Culinary Habits Research Articles

Feasts of Raw Meat

Russell Harris is a free-lance translator currently living in Amsterdam. He also works under the auspices of the Lafayette Project and it was while cataloguing a group of photographs of Ras Makonnen for the Victoria and Albert Museum that he happened upon the early reports of Abyssinian culinary habits which had horrified readers in the past. He decided to investigate these, and here exposes some misconceptions which in his view flawed the reports and exaggerated the barbaric aspects of the practices.

Culinary continuity in central Japan across the transition to agriculture

Rice and millet arrived in Western Japan from Korea around 3,000 years ago and spread eastwards across the archipelago in the next 700 years. However, the extent to which agriculture transformed traditional Jōmon hunter-gatherer-fisher communities is debated. Central Japan is a key area of study as remodelling of radiocarbon dates shows a slowdown in the dispersal rate of rice agriculture in this area. Here, we examine and compare the use of pottery by Final Jōmon and Early to Middle Yayoi communities in the Tōkai and the Central Highland regions of central Japan, using lipid residue analysis. Although the identification of specific biomarkers for rice remains elusive, an increase in the ratio of E/H C18 APAAs with the arrival of rice and millet indicates a potential change in plant processing and consumption. We were also able to identify biomarkers for broomcorn millet (miliacin) in both Final Jōmon and Yayoi pottery. However, evidence for millet consumption is sparse and in all cases was likely mixed with wild hunted and foraged foods. We conclude therefore that, despite the introduction of rice and millet agriculture in central Japan, pre-existing diets and culinary habits of Jōmon hunter-gatherers remain important.

Nutritional and Culinary Habits to Empower Families (n-CHEF): a feasibility study to increase consumption and home cooking of plant-based foods.

To analyse the feasibility and acceptability of a culinary nutritional intervention aimed at increasing plant-based foods consumption in the context of the Mediterranean diet in parent-child dyads. The Nutritional and Culinary Habits to Empower Families (n-CHEF) is a 9-month feasibility study that included four culinary nutritional workshops (two face to face, two online) led by a chef and a dietitian-nutritionist. These workshops combined cooking with plant-based foods, with nutritional advice and experimental activities. The main outcomes were retention, quality of the intervention (monitoring workshops, acceptability and perceived impact) and changes in dietary and cooking habits. Parent-child dyads, Spain. Parent-child (aged 10-14 years) dyads. Fifteen parent-child dyads were recruited, of which thirteen were retained during the 6-month follow-up. All but one parent-child dyads attended the four workshops. The overall assessment of the workshops was positive, although the online workshops were rated lower than the face to face. In general, parent-child dyads reported benefits in terms of nutrition and cooking aspects. Parents significantly increased their adherence to the Mediterranean diet, but non-significant changes were observed in children. However, children increased their consumption of vegetables and legumes and reduced snacks and ready meals. Parents also changed some of their culinary habits and increased their confidence in cooking at home. The n-CHEF showed that the culinary nutritional intervention had good levels of recruitment, retention and acceptability among parent-child dyads. In addition, dietary and culinary knowledge and habits can be improved, although further studies are needed to know the long-term effects in larger populations.

Food security and Mediterranean diet in five countries: the DELICIOUS project

Abstract Food security is a universal need assuring access to healthy diet in both developing and developed countries. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between factors related to food security and adherence to the Mediterranean diet in 5 Mediterranean countries (Italy, Spain, Portugal, Egypt, and Lebanon) participating to the EU funded project DELICIOUS (UnDErstanding consumer food choices & promotion of healthy and sustainable Mediterranean diet and LIfestyle in Children and adolescents through behavIOUral change actionS). Data were retrieved from a survey involving 2011 parents of children and adolescents aged 6-17 years old. The KIDMED score was used to assess the level of adherence to the Mediterranean diet. Information regarding easiness to retrieve foods characteristic of the Mediterranean diet, working status, economic allowance, and place of living were collected. The association with adherence to the Mediterranean diet were investigated by performing logistic regressions. The analyses revealed that individuals living in rural areas and reporting difficulty to retrieve all food items explored were less likely to have higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet. Moreover, higher adherence was also associated with household income higher than €3,500. No associations with family status nor working situation were found. There were no evident differences across countries, although there was nearly an inverse trend toward lack of association between economic allowance and higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet in Italy. In conclusion, the progressive abandonment of traditional dietary patterns, such as the Mediterranean diet, may not just depend on a cultural shift toward unhealthier industrial alternatives, but also on family budget and easiness to retrieve food stuff. Key messages • Food security may play a role in adherence to the Mediterranean diet. • The food market may be responsible for changes in cultural culinary habits.

Feasibility, tolerability and efficacy of the ketogenic diet in children with drug-resistant epilepsy in Vietnam.

According to the WHO, more than 50 million people have epilepsy. Among them, nearly 80% of patients with epilepsy live in developing countries and 75% of them do not have access to treatment. The ketogenic diet (KD) has been shown as an effective alternative for patients with drug-resistant epilepsy. Although it has been studied in Asia, no such studies have been conducted in Vietnam. The purpose of this study was to verify the feasibility and tolerability of KD in children with refractory epilepsies in Vietnam. Children with drug-resistant epilepsy followed at Children's Hospital, Vietnam treated by KD were included in a prospective study from June 2019 to October 2021. Side-effects, retention rate, number, and duration of seizures were recorded after 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months of KD. Patients were considered as respondents when a 50% seizure frequency was reached. Tolerance and acceptability of the KD were closely monitored. Forty-six children were included but KD was contraindicated for one patient. Due to the COVID pandemic, we had to rely on internet exchanges to stay in touch with families. Meals had to be adapted to Vietnamese culinary habits. The retention rate decreased from 82.2% at 1 month to 40% at 12 months of follow-up. The incidence of side effects was 44.4% and occurred mainly during the first month. Fifteen patients out of 45 were considered as responders after 12 months. Our study was the first attempt to introduce KD in Vietnam. It demonstrated that this diet was feasible and well tolerated. The KD diet resulted in significant improvement for 30% of our patients with drug-resistant epilepsy. This percentage is lower than in some studies but warrants the use of KD as a valuable alternative in a country where many patients lack access to recent treatments.

The crispy cricket – Attitudes, habits, and tradition in insect consumption

Consuming insects as a solution to climate change became popular in scientific publications but most of these publications focus on western countries. The objective of this study was to explore attitudes and motivations towards insect consumption in a country where insect consumption is common. A questionnaire was administered to 462 Mexicans in regions where insect consumption is frequent. The questionnaire included three main sections: 1) edible insect representations, 2) attitude and consumption drivers and 3) consumption habits. A majority of respondents declared eating insects (60%). The representation of edible insects of respondents not eating insects was not very different from that of the respondents eating insects, both being organized around the type of edible insects and their nutritional value. A Principal Component Analysis revealed four main attitude dimensions: Eating insect is 1) a habit from the past, 2) a tradition, 3) for snack and special occasions, 4) trendy. Most of noneaters disagreed with the tradition dimension. Insect-eaters’ drivers were mostly nutritional and sensory, liking crispy texture, spiciness, and salty taste of insects. Sustainability, convenience, and affordability were not important drivers. Concerning culinary habits, participants declared to prepare each insect in different ways (taco, complex dishes). To sum up, our results highlight that the fact of seeing eating insects as disgusting and that insects need to be “invisible” to be accepted is culturally acquired among western countries. We suggest that hedonic persuasion strategies based on current practices may be more efficient in promoting entomophagy than nutritional and sustainable messages.

Kulinarne strategie i praktyki czasu pandemii – sposoby radzenia sobie z niepewnością

The author describes how the pandemic impacted the ways of obtaining food provisions and culinary practices of 27 in-depth interview respondents. The study was conducted in May 2021 in Poland, using a structured qualitative interview, with the purposive respondent sample selected using the snowball method. The notion of habit was used in the analysis of the material collected, and the findings were compared to research studies on similar topics available around the world. It was found that the respondents’ habits had changed regarding, among other things, the types of products purchased as well as the places and times of shopping. The threat of the virus prompted customers to take precautions when shopping (such as wearing a mask, keeping a distance, or disinfection). Although the respondents’ culinary habits did not change, new habits appeared — such as baking bread at home. One could argue that a pandemic situation causes a sense of uncertainty resulting from the collapse of the set of hitherto applied routine practices enabling the fulfilment of basic needs, such as obtaining food provisions and socialising requirements.

Evaluation of dietary habits and cooking confidence using virtual teaching kitchens for perimenopausal women

BackgroundThe transition to menopause is a time when women are at increased risk for chronic and cardiovascular diseases, and weight gain. This study evaluates the efficacy of virtual teaching kitchen (TK) interventions on cooking confidence and consumption of a healthy diet in women over 45.MethodsThis teaching kitchen intervention is a synchronous online series of classes for perimenopausal women, with 45 min of live cooking and 15 min of nutrition discussion. From September 2020 through January 2022, participants completed online pre- post-intervention surveys addressing weight, eating habits, cooking confidence and self-efficacy. Analysis used paired samples t-test and Wilcoxon signed rank sum test for normally and non-normal distributed data respectively.ResultsOf the 609 unique participants, 269 women completed both pre and post surveys after attending classes. Participants self-reported a statistically significant decreased weight (p < 0.001), increased daily consumption of fruit/vegetables (p < 0.039), fish (p < 0.001) and beans (p < 0.005), and decreased daily consumption of red meat (p < 0.001), sugary beverages (p < 0.029) and white grains (p < 0.039). There was significant improvement in cooking self-efficacy and confidence.ConclusionsVirtual teaching kitchens were effective in improving culinary and dietary habits among peri- and post-menopausal women. This early evidence suggests that teaching kitchens can effectively reach larger populations for healthy behavioral modification.Trial RegistrationStudy obtained IRB exemption.

Assessment of popular knowledge and uses of Vigna subterranea (L.) for prebreeding programs in Douala (Cameroon)

The main goal of this study is to assess the endogenous knowledge on the diversity of V. subterranea (L.) and its different habits using an ethnobotanical survey in five (05) districts of Douala in the Littoral region of Cameroon. To achieve this objective, the survey was realised on among 170 households from 18 neighbourhoods and 118 traders working in 12 markets from Douala I, II, III, IV and V. Subsequently, the survey revealed that surveyed originated from nine (09) ethnic groups belonging to the Littoral, West, Centre and North Cameroon Regions, forming a representative sample for the country. The study reveals a variety of local nomenclature from one ethnic group to another, such as “Matobo”, “Matobi” and “Matopi” having dominantly the same radical “Matob” in the coastal area and suggesting the same source of languages. The seed colour (77.08%) appear as the main popular criterion for the recognition of morphotypes (multicolored ~77.66%, white ~14.77%, red ~3.38%, brown ~3.38% and black ~1.27%). The consumption of seeds (fresh or cooked) is ubiquitous but can induce few undesirable effects such as diarrhoea, constipation and allergies. The survey equally reveals therapeutic effects (29.6%) of organs on digestive disorders, cataracts, and infected wounds. These results permit to identify the rich secular knowledge, culinary habits and medicinal virtues linked to morphotypes usable for prebreeding programs of V. subterranea.

Socio-Cultural Lifestyle of Tri-Natives: Gond, Bhil and Santhal

Tribal lifestyle is deeply associated with their culture, art and craft. A larger mass of tribal people live in rural areas. In central India, the area of Vindhya, Satpuda and Aravali Mountain ranges, starching from east to west in the states of West Bengal, Orissa, Jharkhand, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan form a big tribal belt. Gond, Bhil and Santhal are the three biggest tribal communities residing in this central tribal region of India. These three dominating groups are comparatively developed then other tribal groups of the area, though their overall economy is still based on agriculture and labor work resulting in economic backwardness. But, new generation is gradually, getting educated and exposed to salaried jobs and modern technology. Due to better communication, exposure, marketization and modernization their culture is changing with time and need. Though, they have strong bond with their indigenous culture, religion and art, which has kept their tradition and lifestyle intact with relevant changes. But, changing lifestyle and economy has affected their art and craft. Themes, raw material and technology are changing their forms, symbols and patterns. Paintings have shifted from walls to canvas and taken professional shape. Festive and regular enjoyment with dance and music had developed as stage performance. But, they have not at all lost touch with their roots and cultural awareness is again revitalizing their bond with traditional dance, music and other art and craft forms. Celebrations are still celebrated with tribal songs and dances within the village's open courtyard. There are also several cultural and culinary habits, languages, social structures inclusive of marriage, and varieties of consciousness.

From vessel to community : Possibilities of investigating the function of a special Bronze Age vessel type

This paper attempts to reconstruct the use of fermenting vessels and their role in Middle Bronze Age communities. Vessels of this type can be found in the record of several periods of the Bronze Age in the Carpathian Basin but seem to be the most widespread in the Middle Bronze Age (2000/1900–1500/1400 cal BC). Storage vessels with internal knobs and special decoration have been associated with the production of dairy products or the fermentation of alcoholic beverages, but it is not possible to reconstruct their function based on typological and ethnographic analogies alone. Clarifying the actual function of this rare vessel type, often found in special context as part of so-called structured deposits, could provide loads of new information on the culinary habits of people in the first half of the 2nd millennium BC and their social context.

The Impact of Cultural Imperialism on the Hausa Culture

Imperialism is substantially a global, historical, cultural, economic, and political phenomenon. In Africa, how European imperialism has affected people continues to be subjected to debate with varying viewpoints. However, most of the literature on imperialism places greater emphasis on its political and economic dimensions, with passing discussion on its cultural aspect. This study intends to examine the impact of cultural imperialism on the Hausa people. Over the years, from pre-colonial through the colonial and post-colonial periods, Hausa cultures have been subjected to different changes due to different factors, imperialism included. Using primary and secondary sources, this study shows that the major areas of Hausa culture mostly affected by British cultural imperialism include language, culinary habits, attire, traditional sports, lifestyles, and festivities. Given the complexity of the current scholarly debate on the topic, a compilation of multiple viewpoints would be useful. In addition, the linked concepts, such as cultural imperialism and the concept of culture will be examined in depth.

Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants consumed during holy month of Ramadan in the Chlef region, Algeria

Background: The fasting month of Ramadan is the fourth pillar of Islam. This religious practice is characterized by a specific style of life, culinary and phytotherapeutic habits in Muslim societies. The aim of this research is to document information about the traditional medicinal knowledge of herbal species used during the holy month of Ramadan in the region of Chlef, north-west Algeria. Methods: This ethnobotanical survey was conducted during the holy month of Ramadan in 1442 Hijrah, corresponding to 13 April–12 Mai 2021. The information was gathered through semi-structured interviews with 100 fasting Muslim informants ranging in age from 18 to 71 years. The obtained data were analyzed using the following indices: Use Value (UV), Family Use Value (FUV) and Informant Consensus Factor (ICF). Results: In the current and first Ramadanian ethnobotanical survey, 38 herbal species distributed into 22 families were recorded in the Chlef region, north-west Algeria. Lamiaceae was the dominant botanical family explored in phyto-folk medicine, with 8 species. Leaves and aerial parts (22.22% each) represent the main plant parts valorized. Decoction (32.35%) and infusion (27.94%) were the principal preparation methods adopted for making remedies from medicinal herbs. Species supported by Quran verses and prophetic orientation are widely consumed during the month of Ramadan and record UVs indexes superior to 0.5. The highest UV values were assigned to Phoenix dactylifera L. (0.98), Hordeum vulgare L. (0.92) and Citrus limon (L.) Osbeck (0.89). The analyses revealed a high and common ICF among the local population during the month of Ramadan for 14 disease categories due to the religious guidance of informants. Conclusions: The month of Ramadan is characterized by a rich patrimony of herbal medicine and harmonious knowledge among informants based essentially on religious orientation. Further investigations into possible interactions between the health benefits of fasting and the therapeutic virtues of medicinal herbs are suggested in the future. Keywords: Ethnomedicine, Iftar, Suhur, Ramadan, Prophetic medicine.

Knowledge, attitude, and practices of the community and meat industry workers towards Taenia saginata taeniosis and bovine cysticercosis in and around Jimma and Ambo towns of Ethiopia

Taenia saginata taeniosis and bovine cysticercosis are prevalent in Ethiopia, however, data on the knowledge/attitude, and practice (KAP) of the community and meat industry workers in this regard is scarce. The present study aimed to investigate the KAP of the community and meat industry workers about T. saginata taeniosis/cysticercosis in Jimma and Ambo towns of Ethiopia.A cross-sectional KAP survey was performed on 293 community members selected using multistage random sampling and 97 meat industry workers from the two study towns. A questionnaire was constructed to collect sociodemographic variables, knowledge/attitudes about taeniosis/cysticercosis, raw meat consumption, latrine usage, and taeniosis treatment practices. Mixed effect (generalized) linear models were used to assess the association of self-reported taeniosis as well as the KAP scores with the demographic variables. The predicted proportion of self-reported taeniosis was 54% and 75% for Jimma and 44% and 70% for Ambo community and meat industry workers, respectively. The odds of self-reported taeniosis was higher for men (ORadj, 1.68, 95%CI, 0.97–2.93), and elementary/illiterate (ORadj, 1.46, 95%CI, 0.75–2.86) and high school education level (ORadj, 2.65, 95%CI, 1.45–4.93) compared to their counterparts. Most of the community members and the vast majority of the meat industry workers were knowledgeable about taeniosis but less conscious about cysticercosis. The knowledge/attitude score of the community was positively associated with the Jimma community (βadj= 1.20, 95%CI 0.60–1.80), age (βadj=0.03 points higher per year, 95%CI 0.00– 0.04), and men (βadj = 1.20, 95%CI 0.64–1.76), while it was lower in elementary education/illiterate (βadj = −1.60, 95%CI −2.31 to −0.95) and secondary/high school (βadj = −0.83, 95%CI −1.46 to −0.23). The good practice scores of the community within both towns were negatively associated with increasing age (βadj=−0.01 per year, 95%CI, −0.02 to 0.00), elementary/illiterate (βadj = −0.60, 95%CI −1.01 to −0.19) and secondary/high school education (βadj = −0.09, 95%CI −0.45 to −0.28), and urban community (βadj = −0.47 95%CI, −0.82 to −0.12), while protestant/other (βadj = 0.76, 95%CI 0.36 1.16) religion had higher scores compared to Orthodox religion. In conclusion, the predicted self-reported taeniosis proportion was moderately high, and the knowledge/attitude was substantial whereas, the practice was inferior. The association between the knowledge/attitude score and practice score was very weak. Therefore, public education to improve hygienic practices, risky culinary habits, taeniosis treatment, and backyard slaughtering were suggested.

Study of ecological charcoal production from agricultural waste

Wood fuel is undoubtedly the main source of energy for cooking in sub-Saharan Africa as it represents more than three quarter of household energy consumption. The exploitation of wood for fuel purposes contributes to forest degradation. It is becoming urgent to diversify domestic energy sources. Substituting other forms of energy with traditional ones is extremely difficult due to low income of the population and culinary habits. In this context, ecological charcoal seems to be an attractive alternative to wood energy. Agricultural waste was collected, dried to a moisture content of less than 10%. Waste was pyrolysed and the resulting carbonaceous material mixed with a binder and extruded to form briquettes. Three binders were tested: starch, clay and arabic gum. The pyrolysis of biomass generated three by-products: a solid (biochar), liquid and gaseous product. This process took 3 hours 45 minutes to convert 1tonne of waste into 390 kg of biochar and 133 liters of pyrolyser oil. After testing, biochar/binder ratios of 27/1.1, 27/2.7 and 27/2.1 for starch, gum arabic and clay, respectively, at a compaction pressure of 7.8 bar were validated.

„Zjadłem dobrą kolację w niezmiernym weselu i wszystkie nasze strachy przeminęły”: jedzenie, picie i towarzystwo jako filozofia eskapizmu w dzienniku Samuela Pepysa

The Diary of Samuel Pepys offers not only a firsthand account of the political and social life in the 17 th -century England, but also a profound insight into the culinary habits of the diarist and his contemporaries. In circumstances of grief or jeopardy, Pepys appears to be searching for ways to obliterate and shun the peril by turning to his favourite pleasure which is food and drink enjoyed in a good company. The author clearly treats the activity as a form of escapism and a social emollient which mitigates feuds and conquers fears. The paper examines Pepys’s life philosophy focusing on those aspects of the Diary where eating and drinking appear as the main sources of the author’s merriness and a technique which helps to overcome the hardships and adversities of everyday life.

Food and culture: Cultural patterns related to food by indigenous communities in Kashmir – A Western Himalayan region

Background: Food and culture have both local and global implications. Through their distinct culinary habits, communities are linked to their culture. Foods can transmit a variety of cultural meanings in and of themselves. It describes the community's social standing, ethnicity, and income in addition to informing us about a specific event. A certain culture or sub-culture to which they belong passes down its food habits with great care. Methods: Semi-structured questionnaires were used to collect information, whereas principal component analysis and Two-way cluster analysis was done to analyze the data using PAST software ver.3.14. Results: The present study recorded 75 edible species used in cultural foods in the Kashmir valley. These species were grouped as animals (N=6), birds (N=12), fish (N=5), vegetables (N=27), spices (N=13), and fruits (N=12). In case of plants, fruit was the main part used, followed by seed, and leaf, similarly in animals, flesh was the most often used part. The maximum number of species reported from an ethnic group was by Kashmiri, while the Gujjar reported the minimum number of species used. During cultural usage, festivals and marriages showed greater similarity of species usage, whereas the least overlap was observed between funerals and marriages. In case of cultural recipes, festivals and marriages showed greater similarity, whereas the least overlap was observed between festivals and funerals. Conclusion: According to the findings of the current study, all ethnic groups living the Kashmir valley have a profound cultural link to the flora and fauna, particularly when it comes to food. This is the first complete research of the flora and fauna utilized in diverse dishes in different ethnic groups' cultural events, and it will aid in the preservation of traditional gastronomic expertise in Kashmir's valley. Keywords: Recipes; Cultural occasions; Ethnic groups; Marriage; Funeral; Festivals

Influence of the Socio-Economic Profile of the Head of Household on Domestic Energy Use for Cooking in the City of Uíge, Angola

The city of Uíge, capital of the province of Uíge in northern Angola, presents a diversity of lifestyles, socio-economic levels and domestic energy sources for cooking. The present study aimed to identify the different domestic energy sources used in cooking operations in households in the city of Uíge, both in urban and peri-urban areas, as well as the reasons for their choice. By means of a semi-structured survey, 384 heads of households residing in three neighborhoods of the city of Uíge were interviewed, 96 (Kituma), 192 (Papelão) and 96 (Popular No. 1). The majority of households in the city of Uíge are headed by men (75%), 77% in Papelão; 78% in Popular No. 1; 69% in Kituma. 98% of the men are literate, the majority having attended junior or senior-high school (50%) and higher education (34%). Only 84% of female heads of household are literate, 30% have attended junior-high school and 22% adult education. In addition, the majority (55%) of households in the city of Uíge use Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) for cooking. LPG is the main source of domestic energy for public servants (79%) and traders (66%) in the city of Uíge. Firewood is the main (54%) source of domestic energy used by small farmer households. But, 79% of households headed by university students cook mainly with LPG. In addition, 67% of heads of households with senior-high school and 41% with junior-high school use LPG as their main source of household energy. On the other hand, about 60% of illiterate people use wood as their main source of energy. In contrast, none of the head of households with higher education level use firewood to prepare food. Moreover 68% of the respondents’ grill or roast with charcoal because it gives a better taste to the food and 25% of the respondents do so because of culinary or cultural habits. Charcoal is the main energy source (89%) for grilling and roasting. Households that cook with charcoal and firewood spend US$ 59.63 per month compared to US$ 13.24 for those who use LPG. Making modern commercial energy equipment available to all Angolan households would help low-income and poorly educated households to use the clean, modern energy they crave for cooking. Econometric studies should be conducted to estimate the correlation between household energy consumption and the number of inhabitants per household, for example.

Energy Efficiency Of Fuel Briquettes Based On Fine Charcoal. Case Of The Region Atsimo Andrefana (Urban Area)

The Atsimo-Andrefana region, one of the most energy-consuming in Madagascar, because of the local energy-intensive dishes causing heavy deforestation in this area, is the subject of a study on its energy potential. In view of this and the degradation of local forest resources, the recovery of waste remaining charcoal already used for domestic energy purposes is a local priority. The present research work aims to provide the local population with an ecological and hygienic source of energy from local waste, coal fines. The methodology adopted for the concretization of the present work consists in passing through the various stages of the following activities: bibliographical research and webography, the descent on the ground to see visually the local reality on the availability of the resource to be exploited, the investigations on the local culinary habits as well as the treatment and the analysis of the collected data. The result of this work showed that the population in rural areas has a waste resource of 10%. The average monthly consumption of charcoal per capita is 12.6 kg, or 63 kg/month/household of five people. Their cooking habits are very energy intensive (150 kg/year/capita of charcoal) compared to the national average (100 kg/year/capita of charcoal). The calorific value of fine charcoal briquettes varies according to two important parameters: the binder content and the fine matter content. For a binder content varying from 5% to 10%, the calorific value increases from 4284.77 kcal/kg to 6893.72 kcal/kg. With a binder content of 5%, the calorific value is maximum. The use of these briquettes for a household of 5 persons will allow to reduce the purchase of charcoal by 75.6kg/year and to preserve every year: 0.15ha/household or 5000ha for the Region of eucalyptus forest.

English

Toxoplasma gondii is an extremely widespread intracellular obligate parasite that infects both animals and birds. This protozoan pathogen usually causes asymptomatic infection in humans but can cause significant disease in congenitally infected infants, immunodeficient patients and occasionally in immunocompetent individuals. In the complex life cycle of T. gondii, sexual development occurs uniquely in felines whereas asexual reproduction may take place in humans and other warm-blooded animals serving as intermediate hosts. The prevalence of infection varies considerably among different geographic areas and also among individuals, depending on a variety of factors, including culinary habits and cleanliness of surroundings. Studies to date show low genetic diversity of T. gondii, with three main lineages, designated types I, II and III, found at least within Europe and North America. T. gondii uses various mechanisms to invade host cells and to alter their signal pathways and gene expression. Kinases within the rhoptry, a unique apical organelle, and T. gondii granule proteins are key virulence factors that promote attachment to, and invasion of, host cells. Human Toxoplasma infection is acquired by ingestion of raw or undercooked meat that contains tissue cysts, or through the ingestion of water or food contaminated with oocysts. It is also transmitted congenitally from mother-to-foetus and less commonly by transfusion of contaminated blood or transplantation of an infected organ. Life-threatening toxoplasmosis can develop in immunocompromised patients. Diagnostic tests are critical to surveillance, control and prevention of toxoplasmosis. However, different technologies presently utilized around the world to detect different parasite stages are not of a uniformly sufficient standard to indicate clearly the epidemiology and severity of infection at global, regional and national levels. While a prophylactic vaccine is licensed for veterinary administration, no similarly efficacious preparation is available to prevent human infections. Here, we review the epidemiology and genotypes of T. gondii, as well as current detection methods and the state of vaccine development. In addition, the mechanisms by which this parasitic pathogen invades and overcomes the human immune system are considered. Key words: Toxoplasmosis, Toxoplasma gondii, epidemiology, genotype, virulence, pathophysiology, diagnosis, immunity, vaccine.