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Recent Submissions
PROXIMATE COMPOSITION AND NUTRITIONAL CHARACTERIZATION OF CHIA ENRICHED YOGHURT
(African journal of food agriculture, nutrition and development (AJFAND), 2018-04) Kibui AN, Owaga E and M Mburu
Yoghurt is a fermented dairy product associated with several beneficial nutritional and
health effects. Due to increased demand of yoghurt in Kenya, some processors seek to
incorporate synthetic ingredients in order to improve the nutritional value, thickening
and stabilizing properties. Besides having good gelling properties, chia seeds (Salvia
hispanica L.) are a good source of proteins, omega-3 fatty acids, omega-6 fatty acids,
minerals, soluble dietary fiber and phytochemicals. This study sought to develop and
determine the proximate composition and nutritional (amino acids, fatty acids, and
mineral contents) characteristics of chia enriched yoghurt (CEY). Yoghurt treatments
were enriched with chia seeds at either 1.5% m/v (CEY1.5), 2.5% m/v (CEY2.5) or 3.5%
m/v (CEY3.5), and 2% cornstarch (CEY0). The results of the proximate composition
indicated a significantly higher content of moisture, crude ash, crude fat, crude fiber and
carbohydrates in CEY1.5, CEY2.5 and CEY3.5 than in CEY0. In the current study, the
composition of calcium, potassium, and phosphorus, was significantly higher in CEY
1.5, CEY2.5 and CEY3.5 than in CEY0, with values increasing with increase in quantity
of chia seeds in the formulation. The results for amino acids showed that the essential
and non-essential amino acids were significantly higher in CEY3.5 than CEY2.5,
CEY2.5 than CEY1.5 and CEY1.5 than CEY0. In terms of fatty acids profile, the
concentration of lauric acid and palmitic acid was significantly lower in CEY1.5,
CEY2.5 and CEY3.5 than in CEY0. On the other hand, the concentration of stearic acid,
oleic acid, linoleic acid and α-linolenic acid in CEY1.5, CEY2.5 and CEY3.5 was
significantly higher than in CEY0. In conclusion, CEY1.5, CEY2.5 and CEY3.5 showed
enhanced proximate composition and nutritional (amino acids, fatty acids, and minerals
contents) characteristics compared to CEY0, thus chia seeds have a potential to be used
in yoghurt for value addition.
The Economic, Health and Nutritional benefits of Chia (Salvia hispanica L.) Farming In Nyeri County, Kenya – Baseline survey analysis.
(2019-04-02) David M. Gitau, Dr. Monica Mburu, Dr. David Kiarie
Descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted to provide quantitative information on the current
status of chia cultivation in Nyeri County. This aimed at assessing the opportunities and challenges in chia
cultivation in Nyeri County, Kenya. It involved the systematic collection and presentation of data to give a clear
picture of awareness, knowledge, attitude and practices (AKAP) of the selected population. This was done as the
preliminaries to promotion of chia cultivation and value chain development in the region. Having the
beneficiaries participate in the assessment of needs and identification of problems to be addressed helps to
accommodate their information, experience and analysis therefore making them actual creators of change and
progress. This will result in improved involvement of target beneficiaries who will participate in the
implementation of an effective and beneficial chia value chain.The baseline study expressed findings in a
quantitative manner providing justification for promotion of chia production in the region, and guide the
selection of most appropriate traditional and modern media to be used in a in project implementation. The
results will be used as a reference point or benchmark for later comparison or impact studies to assess how well
the original project objectives have been achieved. The results can also be generalized and used for similar
project in other regions of Kenya.
Mould Characterization and Mycotoxin Quantification of Chia Seeds (Salvia hispanica L.) Grown in Kenya
(Canadian Center of Science and Education, 2019-10-30) Veronicah Njeri, Monica Mburu, & Kipkorir Koskei
Chia seeds are functional food that have been considered highly nutritious. They have high levels of
polyunsaturated fatty acid content therefore counteract lifestyle disorder such as cardiovascular diseases. This
study sought to determine the level of mould contamination in chia seeds; enumeration and characterization of
the types of molds and quantification of mycotoxin level, for chia seeds grown and sold in Kenya. A complete
randomized block design with triplicates was used in the study. Samples were collected at random from farmers
and distributors in Nyeri, Nakuru, Busia and Trans Nzoia counties. Moulds species were isolated from PDA and
MEA Medias and morphological characteristics was determined under X 40 magnification power. Mould counts
were found to be between 1.33 X 103
cfu/ml to 2.67 X 103
cfu/ml. Mould characterization done by microscopic
and macroscopic technique showed evidence of Rhizopus spp, Trichoderma spp and Fusarium spp. Amongst the
three genera found, Rhizopus spp was the predominantly occurring mould. The percentage moisture content of
chia seeds samples ranged from 6.49±1.26 and 9.16±0.43. Significant variations on moisture content (p< 0.05)
were observed among chia samples from different farmers. Aflatoxin was not detected in all chia samples. It can
therefore be concluded that the chia samples were not contaminated with aflatoxin although different species of
mold were present. Farmers need to be trained on proper postharvest handling methods of chia seeds, as well as
proper storage and an objective method of analyzing the moisture content of the chia seeds need to be developed.
Chia (Salvia hispanica L.) – A Potential Crop for Food and Nutrition Security in Africa
(Canadian Center of Science and Education, 2019-10-30) Pauline Ikumi, Monica Mburu & Daniel Njoroge
There has been an increasing demand for functional foods with numerous health benefits due to intensified
consumer awareness leading to a major shift in the consumption patterns of food. This has largely been attributed
to increased lifestyle diseases across different populations. The use of food with nutraceutical and functional
properties for management of lifestyle diseases like diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular problems is now
gaining momentum among the public. Consequently, the consumption of chia seeds (Salvia hispanica L.) has
increased in recent years particularly due to its high content of omega-3 fatty acids and dietary fiber. Chia seeds
also contain high quality proteins which offer all the essential amino acids and several vital minerals. In addition,
chia seeds are a potential source of antioxidants and polyphenolic compounds such as chlorogenic acid, caffeic
acid, myricetin, quercetin, and kaempferol with the major phenolic acid being rosmarinic. Owing to the rich
nutritional profile, chia seeds provide numerous health benefits such as; cardiac protective and hepatic protective
effects, anti-aging and anti-carcinogenic properties. The high amounts of dietary fibers present in the seeds also
confer benefits by preserving good glycemic control thus helps in controlling diabetes mellitus. In addition to the
numerous health benefits accrued to consumption of chia seeds, they have great potential in application in the
food industry for; development of various baked products, production of biodegradable edible films, use as
emulsifiers and stabilizers among other uses. This review provides an in-depth insight into the potential of chia
crop in promoting nutrition and food security by providing comprehensive information pertaining to; its origin,
cultivation and distribution, physical properties, nutritional characteristics, health benefits, functional properties
and its potential use in the food industry. It evident that chia seeds contain superior nutritional components as
compared to other seeds and also confers many health benefits such as antioxidative, anti-hypertensive and
hypoglycemic properties among others. It possesses physical and functional properties that make it an excellent
crop for use in food applications for the development of functional foods. Moreover, its application not only
limited to food but can also be used for feed. Chia therefore demonstrates great potential as a crop that can be
utilized for improved food and nutrition security.
Spectroscopic analysis of chia seeds
(Scientific Reports, 2021) Monica Mburu, Olivier Paquet‑Durand, Bernd Hitzmann & Viktoria Zettel
Chia seeds are becoming more and more popular in modern diets. In this contribution NIR and
2D-fluorescence spectroscopy were used to determine their nutritional values, mainly fat and protein
content. 25 samples of chia seeds were analysed, whereof 9 samples were obtained from different
regions in Kenya, 16 samples were purchased in stores in Germany and originated mostly from South
America. For the purchased samples the nutritional information of the package was taken in addition
to the values obtained for fat and protein, which were determined at the Hohenheim Core Facility. For
the first time the NIR and fluorescence spectroscopy were used for the analysis of chia. For the spectral
evaluation two different pre-processing methods were tested. Baseline correction with subsequent
mean-centring lead to the best results for NIR spectra whereas SNV (standard normal variate
transformation) was sufficient for the evaluation of fluorescence spectra. When combining NIR and
fluorescence spectra, the fluorescence spectra were also multiplied with a factor to adjust the intensity
levels. The best prediction results for the evaluation of the combined spectra were obtained for
Kenyan samples with prediction errors below 0.2 g/100 g. For all other samples the absolute prediction
error was 0.51 g/100 g for fat and 0.62 g/100 g for protein. It is possible to determine the amount of
protein and fat of chia seeds by fluorescence and NIR spectroscopy. The combination of both methods
is beneficial for the predictions. Chia seeds from Kenya had similar protein and lipid contents as South
American seeds.
