Antinutritional Factors Research Articles

Effects of dietary soybean meal inclusion on calcium-binding protein expression and inflammatory gene markers in liver and intestine of Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar L.)

Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar L.) are sensitive to the inclusion of soybean meal in the diet which can result in inflammation in the distal intestine. Expression of S100 genes have been shown to be upregulated as part of the inflammatory response to antinutritional factors in soybean meal. These genes are also involved in calcium homeostasis in marine teleosts. We examined expression of S100I2 and S100V2 genes coding for calcium-binding proteins in the distal intestine and liver between groups of Atlantic Salmon fed a fishmeal (FM) or soybean-meal (PM) diet for 12 weeks. These two genes have been previously shown to differ in binding motifs and share variable sequence identity. Juvenile Atlantic Salmon (71.25 ± 0.76 g) were cultured in 140 L tanks using flow-through freshwater at 15 oC and randomly assigned to FM or PM diet groups in triplicate. Fish were fed daily to satiation and subsampled from each tank every four weeks. Expression of S100I2 in the distal intestine was elevated by 8 weeks but expression did not differ between diets. Expression of S100V2 was significantly elevated in the distal intestine of fish fed the PM diet compared to fish fed the FM diet. Increased expression of S100V2 but not S100I2 at 8 and 12 weeks in fish fed the PM diet differs from observations in previous studies using Rainbow Trout and implies Atlantic Salmon raised in freshwater may regulate expression of S100V2 and S100I2 in their distal intestine differently than Rainbow Trout. Expression of S100I2 and S100V2 in liver was not different between dietary treatments. Semi-quantitative histological scores confirmed mild but significant distal enteritis in the PM diet group but not in the FM diet group. Overall, these results provide further understanding in the expression of S100 genes and inflammatory processes associated with soy-induced distal enteritis in salmonids.

Effect of microwave and conventional heat treatment on trypsin inhibitor activity and in vitro digestibility of edamame milk protein

AbstractEdamame milk is a protein‐dense milk derived from green soybeans harvested before they mature. Being a legume of soy origin, it contains antinutritional factors for example, serine protease inhibitors, which hinder its in vitro digestibility. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of microwave processing techniques in improving the in vitro digestibility (IVPD %) of edamame milk protein by varying processing time and temperature. Conventional and microwave‐assisted processing was employed to investigate the effect on in vitro protein digestibility (IVPD %), using temperatures 70°Ϲ, 85°Ϲ, and 100°Ϲ for 5, 10, and 15 min, respectively. Fourier‐transform infrared (FTIR) data showed microwave and conventional treatments significantly modified the Amide I region of the edamame milk protein and the extent of modification varied with variation in the treatment temperature. In the FTIR analysis β‐sheet content was observed to change little with an increase in the temperature, suggesting similarity in the surface hydrophobicity of the protein leading to similar IVPD % values for all treatment temperatures. The experiment resulted in increased in vitro digestibility with increasing time and temperature during microwave processing conditions and conventional thermal conditions. It was also observed that the trypsin inhibitor activity decreased with an increase in processing time and temperature.

Nutritive value of forages consumed by ruminants during the dry season in the Western Highlands of Cameroon

AbstractBackgroundIn the Western Highlands of Cameroon (WHC), information on the nutritional value of fodder species consumed by ruminants is very limited.MethodsThrough interviews with farmers and monitoring of animals on the range, information was obtained on the types of fodder resources consumed by the ruminants. Samples of each forage species were collected in 15 districts, mixed, chopped, and dried in a ventilated oven at 60°C, and then ground for chemical composition analysis.ResultsTwenty‐two forage species were identified. Among these species, Vernonia amygdalina (29.43% ± 0.45% dry matter [DM]) and Pennisetum clandestinum (87.21% ± 1.33% DM) were, respectively, the highest in protein and neutral detergent fiber contents. Manihot esculenta was one of the most energy‐rich forages in terms of forage unit for lactation and forage unit for meat production. Hierarchical ascending classification revealed three main groups of forages, respectively, rich in crude fiber (Group 1), protein (Group 2), and energy (Group 3).ConclusionsThe present study identified 22 forage species browsed by ruminants in WHC. Further studies should be carried out to determine the antinutritional factors and to evaluate their nutrient value using in vitro or in situ digestibility techniques.

Nutritional significance of finger millet and its potential for using in functional products

Finger millet (Eleusine coracana L.), ragi or mandua, is one of essential minor millets extensively grown in the Indian and African subcontinents. It is a staple food in India, particularly for people belonging to low-socioeconomic groups. Finger millet is highly valued for its content of macro- and micronutrients. It is rich in carbohydrates, protein, and fat. Its micronutrients include calcium (0.38%), dietary fiber (18%), and phenolic compounds (0.3–3%), such as catechin, epicatechin, as well as ferulic, salicylic, protocatechuic, cinnamic, and hydroxybenzoic acids, etc. Finger millet is also recognized as a source of vital amino acids, including isoleucine, leucine, methionine, and phenylalanine, which are otherwise deficient in starchy meals. In addition, finger millet is well appreciated for its pharmacological properties such as anti-diabetic, anti-tumorigenic, anti-atherosclerogenic, antioxidant, and antimicrobial effects. To improve its nutritional and sensory properties, this grain can be processed by various traditional and advanced methods (soaking, malting, cooking, fermentation, popping, and radiation). These processing techniques equally assist in the reduction of anti-nutritional factors (tannins, phytic acid, oxalic acid, protein inhibitors, glucans) and their inhibitory effects. In this review, we highlighted the nutritional composition, health attributes, and uses of finger millet for the development of functional food products.
 Researchers and producers can further explore the opportunities and scope for utilizing finger millet and develop more products in the same line to solve the current issues of food and nutrition security.

Xylo-oligosaccharides improve the adverse effects of plant-based proteins on weaned piglet health by maintaining the intestinal barrier and inhibiting harmful bacterial growth.

Piglets are more susceptible to weaning stress syndrome when fed high levels of plant-based proteins that contain abundant food antigens and anti-nutritional factors. Xylo-oligosaccharides (XOS) are a potential prebiotic that may improve the tolerance of weaned piglets to plant-based proteins. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of XOS supplementation in high and low plant-based protein diets on growth performance, gut morphology, short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production, and gut microbiota of weaned piglets. A total of 128 weanling piglets with an average body weight (BW) of 7.63 ± 0.45 kg were randomly allocated to one of the four dietary treatments in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement, with two levels of plant-based proteins (d 1-14: 68.3 or 81.33%, d 15-28: 81.27 or 100%) and XOS complex (0 or 0.43%) over a 28-day trial. The growth performance of piglets did not differ significantly among groups (P > 0.05). However, the diarrhea index of weaned piglets fed a high plant-based protein diet (HP) was significantly higher than that of those fed a low plant-based protein diet (LP) at days 1-14 and throughout the experimental period (P < 0.05). XOS treatment tended to reduce the diarrhea index at days 1-14 (P = 0.062) and during the whole experiment period (P = 0.083). However, it significantly increased the digestibility of organic matter at days 15-28 (P < 0.05). Moreover, dietary XOS supplementation increased ileal mucosa mRNA expression of occludin and ZO-1 (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the concentration of butyric acid (BA) in the cecal contents and in the concentrations of BA and valeric acid (VA) in colon contents were significantly elevated in the XOS groups (P < 0.05). Additionally, XOS optimized the gut flora by lowering the number of pathogenic bacteria such as p_Campylobacterota, thereby stabilizing the gut ecosystem. In conclusion, the HP diet aggravated diarrhea in weaned piglets while the XOS diet alleviated it by improving nutrient digestibility, protecting intestinal morphology, and optimizing the gut flora.

Effect of Anti-nutritional Factors as Feed Additives on Enteric Methane, Blood Serum Indices and Worm Load in Crossbred Calves

Background: Ruminants have the distinct advantage of being able to eat forages and graze on land that is not suitable for growing crops. During breakdown of feed in rumen, 2 to 12 per cent of the gross energy consumed is converted to enteric CH4, which accounts for about 6 per cent of the world’s anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. Anti nutritional factor (ANF) plays a vital role in rumen manipulation. It helps in mitigation of methane production and improves the feed efficiency. Methods: Twenty calves of 6-7 months old with an average body weight of 90.2±4.0 kg were distributed randomly into four dietary treatment groups. The calves of the control group (T0) were fed on a basal diet as per ICAR (2013) feeding standard. The basal diet of T1, T2 and T3 were supplemented with NLP, MOP, CO@ 2 per cent on DM basis, respectively. Blood serum and fecal samples were collected and analyzed on 30th, 90th and 120th day of the experiment. The methane emission per animal was measured over fortnightly. Result: It was depicted that supplementation of ANFs as feed additives to the crossbred calves didn’t not affect the blood serum indices but the worm load and methane emission in calves differ significantly (P less than 0.05).

Label-Free Quantification by Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry of the Kunitz Inhibitor of Trypsin KTI3 in Soy Products.

The greater awareness of consumers regarding the sustainability of food chains has shifted part of the consumption from animal protein sources to vegetable sources. Among these, of relevance both for human food use and for animal feed, is soy. However, its high protein content is unfortunately accompanied by the presence of antinutritional factors, including Kunitz's trypsin inhibitor (KTI). Now there are few analytical methods available for its direct quantification, as the inhibitory activity against trypsin is generically measured, which however can be given by many other molecules and undergo numerous interferences. Therefore, in this work, a direct label-free liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) method for the identification and quantification of trypsin Kunitz inhibitor KTI3 in soybean and derivative products has been developed. The method is based on the identification and quantification of a marker peptide, specific for the protein of interest. Quantification is achieved with an external calibration curve in the matrix, and the limit of detection and the limit of quantification of the method are 0.75 and 2.51 μg/g, respectively. The results of the LC-MS method were also compared with trypsin inhibition measured spectrophotometrically, highlighting the complementarity of these two different pieces of information.

Improvement of the Nutritional Quality of Rapeseed Meal through Solid-State Fermentation with B. subtilis, S. cerevisiae, and B. amyloliquefaciens

In this study, the effect of solid-state fermentation with Bacillus subtilis GYB6, Saccharomyces cerevisiae NJ1, and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens Y8 on the anti-nutritional factors, nutritional components, bioactive compounds, antioxidant activity, functional properties, and structure of rapeseed meal (RSM) were investigated. Results showed that the action of three strains in the fermentation of RSM caused a significant decline in glucosinolates, phytic acid, crude fiber, and tannins by 99.18%, 42.41%, 27.21%, and 34.17%, respectively. The amount of crude protein, amino acids, and peptides of RSM increased significantly after fermentation. The SDS-PAGE results showed that 12S globulin and 2S albumin protein were almost entirely degraded. Fermentation considerably increased the concentration of total phenolics and flavonoids, and activated antioxidant activity and functional properties. Furthermore, the structural variation was observed by scanning electron microscopy and FTIR spectroscopy. Thus, these results indicated that the solid-state fermentation process in this study was a promising approach to enhance both the nutritional value and bioactivity of RSM, which could be used as value-added functional animal food ingredients.

Screening and Identification of a Strain with Protease and Phytase Activities and Its Application in Soybean Meal Fermentation.

The aims of the study were to degrade the anti-nutritional factors (ANFs) such as phytic acid, glycinin, and β-conglycinin and improve the values of soybean meal (SBM). Firstly, in this study, a strain PY-4B which exhibited the best enzymatic activities of protease (403.3 ± 17.8 U/mL) and phytase (62.9 ± 2.9 U/mL) was isolated and screened among the isolates. Based on the analysis of physiological and biochemical characteristics and 16S rDNA sequence, the strain PY-4B was identified and named as Pseudomonas PY-4B. Next, Pseudomonas PY-4B was applied to fermentation of SBM. The results showed that the contents of glycinin and β-conglycinin were decreased by 57-63%, and the phytic acid was remarkably degraded by 62.5% due to the fermentation of SBM by Pseudomonas PY-4B. The degradation of glycinin and β-conglycinin resulted in increase of contents of water-soluble proteins and amino acids in fermented SBM. Moreover, Pseudomonas PY-4B exhibited no hemolytic activity and slight inhibitory effect on the growth of pathogen Staphylococcus aureus and the wide range of pH tolerance (3 to 9). In summary, our study indicates that isolated strain Pseudomonas PY-4B is a safe and applicable strain and has the ability to effectively degrade the ANFs (phytic acid, glycinin, and β-conglycinin) in SBM by fermentation.

Environmental microbes determine macrophage response towards saponin-induced inflammation in zebrafish larvae

The microbial consortium within an organism is crucial for its development and immune status. Alteration of the host microbiome by antibiotics or antinutritional factors may contribute to increased disease susceptibility. Here, we investigated whether exposure to different microbes could influence zebrafish larval microbiota composition and modulate their immune response towards a saponin challenge. Adult zebrafish were exposed to the antibiotic oxytetracycline (OxyT) or control tank water and their intestinal content was harvested after 30 ​h (24 ​h exposure, 6 ​h wash-out). Subsequently, zebrafish embryos were exposed to either OxyT-treated content or non-treated content from 3 to 6 days post fertilization (dpf). At 6 dpf part of the group received a saponin challenge until 8 dpf. Zebrafish larvae exposed to OxyT-treated adult gut content (3–6 dpf) showed an altered microbiota composition compared to controls. Interestingly, larvae exposed to saponin-treated OxyT-content showed fewer macrophages (as visualized by fluorescent microscopy using mpx:GFP114;mpeg:mCherry transgenic fish) in the overall fish as well as around the gut area than saponin-treated control-exposed larvae. Fewer macrophages were associated with a decreased expression of interleukin 22 (il22) in larvae exposed to saponin-treated OxyT-content compared to controls. Overall, this study shows that exposure to different microbial environments early in life might affect disease susceptibility of larval zebrafish.

Effect of Sprouting on Biomolecular and Antioxidant Features of Common Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum).

Buckwheat is a pseudo-cereal widely grown and consumed throughout the world. Buckwheat is recognized as a good source of nutrients and, in combination with other health-promoting components, is receiving increasing attention as a potential functional food. Despite the high nutritional value of buckwheat, a variety of anti-nutritional features makes it difficult to exploit its full potential. In this framework, sprouting (or germination) may represent a process capable of improving the macromolecular profile, including reducing anti-nutritional factors and/or synthesizing or releasing bioactives. This study addressed changes in the biomolecular profile and composition of buckwheat that was sprouted for 48 and 72 h. Sprouting increased the content of peptides and free-phenolic compounds and the antioxidant activity, caused a marked decline in the concentration of several anti-nutritional components, and affected the metabolomic profile with an overall improvement in the nutritional characteristics. These results further confirm sprouting as a process suitable for improving the compositional traits of cereals and pseudo-cereals, and are further steps towards the exploitation of sprouted buckwheat as a high-quality ingredient in innovative products of industrial interest.

Nutritional value of white lupin and prospects of its use in the production of food from vegetable raw materials

Relevance. Legumes are considered a wonderful food source of biologically valuable components that can positively affect many physiological and metabolic processes. Lupine flour contains valuable protein, carotenoids, vitamin E, macroand microelements, is rich in magnesium, potassium, iron. A distinctive feature of lupin flour is the complete absence of gliadin and gluten in its composition, which is especially important for people with digestive disorders, white lupin seed processing products can serve as excellent components to increase the nutritional value of food, primarily such as bakery and flour confectionery.Methods. The materials of scientific research in the field of lupin production, the biochemical composition of its seeds, the feasibility of using lupin processing products in the production of food from plant raw materials have been studied.Results. Legumes play an important role in human nutrition and are part of the traditional diet of many regions around the world. Legumes, including white lupin, contain a significant amount of protein, fiber, trace elements and many valuable phytochemicals. As part of the daily diet, they can have a beneficial physiological effect and, thus, can help in the control and prevention of diseases of civilization, such as diabetes mellitus, coronary heart disease, atherosclerosis. A long-standing problem associated with legumes is a rather high content of anti-nutritional factors that can limit their biological value. According to current research, these compounds can be easily removed or reduced when processing conditions change; some of these substances may also have a positive effect on human health.

Optimal Fermentation of Artemisia annua Residues and Its Effects on Production Performance of Laying Hens

Artemisia annua residue (ARR) is a pharmaceutical by-product produced after the extraction of artemisinin; it is rich in protein, crude fat, vitamins, trace elements, and bioactive compounds and contains negligible anti-nutritional factors. The present study aimed to optimize the fermentation conditions of ARR, evaluate the compound and microbial compositions of fermented AAR, and explore its effects on the production performance of laying hens. A total of 288 Xinyang black-feather laying hens were randomly allocated into four treatments for 30 days, including a control group (basal diet) and a basal diet supplemented with 1%, 2%, and 4% fermented AAR, respectively. The results showed that the optimized fermentation conditions of AAR were 80% moisture content, 3% inoculation quantity, 34 °C fermentation for 6 days, initial pH at 8, and 60 mesh (sieving). The compounds of 2-furyl-5-methyl furan, deoxyartemisinin, phytol, n-hexadecanoic acid, aromandendrene, and calarene had higher contents (average 6.86%) in the fermented AAR. The bacteria of Proteobacteria and Firmicutes (average 45.18%) were the most abundant phyla, and Acinetobacter, Bacillus, and Brevundimonas (average 15.87%) were the most abundant genera in the fermented AAR. The fungi of Phragmoplastophyta, Vertebrata, and Ascomycota (average 30.13%) were the most abundant phyla, and Magnoliophyta, Mammalia, Wickerhamomyces-Candida_clade, and Aspergillus were the most abundant genera (average 21.12%) in the fermented AAR. Furthermore, dietary supplementation of fermented AAR increased the average daily feed intake (ADFI), egg weight, and albumen height. Dietary supplementation of 2% and 4% fermented AAR increased the laying rate, while 2% fermented AAR increased the Haugh unit and decreased the feed-to-egg ratio. Collectively, it is concluded that fermented AAR has the potential to become a phytogenic feed additive, and dietary supplementation of 2% fermented AAR had better effects on the production performance of laying hens.

Development of new mutant alleles and markers for KTI1 and KTI3 via CRISPR/Cas9-mediated mutagenesis to reduce trypsin inhibitor content and activity in soybean seeds.

The digestibility of soybean meal can be severely impacted by trypsin inhibitor (TI), one of the most abundant anti-nutritional factors present in soybean seeds. TI can restrain the function of trypsin, a critical enzyme that breaks down proteins in the digestive tract. Soybean accessions with low TI content have been identified. However, it is challenging to breed the low TI trait into elite cultivars due to a lack of molecular markers associated with low TI traits. We identified Kunitz trypsin inhibitor 1 (KTI1, Gm01g095000) and KTI3 (Gm08g341500) as two seed-specific TI genes. Mutant kti1 and kti3 alleles carrying small deletions or insertions within the gene open reading frames were created in the soybean cultivar Glycine max cv. Williams 82 (WM82) using the CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing approach. The KTI content and TI activity both remarkably reduced in kti1/3 mutants compared to the WM82 seeds. There was no significant difference in terms of plant growth or maturity days of kti1/3 transgenic and WM82 plants in greenhouse condition. We further identified a T1 line, #5-26, that carried double homozygous kti1/3 mutant alleles, but not the Cas9 transgene. Based on the sequences of kti1/3 mutant alleles in #5-26, we developed markers to co-select for these mutant alleles by using a gel-electrophoresis-free method. The kti1/3 mutant soybean line and associated selection markers will assist in accelerating the introduction of low TI trait into elite soybean cultivars in the future.

Effects of faba beans (Vicia faba L.) on growth performance, textural quality and physiological indices of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)

Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) is a fish species farmed in freshwater aquaculture worldwide, for which increased intensification has caused many problems including poor muscle quality. The tilapia fed faba beans (Vicia faba L.) had improved fish crispiness and firmness, but faba beans contain a variety of antinutritional factors which potentially interfere with certain growth performance and physiological indices. There little is known about the growth performance, and physiological indices of tilapia fed with different amounts of dietary faba bean. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of faba bean on growth performance, histological analysis, physiological indices and related gene expression profiles in tilapia (initial mean body weight of 463.86 ± 16.51 g). A basal diet (diet 1) containing no faba beans was fed to a control group and four other diets were produced by inclusion of 40%, 50%, 60% and 70% faba beans as diet 2, 3, 4, and 5, respectively. The results showed that there was no significant effect of dietary faba bean on the survival rate of tilapia. A reduction in the body weight, weight gain rate (WGR) and specific growth rate (SGR) were observed for tilapia fed diets 2, 3, 4 and 5 compared with the control. In the trial groups fed diets 2, 3, 4 and 5, a significant increase in the liver somatic index (LSI) and viscerosomatic index (VSI) was observed compared to those fed the control diet at 90 days (P < 0.05). Tilapia fed faba beans had higher muscle fiber density, wider spaces between muscle fibers and smaller fiber diameter and area, with the most difference in tilapia fed diet 4. The glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) was significantly decreased compared with the control group in both serum and liver (P < 0.05), while superoxide dismutase (SOD) was not significantly different. Compared with the control group, glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) activities of dietary faba bean groups were significantly decreased (P < 0.05). The aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were significantly increased by dietary faba bean. Dietary faba bean did not affect acid phosphatase (ACP) and alkaline phosphatase (AKP). In summary, dietary faba bean at an optimum level of 60%, improved muscle fibers but had negative effects on growth performance and physiological parameters in the tilapia. The results would contribute to an understanding of the growth, textural quality, and physiological parameters affecting the tilapia crisping process.

Solid-state Fermentation of Cottonseed Meal with Saccharomyces cerevisiae for Gossypol Reduction and Nutrient Enrichment

Background: An experiment was conducted to study the effect of solid-state fermentation (SSF) of cottonseed meal (CSM) with Saccharomyces cerevisiae on anti-nutritional factors and amino acid profile. Methods: A finely ground CSM was fermented with baker’s yeast for 48 h at room temperature with periodic observations of pH, temperature and moisture. The fermented substrate was partially sun-dried and nutritional values were observed. Result: After the SSF process on dry basses, the protein content of CSM increased from 8.74% to 12.67%. Besides increasing the nutritional value, the SSF showed a clear significant effect in reducing the anti-nutritional factors content of raw CSM like total gossypol from 0.28% to 0.21%, phytic acid from 3.3% to 0.3% and total tannin from 1.42% to 0.68%. CSM fermented with S. cerevisiae improved concertations of essential amino acids viz., histidine, isoleucine, valine, methionine and phenylalanine. The protein quality evaluation showed a significant increase in its nutritional value. Based on the present result, it can be concluded that the fermentation of CSM with S. cerevisiae decreases the anti-nutritional factors and improves essential nutrients.

Influence of modified cassava starch on the physicochemical properties of a fermented soybean beverage

Fermented soybean beverages are an alternative for improving intestinal health, and fermentation reduces the anti-nutritional factors of this legume. However, they do show high syneresis and low viscosity. Modified cassava starches could be added as a thickener and/or stabilizer to improve the quality of the product. The aim of this research was to assess the effect of adding modified cassava starch on the physicochemical properties of a fermented soybean beverage. Preliminary tests were carried out varying the concentration (0.8%, 1.0%, and 1.2%) of 3 types of modified cassava starch: octenyl succinic anhydride (OSA), acetylated distarch adipate (ADA) cross-linked starch, and substituted-crosslinked starch (mixed). A commercial culture of starter microorganisms and probiotics was used in the fermentation process. The statistical analysis was carried out with a two-factor (type of starch and concentration) and 3-level design; quality parameters such as pH, acidity, soluble solids, syneresis, and viscosity comparable to commercial fermented dairy beverages were evaluated. OSA starch had a lower syneresis and higher viscosity than the other starches for each concentration. Furthermore, the addition of 1.0% OSA and mixed starch, as well as 1.2% ADA starch, are comparable to the control commercial soybean beverage (SC).

Potential of Full-Fat Silkworm-Based Diets for Laying Quails: Performance and Egg Physical Quality.

The present research was conducted to determine the optimal inclusion level of full-fat silkworm chrysalis meal (SWM) into laying quails' diets, focusing on performance traits and egg physical quality. A total of 240 31-day-old female Japanese quails were randomly assigned to four dietary groups (12 replicates/treatment; 5 quails/replicate); quails were initially fed a standard commercial diet for pullets until 63 days of age. When oviposition started, the experimental groups received the following diets: a conventional corn and soybean-based diet (control diet-C) and three other diets, including 4%, 8%, or 12% of full-fat SWM (SWM4, SWM8, SWM12, respectively). Experimental diets were provided until quails reached 119 days of age. Birds displayed satisfactory productive performance throughout the trial. SWM12 and SWM8 had higher (p < 0.001) egg production but also a higher feed conversion ratio compared to C. At the end of the trial, the eggs edible portion increased, and shell weight decreased with increasing the SWM dietary inclusion level (p < 0.001). At the same time, SWM12 displayed an increase in albumen pH (p < 0.05), even though in the normal range for quail egg. Overall, full-fat SWM (up to 12%) can be considered a promising feed ingredient for laying quails, although higher inclusion levels (>8%) require special attention because SWM also contains anti-nutritional factors.

Formulating finger millet (Eleusine coracana L) and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) food blend for enhanced micronutrients for children below 5 years

Malnutrition of children under 5 years is a public health concern because it is the most vulnerable stage of child’s growth where its impact results in long term health conditions such as stunting, wasting, obesity and poor cognitive development. This study aimed at developing a Rapoko-Cowpea porridge blend to enhance dietary micronutrients among children below the age of 5 years and assess its sensory acceptability. A mixed methods research approach was adopted consisting of a quasi- experiment and a cross sectional survey. Vendors from Mbare market were clustered based on the source of their finger millet and cowpea grains (Masvingo, Murewa, Gokwe). A Completely Randomised Design (CRD) was used with three treatments (blends) replicated three times. Proximate analysis was done using standard AOAC methods. Compared to cowpea, finger millet had the highest levels of carbohydrates (78.12g/100g), iron (8.7mg/100g), zinc (3.77mg/100g). Results also show that 75:25. Rapoko-Cowpea blend ratio had the ability to meet WHO daily nutrient requirements for children under the age of 5 years. Blend ratio of Rapoko: cowpeas (75:25) had the highest carbohydrates (69.41g/100g), protein (25.64g/100g), zinc (1.74mg/100g), iron (5.14mg/100g), energy (411.37kcal), and vitamins (0.11 mcg RAE) with RaCoB1 blend having the lowest nutrient composition. Results have showed that finger millet (Rapoko), cowpeas and RaCoB (Rapoko-Cowpea blend) blends have high macro and micronutrients (iron and zinc) to support daily nutritional requirements of children below the age of 5 years and may help in addressing malnutrition. Sensory evaluation was done with 100 panellists from the University of Zimbabwe and of the three blends, a 75:25 ratio was the most preferred (90.88%). Further studies need to analyse the effects of anti-nutritional factors, bioavailability of nutrients, shelf life of the food blend and commercialization potential of RaCoB blends. The government is therefore encouraged to provide agronomic support for increased productivity of small grains and pulses through improved research and extension. There is a need to develop a policy at national level that promotes blending of cereals and pulses as well as innovative small scale food processing initiatives through private-public partnerships. Key words: Children under 5 years, Cowpea, food blending, Malnutrition, Micronutrients, Rapoko, Sensory evaluation

Extrusion as a tool to enhance the nutritional and bioactive potential of cereal and legume by-products

Cereal and legume by-products obtained from primary food production industries pose an environmental and economic problem. Nevertheless, these residues can potentially yield value-added products due to their elevated content of dietary fiber, phytochemicals, vitamins, minerals, and residual levels of proteins, which makes them a suitable and heightened option for reutilization in human consumption. Several studies identify extrusion as an innovative technology to modify the technofunctionality and nutritional properties of cereal and legume by-products, resulting in the production of improved ingredients. This review focuses on studies that evaluate the effect of extrusion to improve the nutritional and bioactive potential of cereal and legume by-products. A revision of the extrusion process parameters that improve the profile and bioavailability of dietary fiber, proteins, and phenolic compounds, and minimize antinutritional factors associated to cereal and legume by-products was done. The composition of by-products and process parameters such as feed moisture, barrel temperature and screw speed influence the resulting effect of extrusion. Studies suggest that extruding composite feedstock containing cereal or legume by-products may limit the molecular modifications that trigger the nutritional improvements. Therefore, extrusion applied as a pretreatment represents an interesting and economic alternative to improve the profile and bioavailability of the nutrients found in cereal and legume by-products which might lead to the development of functional ingredients useful to produce foods aimed to prevent chronic diseases.