Indigenous Food Products Research Articles

Indigenous food production in a carbon economy

Indigenous communities in the North American Arctic are characterized by mixed economies that feature hunting, fishing, gathering, and trapping activities-and associated sharing practices-alongside the formal wage economy. The region is also undergoing rapid social, economic, and climate changes, including, in Canada, carbon taxation, which is impacting the cost of fuel used in local food harvesting. Because of the importance of local foods to nutrition, health, and well-being in Arctic Indigenous communities, there is an urgent need to better understand the sensitivity of Arctic food systems to social, economic, and climate changes and to develop plans for mitigating potential adverse effects. Here, we develop a Bayesian model to calculate the substitution value and carbon emissions of market replacements for local food harvests in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region, Canada. Our estimates suggest that under plausible scenarios, replacing locally harvested foods with imported market substitutes would cost over 3.1 million Canadian dollars per year and emit over 1,000 tons of CO2-equivalent emissions per year, regardless of the shipping scenario. In contrast, we estimate that gasoline inputs to harvesting cost approximately $295,000 and result in 315 to 497 tons of emissions. These results indicate that climate change policies that fail to account for local food production may undermine emissions targets and adversely impact food security and health in Arctic Indigenous communities, who already experience a high cost of living and high rates of food insecurity.

Development of Semiquantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire for Identification of Indigenous Dietary Patterns in Prediabetic Adult Women

Dietary patterns influence the progression of prediabetes, so it is necessary to develop representative instruments for measuring eating habits, primarily indigenous dietary consumption. The research aimed to develop a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire to identify indigenous dietary patterns in prediabetes sufferers in Gorontalo Regency. The research was a descriptive study that tested the validity and reliability of the food frequency questionnaire semiquantitative (FFQ-SQ). The research was conducted in Limboto Barat Health Center, based on the prevalence of diabetes mellitus. Selection samples using purposive sampling with 30 adult women. The validity test used internal validity Pearson correlation, while the reliability test used internal consistency Cronbach α. Comparison of average FFQ-SQ and recall 2 x 24-hours using Wilcoxon test. The results showed that 12 food groups consisted of 207 food items and indigenous food products with validity tests 123 items valid, 67 items invalid, and 17 items never consumed by the subject study in the previous month; the reliability test showed food group category low 10, moderate 5 and high 3. Comparative analysis of the energy and nutrient intake between FFQ-SQ with recall 2 x 24 hours showed significant differences in intake of carbohydrates, fiber, vitamin E, vitamin B1, folic acid, vitamin C, potassium and zinc (p-value < 0.005), and comparison of energy and nutrient intake between FFQ-SQ1 and FFQ-SQ2 showed no significant difference (p-value> 0.005). The conclusion was FFQ-SQ with 123 items of foods and derived products is valid and reliable for measuring the eating habits of prediabetic adult women.

Seasonality of associations between production of indigenous foods and food security status of mother-child dyads in Kisumu County, Kenya

BackgroundFood insecurity is a major predicament for rural populations, especially mothers and children, whose livelihoods are often dependent on rain-fed agriculture. Indigenous foods have the potential of mitigating food insecurity as they can thrive in poor agro-ecological conditions. However, the associations between indigenous food production and food security status of mothers and children drawn from rural contexts has not been expansively assessed. Food insecurity evident by high food poverty rates remain high in Kisumu County due to over-reliance on food imports from other counties. The objective of the study was to assess seasonality in associations between production of selected indigenous foods (kidney beans, soya beans, millet, cassava, sweet potatoes, groundnuts, green grams, cow peas, amaranth leaves, spider plant leaves, black night shade leaves, mangoes, guavas, lime, and tamarind) and food security status of mothers and children during planting and harvesting seasons.MethodsWe used a longitudinal study design adopting both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods. A structured questionnaire assessed production of selected indigenous foods in the sampled households, Household Food Insecurity Access Scale for mother’s food security status and Prevalence of Underweight for children’s food security status. Ordinal logistic regression was used to derive odds ratio (OR), which assessed strength of associations between dependent variables (mother’s and children’s food security status) and independent variables (production of selected indigenous foods). Significance was determined at α ≤ 0.05.ResultsResults demonstrated that during planting season, production of kidney beans decreased the odds of mothers being severely food insecure by 53% (OR = 0.469, 95% CI = 0.228–0.964, p = 0.039). In the same season, sorghum production demonstrated 3.5 times increase in odds of children being severely food insecure (OR = 3.498, 95% CI = 1.454–8.418, p = 0.005). During harvesting season, production of kidney beans was associated with a 62% reduction in the odds of children being severely food insecure (OR = 0.379, 95% CI = 0.190–0.754, p = 0.006).ConclusionsProduction of some of the selected indigenous foods demonstrated significant odds of predicting mother’s and children’s food security status across both study seasons. An intervention-based study approach that would best establish causal associations of indigenous food production and food security status is recommended.

Suitability of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) based food products for diabetics

AbstractIn the study, suitability of porridge, bun, and salad prepared from processed pearl millet FBC16 and sorghum PSC4 had been evaluated organoleptically by a panel of semi-trained judges and 25 non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus subjects. Organoleptically, germinated pearl millet was found to be more suitable for porridge (50%) and salad (100%), while puffed sorghum was best suitable for bun (15%) preparation. Prepared porridge had significantly (P ≤ 0.05) higher protein (16.9%) and total phenols (178.8 mg GAE/100 g) contents and antioxidant capacity (1,036 mg TE/100 g) than control. The dietary fibre and in vitro starch digestibility of composite porridge and bun increased significantly (P ≤ 0.05). Most acceptable composition of porridge, bun, and salad had low glycaemic index (17.64–26.79) and medium to low glycaemic load (8.82–13.40). Suitability of pearl millet and sorghum using appropriate processing techniques (germination and puffing) is recommended for preparation of indigenous food products especially for diabetics.

Color stability of aligner materials on exposure to indigenous food products: An in-vitro study.

In the recent day, there has been an exponential growth in the usage of clear aligners for orthodontic treatment. As with any removable appliance, the compliance of patients to remove it during ingestion of food is, at times, poor. Thus, the stability of the clear aligner to be "clear" becomes questionable. This in-vitro study examined how the clear aligners changed colour on exposure to various indigenous food products used in everyday life. Aligners from 5 different companies (K Line, Clearbite Aligners, The Aligner Company, iAligners and MaxDent CA Digital) were exposed for 12 hours and 24 hours to various indigenous substances (tea, green tea, coffee, turmeric, saffron and Kashmiri red chili powder) and a control solution (distilled water) in-vitro. The color change was assessed with the help of VITA Easyshade compact colorimeter based on Commission Internationale de I'Eclairage L*a*b* color system. Values were then modified to NBS units for clinical relevance. The hue of the transparent aligners was noticed to change in a statistically meaningful way when exposed to turmeric, saffron, Kashmiri red chili powder and coffee in decreasing order and mild color change in tea and green tea at both 12 hours and 24 hours intervals. Aligners are prone to color change when exposed to indigenous foods that contain staining properties.

Screening of Bacterial Isolates with Probiotic Potential of Tiger Nut Drink, Ogi and Palm Wine

Probiotics are live microorganisms that are very beneficial to human health when consumed in a sufficient amount. Screening and fingerprinting of isolates with probiotic potentials from indigenous food products were evaluated. Fresh palm wine, Ogi and Tiger nut drinks were bought from retailers in Obio-Akpor and Port Harcourt Local Government Area, Rivers State. These samples on getting to the lab in sterile containers were analysed using standard microbiological techniques for the enumeration and isolation of bacterial isolates. Identification of isolates relied on the biochemical and genomic techniques using standard methods. The probiotics were screened based on their ability to tolerate ethanol, bile salt, low pH, high salt concentration, lactose utilization and the production of biogenic amine. Antimicrobial susceptibility of the bacterial isolates (probiotics) was carried out using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion. Forty-two bacterial isolates which belonged to the genera: Lactobacillus sp, Pediococcus sp, Enterococcus sp and Streptococcus sp were identified. Genomic characterization of isolates showed that isolate NO2 has 83.4% pairwise identity with Bacillus firmus strain T1, Isolate NP2 has 86.5% pairwise identity with Bacillus cereus strain PKID1, NT8 has 80.3% pairwise identity with Bacillus cereus strain PV-G21. Results of screened probiotics showed that out of the forty-two bacterial isolates, only fifteen were non-spore producers and that they were tolerant to ethanol, low pH, NaCl and bile salt at all concentrations. Results of lactose utilization showed that only twelve out of the fifteen bacterial isolates utilized lactose. Results of biogenic amine production showed that only five out of fifteen bacterial isolates produced biogenic amine. The antibiotic susceptibility pattern of the screened bacterial isolates showed that they exhibited resistance to Pefloxacin, Gentamycin, Ampiclox, Amoxicillin, Rocephin, Ciprofloxacin; Streptomycin, Sceptrin and Erythromycin. They were highly resistant to Gentamycin and Zinnacef. Bacillus firmus strain T1, Bacillus cereus strain PKID1 and Bacillus cereus strain PV-G21 were identified as bacterial probiotics. Consumption of palm wine, Ogi and tiger nut drinks is highly recommended due to the availability of probiotics.

THE ROLE OF FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FOR INDONESIAN INDIGENOUS FOOD PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT TO ACHIEVE FOOD SECURITY

Food insecurity is remaining an unsolved problem since the continuous increase in human populations demands an increased supply of food. The objective of this paper was to present Indonesian indigenous food product development as an answer to the food security problem. It could be conducted by presenting the potentials of indigenous foods, creating advances in food technology, and arranging strategies that needed to develop indigenous food products, particularly as a food technologist. The suggested strategies were: choosing the raw material that is abundantly available in the local area, assessing its superiorities, doing a feasibility study, enhancing the food product’s safety and quality by applying good manufacturing practices and using environmentally friendly packaging, and promoting the products through modern channels such as the supermarket. This would allow nutritious and safe indigenous food products to become competitive and widely impacting food products that can bring food security into a reality.

The microbial composition of dried fish prepared according to Greenlandic Inuit traditions and industrial counterparts

The practices of preparing traditional foods in the Arctic are rapidly disappearing. Traditional foods of the Arctic represent a rarity among food studies in that they are meat-sourced and prepared in non-industrial settings. These foods, generally consumed without any heating step prior to consumption, harbor an insofar undescribed microbiome. The food-associated microbiomes have implications not only with respect to disease risk, but might also positively influence host health by transferring a yet unknown diversity of live microbes to the human gastrointestinal tract. Here we report the first study of the microbial composition of traditionally dried fish prepared according to Greenlandic traditions and their industrial counterparts. We show that dried capelin prepared according to traditional methods have microbiomes clearly different from industrially prepared capelin, which also have more homogenous microbiomes than traditionally prepared capelin. Interestingly, the locally preferred type of traditionally dried capelin, described to be tastier than other traditionally dried capelin, contains bacteria that potentially confer distinct taste. Finally, we show that dried cod have comparably more homogenous microbiomes when compared to capelin and that in general, the environment of drying is a major determinant of the microbial composition of these indigenous food products.

Converting ‘trade-offs’ to ‘trade-ons’ for greatly enhanced food security in Africa: multiple environmental, economic and social benefits from ‘socially modified crops’

To address the issues of food insecurity within the context of land degradation, extreme poverty and social deprivation, this review seeks first to understand the main constraints to food production on smallholder farms in Africa. It then proposes a highly-adaptable, yet generic, 3-step solution aimed at reversing the downward spiral which traps subsistence farmers in hunger and poverty. This has been found to be effective in greatly increasing the yields of staple food crops and reducing the ‘yield gap’. This solution includes the restoration of soil fertility and ecological functions, as well as the cultivation, domestication and commercialization of traditionally-important, highly nutritious, indigenous food products for income generation and business development. A participatory approach involving capacity building at the community-level, leads to the development of ‘socially modified crops’ which deliver multiple environmental, social and economic benefits, suggesting that increased agricultural production does not have to be detrimental to biodiversity, to agroecological function, and/or to climate change. These are outcomes unattainable by attempting to raise crop yields using conventional crop breeding or genetic modification. Likewise, the livelihoods of smallholder farmers can be released from the constraints creating spatial trade-offs between subsistence agriculture and (i) international policies and (ii) globalized trade.

English

This paper reviews the current state and future prospects of ethnobotany in Nigeria. A brief historical background is presented. Books and journals indexed by Scopus and Science Direct were reviewed. Direct search was also made on the official websites of journals specializing in ethnobotany and allied disciplines. The field of ethnobotany manifests in all facets of human activities and relates to cultural and sociological relevance of plants. Ethnobotanical data generated from historical, religious, literary, linguistic, and pharmacological viewpoints serve as useful information regarding indigenous food production, traditional agricultural systems, and source for the development of new medicines. Since the vast majority of ethnobotanical studies conducted in Nigeria center on indigenous medicines, collaborative efforts geared toward efficient health service delivery is essential. This must include accreditation or documentation of traditional healers and herbal medicine vendors as well as policies in drug regulation, quality assurance, and control. Ethical guidelines and equitable sharing of benefits gained from sale of active compounds from source locations should be instituted and implemented. Conservation of indigenous plant resources requires the integration of ethnobotanical knowledge into national development programmes. Curriculum development and inclusion of ethnobotany (as a distinct subject) in Nigerian schools will direct future investigations in this promising field.   Key words: Ethnobotany, indigenous medicine, traditional botanical knowledge, Nigeria.

Collective Intellectual Right? A Case on Protected Geography Indicated

Many literature in the collaboration of innovation have suggested inventors should avoid the join ownership of intellectual property. However, in a special case the intellectual right can be assigned to a product. Our paper addresses the issues and challenges of shared intellectual right in the context of Protected Geography Indicated (PGI). The PGI recognizes such products based on their originality (in term of geography), not based on who have been invented them. This highlights that the right is belong to a community, not to individuals. In practice, this is problematic in which individuals in a community may or able to claim the right on the product. To illustrate how policy makers in developing country deal with this situation, we use secondary data from Indonesian Agency on Intellectual Property and case studies on indigenous food products. We approached the cases using theory of resolving potential conflict in community. The discussion in our contribution is taking aim at identifying of problems of which may be occurred during the process of Intellectual Right application. Further, we propose recommendations for individual, communal, and policy levels to resolve potential problems in the future.

Studies on Production of Gluten Free Products from Breadfruit Flour

Gluten is the composite of storage proteins gliadin and glutenin and is conjoined with starch in the endosperm of various grass related grains. Celiac sprue is considered to be a specific disorder characterized by gluten intolerance with remarkable symptoms including weight loss, diarrhea, chronic fatigue, nutritional deficiencies etc. These symptoms can be reduced by intake of gluten free products. Considering this, studies were done on production of gluten free products with good nutritional content. Breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis, Moraceae), is a traditional starch crop widely used in many of the countries for its richness in minerals and carbohydrates. In this study, the flour obtained by processing of this is completely gluten free and is used in the production of various indigenous food products including Noodles, Manchuria, Phulka and Halwa etc. During the course of study it has been observed that the products obtained have the potential to replace other gluten containing products. The studies on this can be considered as an initial step towards a gluten free life.

"We Will Show the Country": Bringing History to Life

"We Will Show the Country": Bringing History to Life

Indigenous Food Production System and the Impact of Population Growth: Community-Based Examples with Anthropological Evidence

It is reported that 99% of human food on this planet Earth usually comes from terrestrial environment, and the remaining 1% is extracted from other aquatic sources (see FAO, 2002). Thus, it is indicative that land is essentially the most fundamental resource-base for food production and people have long been utilizing their land by adopting their own indigenous knowledge to boost food production from agrarian sources. An excessive population growth has a consequential effect on agricultural resource-base, where a huge amount of farming land has drastically been reduced in the past few decades; and that process is still continuing. Meanwhile, it is reported that only 12% of the total land allowed the production of food and cereals which does not seem to be sufficient to cover the subsistence of a huge number of people around the world (see Buringh, 1989). Contextually, I formulate a clear statement saying that due to an excessive demographic pressure, the farmers around the world go for a mechanized cultivation by making a transformation of their indigenous traditional food production system to a more intensive mechanized cultivation. The resulting effect is the degradation of the soil which keeps land fully dependent on organic manure and mechanized irrigation, putting the environment in a vulnerable situation. To understand this, the paper has cited a few examples from different regions of the world, and simultaneously, has described facts from one specific ethnographic case study from a South Asian community. Based on the above ideas, I conclude it with a modest caution saying that we must find some preventive mechanisms to keep our population at a replacement level. This will eventually allow us to revert back to our indigenous food production system, which seems to be essential to make our planet earth more natural and habitable for the future generation.

National Food Security Bill - Ideal or Quasi?

Unless and until the Government augments the indigenous food production substantially over present production; modernize and increases the storage capacity for food grains; streamlines public distribution system and selects genuine beneficiaries; the dream of providing the balanced nutritious food for all people will not become real.

Effects of processing methods on the chemical composition of flour, <i>moinmoin</i> and <i>akara</i> from <i>mucuna</i> <i>pruriens</i>

Dry seeds of Mucuna pruriens were processed into two indigenous food products – moinmoin and akara – using the traditional processing methods while varying steaming time for moinmoin and parboiling time of beans for akara. Raw and untreated bean flour (UWMF) served as the control. The nutrient and antinutrient composition of raw beans and processed beans were evaluated. Results showed that for moinmoin, processing caused significant (p

Inter-household variation in adoption of cash cropping and its effects on labor and dietary patterns: a study in a Li hamlet in Hainan island, China

Following the economic development policy of China since the 1980s, the indigenous food production systems of communities have been transformed to a market economy. The introduction of cash crops has been the major developmental policy of China’s rural areas. Despite the overall improvement of economic status among farmers over the last two decades, inequality among households has emerged as a new problem. In the present study, we investigated the process of how cash crops were accepted in a Li hamlet in Hainan island, China, and how this has influenced the labor and dietary patterns of people. In examining this process, we focussed on inter-household differences. We also reconstructed the demographic changes and land use patterns of all the households of the hamlet for the period between 1985 and 2004. Data on labor and diet of 11 representative households were collected by direct measurement/observation from a total of 12 months of fieldwork in 2000–2004. Reconstruction of the adoption process revealed two important factors that might contribute to current variation among households: (1) the success of pioneering households, which played an important role in triggering the hamlet-level adoption of cash crops, and (2) the availability of labor resources during 1995–2004, which explains the inter-household variation observed in 2004. The households that succeeded in cash cropping appeared to be able to afford further investment in cash cropping, which may have further enlarged inter-household variation. Inter-household variation in cash cropping in 2004 partly explains inter-household variation in food consumption and labor hours. The intensification and maintenance of rice cultivation may alleviate the nutritional (initial phase) and work burden posed by the adoption of cash cropping.

Gender and household food security in Imo State, Nigeria

Food insecurity remains a thorn in the flesh of most rural communities of Nigeria. Very few government efforts have succeeded in solving the problem of food shortages in rural Nigeria. Most of the previous food insecurity studies focused on rural farming communities without regard to gender. Focus on gender differentials in the knowledge of technologies for coping with food shortages has not yet been properly addressed. The need for a continued search for sustainable strategies to solve this food insecurity situation in rural Nigeria necessitated this study. Data were collected with structured questionnaire and observation technique from 180 stratified randomly selected rural farm household heads and analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results showed that most of the rural farm households have experienced food shortages and food shortage in the state is often the result of a complex interaction of more than one cause. Seeking employment of any kind, sales of livestock, rationing of food, borrowing from friends and relations, engaging in other income generating activities, and consumption of neglected cheap indigenous food products are the coping strategies mentioned by the respondents, and there are no significant sex differentials in the use of strategies to cope with food shortage in the state, but men have more control of the use of productive resources. There is need for appropriate food production and preservation technologies, equitable resource allocation, provision of irrigation farming and cottage industries so as to adequately address the food insecurity situation in Imo State, Nigeria.Keywords: gender, household, food securityNigerian Journal of Technology and Education in Nigeria Vol. 9(1) 2004: 11-18

Africa South of the Sahara: A Geographical Interpretation

Introduction: New Beginnings? Part I: Overview. The Map of Africa. Imagining Africa: Roots of Western Perceptions of the Continent. Thinking about Development: Development Theory and Practice in the African Context. Part II: Culture and Society. African Culture: Diversity and Creativity. Societal Diversity: Language, Ethnicity, and Religion. Gender Dynamics: Men and Women in African Societies. Part III: The Physical Environment. Geology and Geomorphology of Africa. Africa's Climate: Regions, Dynamics, and Change. Biogeography and Ecology. Part IV: Africa in Historical Perspective. The African Past. The Colonial Legacy. Independent Africa: Politics and Development. Part V: Dynamics of Population. Population Distribution. Population Growth. Population Mobility. Part VI: African Economies. Africa in the World Economy. National Economies: Strategies for Growth and Development. Prospects for Economic Integration. Part VII: Rural Economies. Indigenous Food Production Systems. Agrarian Development and Change. Food Security. Part VIII: Urban Economies and Societies. The Evolution of Urban Structure. Urban Economies. Urban Living Environments. Part IX: Resources. Mineral and Energy Resources. Water Resources. Flora and Fauna as Economic Resources. Part X: Social Geography. Living in Poverty. Social Policy: The Health Sector. Children in Africa: Prospects for the Next Generation. Conclusion: Which Future? Glossary.

Rice-crab production in South India: The role of indigenous knowledge in designing food security policies

Most indigenous food production systems are dynamic and complex, reflecting generations of careful observations of the agro-ecological and sociocultural environment. Harvesting crabs from the bunds of rice fields is one of several food production systems practised by resource-poor people in rice-based farming systems in south India. Local people possess an in-depth knowledge of the crabs and their ecology. Crabs, in turn, contribute significantly to the protein intake of resourcepoor households. This article discusses the impact of crab consumption on food expenditure, as well as analysing certain sociocultural factors which influence the catching and consumption of crabs. Factors threatening the existence of the rice-crab production system are also enumerated. Finally, policy guidelines to conserve the autochthonous rice-crab production system are suggested.