefficient of determination in calibrations (R 2 Cal ) of 0.99 , 0.97 , 0.97 , and 0.89 for bulk density, swelling power, dispersibility, and water absorption capacity, respectively. Also, the performances of the prediction models were tested using an independent set of 15 gari samples. A good prediction coefficient (R 2 pred) and low standard error of prediction (SEP) was obtained as follows: Bulk density ( 0.98 ), Swelling power ( 0.93 ), WAC ( 0.68 ), Dispersibility ( 0.65 ), and solubility index ( 0.62 ), respectively. Therefore, NIRS prediction models in this study could provide a rapid screening tool for cassava breeding programs and food scientists to determine the food quality of cassava granular products (Gari)., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Adesokan, Alamu, Fawole and Maziya-Dixon.)

Retained metalwork during total joint arthroplasties usually occur from accidental misplacement of jig locking pins into the medullary canal via the aperture created for intramedullary referencing. They are associated with significant clinical and financial consequences for the patient, surgeon and health care provider. Hence the imperative to device methods to not only prevent their occurrence but reliably retrieve any trapped foreign body. We describe an easy, reliable, reproducible, fluoroscopy-free and time efficient way to retrieve metalworks trapped in the medullary canal, with the aid of a bronchoscope and a bariatric needle holder.•The described method utilises two instruments which are readily available in theatres - single use flexible bronchoscope and bariatric needle holder.•Prior experience in bronchoscopy or laparoscopic surgery is not required to adapt the instruments for this purpose.•This technique minimises both the stress on the patient and the surgical team., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2023 The Author(s).)

The utilization of art for therapeutic purposes in the formal healthcare setting is gradually gaining prominence in Nigeria. However, there is a paucity of evidence on the effectiveness of these interventions. Therefore, we explored the pooled effect of the various arts-based interventions in managing clinical disorders in hospitalized and out-patients in Nigeria. An electronic search of PubMed, African Journal Online, Web of Science, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, and Scopus databases was carried out from the inception of the databases to October 31, 2021. Three researchers using Rayyan QCRI software independently screened and de-duplicated the identified studies. Eight eligible studies were selected for this review, with a total of 541 participants. The earliest study was published in 2012. Seven of the eight studies were conducted in the Southern part of Nigeria. There were four quasi-experimental studies, two randomized controlled trials, and two comparative cross-sectional studies. The predominant art forms were music (three) and dance/movement (three), followed by visual art (two). The groups of patients in the identified studies were managed for mental health problems (two), hypertension (two), Parkinson's disease (one), spinal cord injury (one), autistic spectrum disorder (one), and chronic back pain (one). In all the studies, the art-based intervention significantly improved the overall outcome of the patients. The findings of the available studies have proven to yield a significant positive outcome in managing different health conditions. However, there is a need to conduct more high-quality research in this field in Nigeria., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2022, Oladeji et al.)

Background An operative note (op note) is a vital medical record of remarkable clinical, medico-legal and academic relevance. The Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) has set out a guideline to standardise op notes. This closed-loop audit assessed the compliance of op notes completed in our local hospital against the guidance set by RCS with the view to identify deficiencies and improve practice. Methods A retrospective review of general surgery operative notes was carried out to access their various characteristics against RCS guidance. Two additional parameters were assessed, namely, 'cadre of the surgeon that completed the op note' and 'use of abbreviations'. To improve compliance with RCS guidelines, an electronic proforma (EP) that included all the 18 characteristics listed in good surgical practice was implemented and a re-audit was undertaken six months afterwards. Results A total of 200 op notes were reviewed, 98 during the initial audit cycle and 102 at the re-audit. Seventy-eight per cent (78%) of the op notes were written by trainees. At the initial audit, seven parameters performed poorly, with compliance ranging between 5.1% and 76.5%. The re-audit demonstrated improved adherence to guidelines following the implementation of the EP, as well as a reduction in the use of abbreviations. The overall compliance improved from roughly 80% to >95%. Conclusion A sustainable change was achieved through the implementation of EP with improvement demonstrated in content and structure. The need to provide teaching to trainees who are responsible for writing a vast majority of op notes was identified., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2022, Oladeji et al.)

Specific biochemical properties and textural attributes determine the final quality and acceptability of yam food products. This study assessed the flour and cooking qualities (boiled yam) of sixteen elite white yam genotypes ( D. rotundata ) grown in three locations. Fresh yam samples were cut into regular-shaped pieces and boiled using the standard procedure. Sub-samples were oven-dried at 65 °C for 72 h and milled to flour. The biochemical profiling for the yam flour showed, on average, 61.35 ± 5.15% starch, 5.35 ± 0.15% sugar, 1.55 ± 0.24% crude fiber, 1.91 ± 0.31% ash, 5.65 ± 0.66% protein, 0.33 ± 0.02% fat and 34.87 ± 1.94% amylose content. The boiled yam's water absorption and cooking time ranged from 0.35 to 5.17% and 7.00-18 min, with an average of 2.74% and 10.64 min, respectively. The hardness of boiled yam from the sensory assay correlated positively with the hardness of instrumental texture analysis (p < 0.001, r = 0.47). In contrast, the hardness of instrumental texture had a significant negative correlation with the chewiness of sensory profile analysis (p < 0.05, r = 0.37). Likewise, water absorption correlated positively and significantly (p < 0.05, r = 0.43) with the chewiness of the sensory analysis. The study shows that the sensory attributes that determine the acceptability of boiled yam could be determined using instrumental measurements to save time and cost., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2022 The Author(s).)

Diversity in the mineral composition of cassava leaves bred in sub-Saharan Africa has not been fully investigated. This study characterized macro and micro-minerals in 400 genotypes of Cassava leaves planted in three different agroecological environments in Nigeria. Laboratory analysis of the leaves was done using an Inductively Coupled Optical Emission Spectrometer. Across all three locations sampled in this study, the iron content ranged from 43 to 660 mg/kg, zinc from 16 to 440 mg/kg, Manganese 16-61mg/kg, Copper 0.7-14 mg/kg, Aluminum 5.3-630 mg/kg. Among the macro elements, Calcium ranged from 3600 to 17600 mg/kg, Magnesium 1760-6500 mg/kg, Sodium 0.4-720 mg/kg, Potassium 3100-27000 mg/kg. When the location effect was tested, there was a significant difference among the genotypes for all elements. Cluster analysis resulted in five clusters containing 187, 147, 60, 2, and 4 genotypes, respectively. Cluster 2 contained eight varieties (01/0046, 94/0020, 93/0098, 88/112-7(3X), I00/0017, 91/00417, I00/0017, 88/112-7(3X)) that possessed the highest mineral compositions in Fe, Al, Ti, Na, K, S, Mn, and B, respectively. Genotypes 93/0681(4X), 92/0430, and 95/0460 in cluster 3 had the highest concentrations of Mg, Na, and Zn, respectively. The correlation results showed a notable positive relationship among iron with zinc, copper, aluminum, and titanium (r = 0.33, 0.39, 0.48, and 0.56, respectively), zinc with nickel, titanium, and sulphur (r = 0.52, 0.3,2 and 0.51, respectively) while calcium negatively correlated with potassium (r = ‒ 0.31), phosphorus (r = ‒0.41). This study provides evidence that genotypic diversity exists for mineral composition in cassava leaves and, therefore, can be exploited for genetic improvement by breeders seeking solutions to reduce persistent mineral deficiencies in sub-Saharan Africa., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2022 The Authors.)

The cassava starch market is promising in sub-Saharan Africa and increasing rapidly due to the numerous uses of starch in food industries. More accurate, high-throughput, and cost-effective phenotyping approaches could hasten the development of cassava varieties with high starch content to meet the growing market demand. This study investigated the effectiveness of a pocket-sized SCiO™ molecular sensor (SCiO) (740-1070 nm) to predict starch content in freshly ground cassava roots. A set of 344 unique genotypes from 11 field trials were evaluated. The predictive ability of individual trials was compared using partial least squares regression (PLSR). The 11 trials were aggregated to capture more variability, and the performance of the combined data was evaluated using two additional algorithms, random forest (RF) and support vector machine (SVM). The effect of pretreatment on model performance was examined. The predictive ability of SCiO was compared to that of two commercially available near-infrared (NIR) spectrometers, the portable ASD QualitySpec ® Trek (QST) (350-2500 nm) and the benchtop FOSS XDS Rapid Content™ Analyzer (BT) (400-2490 nm). The heritability of NIR spectra was investigated, and important spectral wavelengths were identified. Model performance varied across trials and was related to the amount of genetic diversity captured in the trial. Regardless of the chemometric approach, a satisfactory and consistent estimate of starch content was obtained across pretreatments with the SCiO (correlation between the predicted and the observed test set, ( R 2 P ): 0.84-0.90; ratio of performance deviation (RPD): 2.49-3.11, ratio of performance to interquartile distance (RPIQ): 3.24-4.08, concordance correlation coefficient (CCC): 0.91-0.94). While PLSR and SVM showed comparable prediction abilities, the RF model yielded the lowest performance. The heritability of the 331 NIRS spectra varied across trials and spectral regions but was highest ( H 2 > 0.5) between 871-1070 nm in most trials. Important wavelengths corresponding to absorption bands associated with starch and water were identified from 815 to 980 nm. Despite its limited spectral range, SCiO provided satisfactory prediction, as did BT, whereas QST showed less optimal calibration models. The SCiO spectrometer may be a cost-effective solution for phenotyping the starch content of fresh roots in resource-limited cassava breeding programs., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Nkouaya Mbanjo, Hershberger, Peteti, Agbona, Ikpan, Ogunpaimo, Kayondo, Abioye, Nafiu, Alamu, Adesokan, Maziya-Dixon, Parkes, Kulakow, Gore, Egesi and Rabbi.)

Yellow-fleshed cassava root (YFCR) is processed into traditional products that may influence its bioactivities. In this study, the antioxidant and anti-hyperglycaemic activities of three traditional products ( lafun, fufu and gari ) from five genotypes (IITA-TMS-IBA070337, 182961, 182962, 182986, 183044) of YFCR were evaluated. The YFCR genotypes were grown at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) research field, Ibadan. The bioactive constituents (total carotenoids, total phenolics, tannins and total flavonoids), antioxidant [2,2-azinobis (3-ethyl-benzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radical cation (ABTS •+ ) and 1,1-diphenyl-2- picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH • ) scavenging capacities, and reducing power], and starch-digesting enzymes (α-amylase and α-glucosidase) inhibitory activities of the products were determined using standard laboratory methods. The glucose response of the products was assessed in human subjects. The concentrations of the bioactive constituents of the products from different genotypes varied significantly ( p < 0.05). The ABTS •+ and DPPH • scavenging capacities and the reducing power of the products also differed significantly ( p < 0.05), such that the lafun from IITA-TMS-IBA182962, IITA-TMS-IBA070337 and IITA-TMS-IBA070337 had the strongest ABTS •+ and DPPH • scavenging capacities, and reducing power, respectively. The α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities of the three products differed significantly ( p < 0.05), with the lafun from IITA-TMS-IBA070337 and IITA-TMS-IBA07033 having the strongest α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory activity, respectively. Also, the lafun from IITA-TMS-182986 had the least glucose response, while the fufu from IITA-TMS-IBA070337 had the highest glucose response. Overall, the lafun from different genotypes of YFCR had the most potent antioxidant and starch-digesting enzymes inhibitory activities and the least glucose responses. Hence, lafun may be a promising dietary intervention targeting oxidative stress, hyperglycaemia, and their resultant type 2 diabetes., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Kareem, Irondi, Alamu, Ajani, Abass, Adesokan, Parkes and Maziya-Dixon.)

The accurate quantification of amino acids in maize breeding programs is challenging due to the high cost of analysis using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and other conventional methods. Using the Near-Infrared Spectroscopic (NIRS) method in breeding to screen many genotypes has proven to be a fast, cost-effective, and non-destructive method. Thus, this study aimed to develop and apply the NIRS prediction models for quantifying amino acids in biofortified quality protein maize (QPM). Sixty-three (63) QPM maize genotypes were used as the calibration set, and another twenty (20) genotypes were used as the validation set. The microwave hydrolysis system coupled with post-column derivatization with 6-amino-quinoline-succinimidyl-carbamate as the derivatization reagent and the HPLC method were used to generate the reference data set used for the calibration development. The calibration models were developed for essential and non-essential amino acids using WINSI Foss software. Good coefficients of determination in calibration (R 2 cal ) of 0.91, 0.93, 0.93, and 0.91 and low standard errors in calibrations (SEC) of 0.62, 0.71, 0.26, and 1.75 were obtained for glutamic acids, alanine, proline, and leucine, respectively, while aspartic acids, serine, glycine, arginine, tyrosine, valines, and phenylalanine had fairly good R 2 Cal values of 0.86, 0.71, 0.81, 0.78, 0.68, 0.79, and 0.75. In contrast, poor (R 2 cal ) was obtained for histidine (0.07), cystine (0.09), methionine (0.09), lysine (0.20), threonine (0.51), and isoleucine (0.09), respectively. The models' prediction performances (R 2 pred ) and standard error of prediction (SEP) were reasonably good for certain amino acids such as aspartic acid (0.90), glycine (0.80), arginine (0.94), alanine (0.90), proline (0.80), tyrosine (0.83), valine (0.82), leucine (0.90), and phenylalanine (0.88) with SEP values of 0.24, 0.39,0.24, 0.93, 0.47,0.34, 0.78, 2.20, and 0.77, respectively. However, certain amino acids had their R 2 pred below 0.50, which could be improved to become useful for screening purposes for those amino acids. Further work is recommended by including a training set representing the sample population's variance to improve the model's performance.

Objectives: The importance of school water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) in achieving the Sustainable Development Goal targets 6.1 and 6.2 in developing countries cannot be overemphasized. However, widespread WASH inequalities remain an impediment to achieving the targets by 2030. Hence, this study was conducted to examine current school-WASH disparities among public and private schools in a low-income Nigerian community using mixed methods., Methods: The cross-sectional survey utilized multi-stage sampling to select 400 students from five public and five private schools in Akinyele, Ibadan. Semi-structured questionnaires and observational checklists were used to obtain data. Inferential statistics were measured at a 95% confidence interval. Independent variables like the students' sociodemographic characteristics, school type, and available WASH facilities were associated with dependent variables like respondents' hand hygiene and sanitation practices and WASH-associated knowledge and attitude to examine existing inequalities., Results: Classifying the available WASH facilities based on the WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme, none of the public schools provided any sanitation and hygiene service, while all the private schools provided both services. Furthermore, the private-school students had significantly better WASH knowledge (p<0.001; Ƞ 2 p =0.152) and attitude (p<0.001; Ƞ 2 p =0.036) compared with the public-school students. Also, a significantly higher portion of public-school students practiced open defecation at school (p<0.001; odds ratio (OR)=7.4; confidence interval (CI)=4.1-13.5) and at home (p<0.001; OR=7.8; CI=3.7-16.7)., Conclusion: WASH disparities among socioeconomic groups remain a persistent challenge. Sole reliance on the Government to narrow the inequalities has persistently proven unfruitful. There is a need to empower local community stakeholders to facilitate sustainable school-WASH interventions., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: The accurate measurements of the mineral content of cassava roots are vital from a nutritional perspective. The research datasets were from the study assessing the influence of storage root portion, maturity, and environment on the variations of minerals in biofortified cassava roots. Methods: Twenty-five biofortified clones with three varieties as checks were harvested 12 months after planting from five different environments. Also,  a different thirty-nine (39) biofortified cassava clones from the unlimited yield trials (UYTs) that included five (5) white-fleshed varieties (as control) were harvested at the age of 9 and 12 months after planting. In addition, two different methods of sample preparations were employed, using a cork borer and without a cork borer. The samples' elemental (minerals) analysis was determined using a standard laboratory method. Results and conclusion: The breeders could use the data in their biofortification cassava programs to know the distribution of minerals in the roots and identify the best promising pipelines. Also, the data could be used by food scientists and nutritionists to understand the parts of the roots with optimum minerals to design their processing protocols and to know those genotypes specific to different environments that could be used for various nutrition intervention programs., Competing Interests: No competing interests were disclosed., (Copyright: © 2022 Alamu EO et al.)

The study evaluates the effects of genotype, maturity, and growing location on the functional and pasting properties of freshly harvested orange maize hybrids and open-pollinated varieties (OPVs). Eight fresh orange maize hybrid and eight fresh maize OPV, including the control, were harvested at three stages: 20, 27, and 34 days after planting (DAP). The freshly harvested maize samples were lyophilized and characterized for the pasting and functional properties using standard laboratory methods. The peak viscosity, final viscosity, and swelling power of the OPVs increased between 20 and 27 DAP. Additionally, the water absorption capacity increased between 20 and 27 DAP for the maize hybrids, with a decreasing trend between 27 and 34 DAP. However, genotypes 2, from the orange maize hybrid, and 5, amongst the OPV, were outstanding with the highest peak viscosities, indicating good final product quality. The combined ANOVA for the fresh orange maize hybrid and OPV showed a highly significant effect ( p ≤ 0.01 and p ≤ 0.001) for the maturity and location on the pasting and functional properties except for the pasting temperature, final viscosity, and pasting time which showed no significant effect. In contrast, the location by genotypes by maturity interactions had no significant effects on the pasting and functional properties of the fresh maize hybrid and the orange OPV except only for the setback, which was highly significant at p ≤ 0.001. Nutritionists, food scientists, and maize breeders could use the information from this study to select the best maize genotypes at the appropriate harvesting period suitable for the production of the preferred maize-based products of consumers., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Alamu, Maziya-Dixon, Menkir, Adesokan and Olaofe.)

Most of the health benefits derived from cereals are attributed to their bioactive compounds. This study evaluated the levels of the bioactive compounds, and the antioxidant and starch-hydrolyzing enzymes inhibitory properties of six pipeline Striga -resistant yellow-orange maize hybrids (coded AS1828-1, 4, 6, 8, 9, 11) in vitro. The maize hybrids were grown at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Nigeria. The bioactive compounds (total phenolics, tannins, flavonoids, and phytate) levels, antioxidant (DPPH • and ABTS •+ scavenging capacity and reducing power) and starch-hydrolyzing enzymes (α-amylase and α-glucosidase) inhibitory activities of the maize hybrids were determined by spectrophotometry. At the same time, carotenoids were quantified using a reverse-phase HPLC system. The ranges of the bioactive compounds were: 11.25-14.14 mg GAE/g (total phenolics), 3.62-4.67 mg QE/g (total flavonoids), 3.63-6.29 mg/g (tannins), 3.66-4.31% (phytate), 8.92-12.11 µg/g (total xanthophylls), 2.42-2.89 µg/g (total β-carotene), and 3.17-3.77 µg/g (total provitamin A carotenoids). Extracts of the maize hybrids scavenged DPPH • (SC 50 : 9.07-26.35 mg/mL) and ABTS •+ (2.65-7.68 TEAC mmol/g), reduced Fe 3+ to Fe 2+ (0.25 ± 0.64-0.43 ± 0.01 mg GAE/g), and inhibited α-amylase and α-glucosidase, with IC 50 ranges of 26.28-52.55 mg/mL and 47.72-63.98 mg/mL, respectively. Among the six clones of the maize hybrids, AS1828-9 had the highest ( p < 0.05) levels of tannins and phytate and the strongest antioxidant and starch-hydrolyzing enzymes inhibitory activities. Significant correlations were observed between total phenolics and the following: ABTS •+ ( p < 0.01, r = 0.757), DPPH • SC 50 ( p < 0.01, r = -0.867), reducing power ( p < 0.05, r = 0.633), α-amylase IC 50 ( p < 0.01, r = -0.836) and α-glucosidase IC 50 ( p < 0.05, r = -0.582). Hence, the Striga -resistant yellow-orange maize hybrids (especially AS1828-9) may be beneficial for alleviating oxidative stress and postprandial hyperglycemia.

This study aimed to produce short set yoghurt with different stabilizers at different concentrations and determine the effects of the stabilizers and length of fermentation on the nutritional, microbiological, and sensory properties of short set yoghurt. Stabilized yoghurt samples were produced using 0%, 0.5%, and 1.0% concentrations of carboxyl methylcellulose (CMC), corn starch, and gum acacia with different fermentation periods (1-5 hr), respectively. Samples were analyzed for the proximate, physicochemical, microbial, and sensory properties using standard laboratory methods. Results showed that an increase in stabilizer concentration and fermentation time decreased the moisture content but increased the total solids, protein, fat, ash, sugars, pH level, and total titratable acidity. The viscosity of the yoghurt samples significantly ( p  < .05) increased with the addition of stabilizers (1.48 ± 0.03 cP to 275.57 ± 4.08 cP), with CMC having the highest increase ( p  < .05) and gum acacia the least. However, the lactic acid production reduced as the concentration of stabilizers increased but showed an increase with fermentation time. The total viable count (TVC) reduced significantly ( p  < .05) with an increase in the concentration of stabilizer and fermentation time. Hence, short set yoghurt samples containing CMC yielded highest protein (0.5%), fat (1.0%), and ash contents (1.0%). Yoghurt samples produced with a 1.0% concentration of gum acacia gave an optimum pH (0.5%), TTA, mouthfeel, appearance, flavor, and taste. In contrast, yoghurt produced with corn starch produced the most desirable overall acceptability, viscosity, total solids at 1.0%, and TVC (at 0.5%) concentration., Competing Interests: The authors do not declare any conflict of interest before, during or after this study., (© 2021 The Authors. Food Science & Nutrition published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Provitamin-A maize (PVA) with increased carotenoid content obtained through conventional breeding techniques has been largely successful in sub-Saharan Africa. This resulted in a need to evaluate their susceptibility, retention, and nutritional content during processing into local foods. This study evaluated the chemical, carotenoid composition, and retention of PVA, the phytic acid content in ogi powder, and the sensory perception of ogi porridge produced traditionally from the three novel PVA maize genotypes (PVA SYN HGAC 0 Maize 1; PVA SYN HGBC 0 Maize 2; and PVA SYN HGBC 1 Maize 3) and one yellow maize variety (control). Chemical composition analyses showed significant differences ( p < 0.05) in all parameters. The PVA ranged from 5.96 to 8.43 μg/g in Maize 2 and 3 before processing while the true percentage retention after processing into ogi powder ranged from 20.25 to 37.54% in Maize 1 and 2, respectively. In addition, there was a reduction in the phytate content of ogi powder, and Maize 2 contained the lowest (2.78 mg/g from 4.09 mg/g). Maize 2 genotype had the highest vitamin A contribution; it can meet 18.3% of the vitamin A requirements in children while in adult males and females (>19 years), 6.2 and 7.7%, respectively. Sensory evaluation showed that the ogi 3 porridge (Maize 3) was the most acceptable , followed by Maize 2. In conclusion, Maize 2 had the highest PVA, true retention of carotenoid, vitamin A contributions, and the second most acceptable ogi porridge with the lowest phytate content., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Akinsola, Alamu, Otegbayo, Menkir and Maziya-Dixon.)

This study evaluated the nutritional, antinutritional properties, and consumer preferences of five maize-based snacks at the household level. The physical, nutritional, and antinutritional properties were analyzed with standard laboratory methods, while a structured questionnaire was used for the data collection on consumer preferences of the maize products. There were significant ( p < 0.05) differences in the proximate parameters of the maize snack samples. Antinutritional properties among maize snacks all fell within the permissible range. Respondents from all districts showed no significant ( p > 0.05) differences in maize chin-chin variants' and maize finger variants' except for Serenje and Mkushi districts where maize chin-chin and maize finger showed significant ( p < 0.05) differences in their sensory ratings. However, across districts, the most rated maize finger variant was the spiced 100% maize finger. In conclusion, maize-based snacks enriched with soybean flour have proven nutritious with a reasonable acceptability level.

The purpose of this review is to support breeders and food scientists by examining research carried out on end-user preferences for gari and its derived dough product, eba, in Africa. The review focused on gari regarding the physical and chemical composition of raw cassava roots, methods of storage, the composition of gari with or without enrichment, and the sensory evaluation of gari and eba. The primary sensory attributes identified to describe gari are colour, taste, texture, aroma and flavour. Texture attribute of importance is crispiness for uncooked gari, and hand feel before consumption for eba. There was a significant correlation between the sensory characteristics of gari and the starch and cyanogenic potential (CNP) contents of the raw roots. Hence, the correlation of the end-user preferences with the chemical composition of the cassava roots could be helpful to breeders in refining selection criteria and developing high-throughput screening methods., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest in this work., (© 2020 The Authors. International Journal of Food Science & Technology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Institute of Food, Science and Technology (IFSTTF).)

The review aimed to identify the different high-throughput phenotyping (HTP) techniques that used for quality evaluation in cassava and yam breeding programmes, and this has provided insights towards the development of metrics and their application in cassava and yam improvements. A systematic review of the published research articles involved the use of NIRS in analysing the quality traits of cassava and yam was carried out, and Scopus, Science Direct, Web of Sciences and Google Scholar were searched. The results of the review established that NIRS could be used in understanding the chemical constituents (carbohydrate, protein, vitamins, minerals, carotenoids, moisture, starch, etc.) for high-throughput phenotyping. This study provides preliminary evidence of the application of NIRS as an efficient and affordable procedure for HTP. However, the feasibility of using mid-infrared spectroscopy (MIRS) and hyperspectral imaging (HSI) in combination with the NIRS could be further studied for quality traits phenotyping., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest in this work., (© 2020 The Authors. International Journal of Food Science & Technology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Institute of Food, Science and Technology (IFSTTF).)

Bioactive compounds in foods are responsible for their biological activities, but biotic and abiotic factors may influence their levels. This study evaluated the impact of three genotypes (designated 4, 5, and 7), maturity stages (20, 27, and 34 days after pollination) and processing methods (hydrothermal and dry-heating) on the bioactive constituents (carotenoids, phytate, tannins, vitamin C) and 2,2-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH * ) scavenging activity of fresh orange maize hybrids. Freshly harvested maize cobs of each genotype were subjected to hydrothermal processing at 100°C and dry-heating with husks and without husks. Carotenoids (lutein, zeaxanthin, β-cryptoxanthin, α-carotene, and total β-carotene) contents of fresh and processed samples were analyzed using HPLC; other bioactive constituents and DPPH * scavenging ability were determined using spectrophotometric methods. Genotype had a significant effect on the levels of carotenoids ( p < 0.001) and vitamin C ( p < 0.05), while genotype ( p < 0.001), and processing methods ( p < 0.001) had significant effects on DPPH * SC 50 . Maturity stages, processing methods and their interaction also had significant effects ( p < 0.001) on the levels of all the bioactive constituents. A positive moderate to strong correlation was observed between ( p < 0.001) α-carotene and the following: lutein ( r = 0.57), β-cryptoxanthin ( r = 0.69), total β-carotene ( r = 0.62). However, the relationship between α-carotene and zeaxanthin was positive but weak ( r = 0.39). A positive moderate correlation ( p < 0.001) was observed between lutein and the following: β-cryptoxanthin ( r = 0.57), total β-carotene ( r = 0.58), and zeaxanthin ( r = 0.52). A positive strong correlation ( p < 0.001) was observed between β-cryptoxanthin and each of total β-carotene ( r = 0.92) and zeaxanthin ( r = 0.63); total β-carotene and zeaxanthin ( r = 0.65); while the association between vitamin C and DPPH * SC 50 was negative and weak ( r = -0.38). Generally, genotype 4 and harvesting at 34 days after pollination had the best combination of bioactive constituents and DPPH * scavenging ability., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Alamu, Maziya-Dixon, Menkir, Irondi and Olaofe.)

In Zambia, mothers/caregivers feed their children cereal-based complementary foods that are prone to aflatoxin contamination. This study evaluated the relationship between exposure to aflatoxins and the nutritional status of young children. It covered 400 mothers with children aged 6-24 months. Their nutritional status assessed by measuring weight and height using standard procedures. Serum samples analysed for aflatoxin B1-lysine (AFB1-lys), a reliable biomarker of aflatoxin exposure. Child sickness and age, exposure to aflatoxin in foods, and albumin-normalised AFB1-lys level were found to be significantly ( p  <  . 05) associated with child stunting except for child age that was not significant at p  =  . 05. Children with an increase in the blood serum aflatoxin B1 lysine adduct are more likely to be stunted. These results have shown that dietary exposure to aflatoxin could lead to an increase in serum aflatoxin concentrations, both of which are associated with stunting.

Improved varieties have agronomic advantages over local varieties,but not much attention has been given to understand the nutritional content of the improved cowpea varieties released in Swaziland. This study investigated the physical and nutritional properties of improved cowpea varieties released in Swaziland. Five improved varieties (IT-04K-321-2, IT-97K-390-2, IT-18, IT-16, and IT-99K-494-6) and one local variety (Mtilane, as check) were analyzed for physical and chemical properties. The results showed that there were variations in seed weight as the values ranged between 12.5 and 18.5 g per 100 g seed weight. The protein content ranged from 25.38% to 27.56% with no significant difference (P < 0.05) between the improved varieties  and the local variety, ash content ranged between 3.47 and 6.84%, crude fiber was between 5.81 and 15.08%, and carbohydrate ranged from 45.64 to 57.12%.  Contents of calcium ranged from 9 to 36 mg/100 g and of iron from  2.0 to 2.4 mg/kg, with significant differences (P  < 0.05)  between the varieties with highest and the lowest values. Zinc content ranged from 7 mg/kg to 8 mg/kg, with no significant difference (P >0.05) among the varieties. The improved varieties have high seed weight, which is an essential factor that farmers consider when choosing a variety to adopt. In terms of addressing nutritional security, the crop is suitable for addressing protein-energy malnutrition and formulating blends for baby foods in Swaziland.

In-depth information on dietary diversity and food consumption patterns in Zambian households is still scarce. This study, therefore, probed dietary intakes of mothers and their children living in households of two Zambian districts, Chipata and Monze, located in the eastern and southern provinces of Zambia, respectively. After assessing their diet, Dietary Diversity Scores (DDSs) were calculated and classified into low and high categories, while correlations were used to test determinants of DDS. The assessment revealed that the consumption of cereal-based products ranked highest in frequency. Specifically, the consumption of maize-based foods was highest in Chipata (55.43%) and then in Monze (43.56%) households. There was an observed low preference for mixed dishes that were not either maize or groundnut porridges. We also found positive and negative correlations of DDS with the educational level of household heads and age of mothers, respectively. We, therefore, suggest that increased nutrition education may improve dietary preferences, so also further investigation into other factors hindering low choices for mixed recipes will be useful in increasing overall diet quality., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they do not have any conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2019 Emmanuel Oladeji Alamu et al.)

Diets in populations of most developing countries are often deficient in protein, carbohydrates, and fat, leading to protein-energy malnutrition (PEM). Diet-based strategies are the most promising approach for a sustainable control of PEM. This study aimed to investigate the effects of soy flour inclusion on the nutritional properties, consumer preference, purchase intent, and willingness to pay for wheat-based fritters. The proximate composition of both types of fritters was determined using standard methods, Consumer preference survey on organoleptic properties was carried out among 291 participants (93 men, 198 women) in Chipata, Katete, and Lundazi districts of Eastern Zambia. The soy-fortified fritters had significantly higher ( p  < 0.05) levels of ash, fat, amylose, crude fiber, and protein than the unfortified fritters. Protein, crude fiber, amylose, and ash contents of soy-fortified fritters were considerably increased by 55.5%, 18.9%, 98%, and 30.6%, respectively. The overall preference showed no significant difference ( p  > 0.05) between unfortified and soy-fortified fritters. A larger percentage of participants in Katete (38%) and Chipata (41%) preferred the soy-fortified fritters to the nonfortified one. In addition, no significant difference ( p  > 0.05) was also observed for intention to purchase between both types of fritters across the three locations. In conclusion, incorporating 20% soybean flour into fritters, which showed better nutrients quality, could be used to alleviate PEM among fritters consuming populations of developing countries, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The nutrient composition and safety of complementary foods have recently become areas of concern, especially with regard to aflatoxin contamination which has been found to adversely affect health outcomes. This study presents the nutrient and aflatoxin contents of complementary foods consumed by children (6-24 months) and infants and young child feeding practices of mothers from two districts in eastern and southern Zambia. A total of 400 mother-child pairs were recruited from Monze and Chipata districts, and data on breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices were collected twice at 3-month interval using a structured questionnaire. Samples of two traditional complementary foods (Maize Nshima and Maize porridge) were collected from the mothers and analyzed for nutrient contents and aflatoxin contamination. The results showed that there is a high level of awareness on exclusive breastfeeding among mothers. Fat, protein, carbohydrate, and ash contents of Maize nshima from Chipata were significantly lower ( p  < .05) compared to those from Monze district except for starch and sugar. Monze mothers preferred to prepare a thicker Maize nshima and Maize porridge compared to their Chipata counterparts. The aflatoxin contamination showed that the Maize porridge samples from Chipata were the most contaminated with mean aflatoxin content of 5.8 ± 15.93 mg/100 g, while Maize nshima was the most contaminated of the two complementary foods from Monze districts with mean aflatoxin level of 3.8 ± 6.41 mg/100 g. There were significant ( p  < .05) positive correlations between fat and aflatoxin contents for Chipata samples ( r  = .12409) and for Monze samples ( r  = .13666). The traditional complementary foods studied were found to be low in fat and protein and high in aflatoxin contamination. Thus, it is imperative that best practices and interventions are designed and introduced to reduce the possible lethal health implications of consumption of such complementary foods by children under 5 years.

This study investigated the impact of processing on retention of iron and zinc in D. rotundata . Fresh tubers were processed into boiled yam and yam flour and analyzed for zinc, iron, and physicochemical properties. Percent true retention (%TR) was assessed using paired samples and a formula that compensated for loss or gain of moisture and soluble solids. The retention of iron ranged from 55.5% to 98.7% in boiled yam and 25.2% to 54.9% in yam flour; retention of zinc ranged from 49.3% to 97.5% in boiled yam and 18. 9% to 43.1% in yam flour. The amount of iron retained in boiled yam correlated with the amount in the fresh samples ( r  = .79), likewise in yam flour ( r  = .82). A similar trend was observed for zinc. From our study, we conclude that retention of iron and zinc is dependent on the variety and processing method used. The information from this study can be used by food scientists and nutritionists in choosing the appropriate processing to increase the retention of high levels of micronutrient in yams and by the yam breeders to adjust their germplasm breeding activities.