Traditional Non-alcoholic Beverage Research Articles

Indigenous Sudanese sorghum-based food: Secondary metabolites and antioxidant activities of traditional Sudanese nonalcoholic beverage Hulu-mur from two sorghum landraces.

Hulu-mur is a Sudanese traditional nonalcoholic beverage that is made from sorghum flour. This work determined the secondary metabolites and antioxidant activities of traditional Sudanese nonalcoholic beverage Hulu-mur from two local sorghum landraces Abjaro and Hegarii. The changes on the total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), carotene content, tannins, and antioxidant activity (DPPH, reducing power, and FRAP) were estimated during the preparation of the Hulu-mur flasks. For both landraces, a significant (p< .05) effect on the phytochemical compound and the antioxidant activity was observed during malting and fermentation of sorghum flour. However, the most increase in the TPC and carotene content was observed, whereas tannin and TFC were decreased in the Hulu-mur flasks compared with the malted and fermented samples. The antioxidant activity DPPH, TRP, and FRAP was significantly (p< .05) higher in Hulu-mur flasks than those of raw and processed flour. The partial least squares regression test stated a positive validation score of the Hulu-mur flasks prepared from the both landraces. In conclusion, Hulu-mur drink from Abjaro and Hegarii landraces contain high antioxidants compound, which could improve the health-promoting metabolites in Sorghum-based food.

Development of Teachers’ PCK for a Scientific Inquiry-based Teaching Approach in Namibia’s Rural Schools

Research findings show that inquiry-based science education has positive effects in improving learning of both science content knowledge and scientific inquiry (SI) skills. As a result, various science curricula, including that of Namibia, recommend the use of an inquiry-based approach in science teaching. However, the implementation of an inquiry-based teaching approach remains a concern in Namibian science classrooms, particularly in poorly resourced schools. This paper reports the outcome of a small-scale interventionist research project which involved three experienced Life Science teachers. The teachers were exposed to an intervention that explicitly focused on supporting them with the pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) needed to facilitate inquiry-based learning in their classrooms. An indigenous technology, the production of a traditional non-alcoholic beverage (oshikundu) was used in the intervention. The Topic-Specific PCK model by Mavhunga and Rollnick provided the analytical framework for this study. Additionally, the principles of classroom inquiry together with the model of inquiry-based science instruction predict–explain–explore–observe–explain were used to scaffold teachers towards the PCK for inquiry-based teaching. Findings from the study revealed that prior to the intervention workshop some science teachers had inadequate PCK for inquiry-based approach. Except for concern over time constraints, the study established that all five components of teachers’ PCK of an inquiry-based approach improved after the intervention. Furthermore, teachers recognised and recommended the use of the PEEOE model for inquiry-based science teaching. The process of making oshikundu was established as a suitable resource to conduct practical investigation in poorly resourced schools. This study thus recommends more interventions based on locally available indigenous technology to improve science teachers’ PCK for inquiry-based science teaching.

Dissipation, Processing, Leaching, and Safety Evaluation of Flonicamid and Its Metabolites in Tea.

Tea is a popular traditional non-alcoholic beverage worldwide. Flonicamid is a selective systemic pyridine carboxamide insecticide that is widely used for controlling tea leafhopper in tea. The leaching rates, dissipation dynamics, and residue levels of flonicamid and its metabolites in tea leaves during processing and transferring were investigated to validate the safe risk in tea and transfer behavior using high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry with a convenient pretreatment method. The extracting method and immersion rate experiments were optimized by single factor analysis and orthogonal tests.The acetonitrile extracting solvent with 0.5% formic acid was used and optimal leaching conditions were obtained with a regime of 15 min immersion time, 100°C temperature, three immersions and a tea-to-water ratio of 1:50. Average recoveries in processed green tea and infusions were 80.85-98.75% with relative standard deviations <5.87%. LODs and LOQs of flonicamid, 4-trifluoromethylnicotinic acid (TFNA), N-(4-trifluoromethylnicotinoyl) glycine (TFNG), and 4-trifluoromethylnicotinamide (TFNA-AM) were 0.0013-0.350 and 0.004-1 μg/g, respectively. The processing factor of flonicamid was 0.36-5.52 during green tea manufacture. The leaching rates were 22.9-97.4% from processed tea to infusion. The risk of long-term and short-term dietary intake of flonicamid was safe in tea infusions with the risk quotient (RQ) values <1 for the Chinese consumer. This work may provide guidance for safe and reasonable consumption of flonicamid in tea in China. The suitable leaching factors of flonicamid and its metabolites in tea infusions were optimized by orthogonal experimentation for the first time.

Innovative Technology and Food Safety of Fruit Biopowders

A technology has been developed for biopowders production from fruit raw materials grown in the Chechen Republic. The data on vacuum microwave drying of fruit raw materials under the influence of an amplitude-modulated magnetic field with carrier frequency of 180–20 kHz and modulating frequency of 10 to 30 Hz, with magnetic induction value of 5 mt. The proposed regimes of dehydration of fruit raw materials and its subsequent grinding by gas-liquid ”explosion”, providing the possibility of successful use in dried state in production technology of soft drinks. The peculiarity is the use of ecologically clean fruits of apricots, cherry plums, cherries, pears, melons and plums grown in Shelkovsky district of the Chechen Republic as raw materials. We studied physical and chemical indicators, content of phenolic substances and organoleptic indicators of fruit raw materials, powders and beverages. We also conducted comparative assessment. Under the influence of EMB ELF vacuum microwave drying of fruits contributes to better preservation properties of raw materials and finished powders. Organoleptic evaluation showed that non-alcoholic beverages produced on the proposed technology had intense color and more pronounced flavor of sweetness and acid compared to traditional non-alcoholic beverages. The advantage of this technology is the possibility to transport components for beverage production at unregulated temperature conditions to any location that is close to the consumer and carry out the production of soft drinks there.

Effect of Storage Time on Spiced Non-Alcoholic Beverage Made from Tiger-Nut Blends (Kunun Aya)

Kunun-aya is a traditional non-alcoholic beverage widely consumed in Northern Nigeria especially during the dry season. The beverage was prepared from tiger nut with the addition of spices such as cloves, date and ginger at different ratio of blends. The samples were stored at 4°C for 5 days and the effects of spices on their proximate, microbial and sensory properties were evaluated. Fresh tiger nuts and spices were purchased from Kure Ultra-modern market in Minna, Niger State. The tiger nut seeds were sorted and foreign materials, bad/cracked nuts, which may affect the taste and keeping quality of the drink were removed, washed and rinsed with portable water then soaked overnight to soften the fibre and to remove off-flavour. One kilogram of the fresh tiger nuts was blended several times into slurry with water. The slurry was pressed using muslin cloth to recover the extract. A 9-point hedonic scale was used to assess the sensory attributes of the spiced drink based on mouth feel, texture, taste, aroma, appearance and general acceptability. Five samples of the spiced drink were analyzed for total energy, crude protein, fat, carbohydrate, ash, crude-fibre and moisture contents. Results of the proximate analyses revealed a range of 87.4-90.0% for moisture which was high. The crude protein ranged from 3.3-3.6 with t h e samples containing tiger nut and date b e i n g significantly different from the others. The fat content ranged from 2.5-4.8, while the energy and carbohydrate contents ranged between 56.6-71.7 and 1.74-6.1 respectively. The bacterial count of the Kunun-aya samples ranged from 1.2 - 9.2×104 CFU/ml and fungal count ranged from 1.2-9.0×104 CFU/ml on days 1, 3 and 5, respectively. Bacterial and fungal counts of the samples generally increased with the storage period and the samples with 20% inclusion of clove and 10% inclusion of ginger, clove and date respectively were the most acceptable among the treated samples. No significant differences existed among the treated samples in terms of mouth feel, aroma, taste, consistency and appearance. The study revealed a nutritious and acceptable spiced drink from tiger- nut which can serve as a substitute to alcoholic and carbonated beverages.

Use of Lactobacillus plantarum as Starter Culture and Its Influence on Physicochemical, Microbiological, and Sensory Characteristics of Kunnu-Aya Produced from Sorghum and Tigernut

Kunun-aya is a traditional nonalcoholic beverage in the northern part of Nigeria, normally prepared from cereals. In this investigation Lactobacillus plantarum, isolated from fermenting kunun, was applied as starter culture during production of kunun-aya from varying combinations of sorghum and tigernut. The quality attributes of the product indicated increase in ash and protein contents of product inoculated with starter culture (PISC) over the uninoculated control sample (UCS). The highest values of 4.43% and 6.95% were recorded for ash and protein, respectively, in the product from fifty percent each of sorghum and tigernut (50SOR/50TIG). Titratable acidity was higher in PISC compared to UCS; the 50SOR/50TIG sample had the highest value of 0.92. The PISC recorded reduced counts of Salmonella, coliforms, and Staphylococci. The SCIS were preferred by panellists in the sensory attributes of appearance, aroma, taste, mouthfeel, and general acceptability. It was concluded that the use of L. plantarum as starter culture in the production of kunun-aya was advantageous as a result of enhanced nutritional, sensory, and microbial qualities recorded compared to UCS. Reduction in Salmonella, coliforms, and Staphylococci in PISC may be of public health significance. This on quality improvement of the traditional beverage has not been previously reported.

Traditional non-alcoholic beverage, Togwa, in East Africa, produced from maize flour and germinated finger millet

The traditional non-alcoholic beverage in East Africa, togwa, produced from the flour of maize and germinated finger millet (finger millet malt), was investigated. The preparation techniques of togwa observed in the rural villages of East Africa are described, and the temperature and pH profile of togwa during its manufacture are also shown. Maize and finger millet malt should be the source of starch and amylase, respectively. Maize flour slurry was heated once with stirring up to around 80°C and cooled to about 50°C, and then finger millet malt flour was added to the warm porridge paste and kept at about 50°C for 20 min. The consistency of the paste was suddenly reduced by addition of finger millet malt flour and the gel paste changed to viscous liquid, which was kept in a container and incubated at ambient temperature for 15 h. After incubation it became sweet and was ready to drink without removal of any insoluble materials. Changes in the concentration of glucose and lactic acid of togwa during its maturation period were measured using portable devices until 70 h incubation at the rural village of Tanzania in a dry season. Glucose level increased with incubation and reached the threshold value of sweetness; 24 h incubation later, the lactate level increased and pH decreased. The preparation techniques of a traditional alcoholic beverage, pombe, were also investigated in the same rural locality, and the differences and characteristics of both traditional beverages are discussed.

Utilization of Lactobacillus amylovorus as an Alternative Microorganism for Saccharifying Boiled Rice.

The growth condition of Lactobacillus amylovorus strain JCM 10628, an amylolytic lactic acid bacterium, was tested as a source of enzymes for saccharifying boiled rice to produce a beverage similar to Amazake, a traditional non-alcoholic beverage. The composition of a medium that should leave no unpleasant taste in the Amazake-like product was confined to 1.0% raw cornstarch, 2.0% skim milk, and 0.1% yeast extract. α-Amylase activity and cell growth de-creased in the medium lacking any of the three ingredients. Production of α-amylase was stimulated by soluble starch as well as raw cornstarch, but neither by glucose nor sucrose. When 100 ml of the culture broth was mixed with 16 g of rice after boiling and incubated at 55°C for 24 h, the obtained fluid had an acceptable sweet and sour taste.

Effect of fermentation processes on proanthocyanidins in sorghum during preparation of Mahewu, a non-alcoholic beverage

Grain samples from four sorghum cultivars ( Sorghum bicolor (L) Moench) were steeped and germinated for a period of 84 h and changes in their proanthocyanidin (PA), total phenol, reducing sugar, amylase enzyme and free α amino nitrogen (FAN) contents determined. During malting of the grain cultivars DC-75 and Mutode, decreases in soluble PAs were 48 and 59%, respectively, while initial PA levels were very low, becoming negligible for Chihumani and SV-2 cultivars. Total phenol contents of DC-75, Mutode and SV-2 were reduced during malting. In contrast, the total phenol content of Chihumani increased marginally during malting. Accumulation of reducing sugars, FAN and amylase enzyme activities were considerably higher for DC75 and Mutode as compared to Chihumani and SV-2 during the germination period, suggesting that the development of these constituents were not correlated with total phenol levels. Germinated grains were kilned and milled to produce a malt which was used to produce an improved variant of the traditional non-alcoholic beverage mahewu. Decreases in water soluble PAs during fermentation were 54 and 63% for cultivars DC-75 and Mutode, respectively. Differences in fermentation characteristics were observed between red and white sorghum cultivars.