The global meat industry is characterised by a growing interest in natural preservative additives. This study determined the effect of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) essential oil (SBEO) on colour and lipid oxidation in minced beef. The phytoconstituents of SBEO were analyzed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry. Thereafter, minced beef samples from Nguni and Boran cattle were treated with either no additives (control, C) or SBEO added at 2% (SB2), 4% (SB4), or 6% (SB6). The meat samples were aerobically packaged and stored (4 ± 1°C) for seven days for measurement of lightness (L⁎), redness (a⁎), yellowness (b⁎), hue, chroma, and lipid oxidation (acid-reactive substances, TBARS) on days 0, 4, and 7. Thirty-two bioactive compounds with reported antioxidant and antimicrobial and activities were identified in SBEO, including Estragole (41.40%), 1, 6-Octadien-3-ol, 3,7-dimethyl (29.49%), and trans-.alpha.-Bergamotene (5.32%). On days 0, 4, and 7, SB2, SB4, and SB6 had higher (P < 0.05) L⁎, a⁎, b⁎, hue, and chroma values; and on days 0 and 4 TBARS were lower (P < 0.05) in SB2 and SB4 than C and SB6. The addition of 2% and 4% SBEO improved colour and lipid oxidative stability, demonstrating potential for its use as a natural antioxidant additive in meat.

This study was conducted to evaluate the yield and composition of milk from 30 indigenous South African goats of different genotypes, namely Nguni, Boer, and non-descript, reared under a free-ranging system. Milk yield and composition (milk fat, protein, lactose, solid non-fat, and minerals) from Nguni (10), Boer (10) and non-descript (10) goats were measured and analysed per week at each stage of lactation. Results showed that Nguni goats produced (1.2 ± 0.09, 1.3 ± 0.11 and 1.2 ± 0.07 litres per day) more milk (p < 0.05) at early, mid-, and late stages of lactation than Boer (0.6 ± 0.10, 1.0 ± 0.17, and 0.6 ± 0.09 litres per day) and non-descript (0.3 ± 0.10, 0.3 ± 0.12, and 0.3 ± 0.09 litres per day) goats, respectively. The mean value of milk fat, protein, and lactose content from Nguni goats was 3.98, 3.54, and 5.31; Boer goats, 2.9, 3.59, and 5.04 and non-descript goats, 4.05, 3.39, and 5.02, respectively. There was a significant effect (p < 0.05) of genotypes on milk fat, milk magnesium, and sodium contents of Nguni, Boer, and non-descript goats. It could be concluded that Nguni goats produced more milk than Boer and non-descript goats, but the non-descript goat had a higher mean percentage of milk fat compared to Nguni and Boer goats.

The aim of the study was to assess small-scale farmers’ attitude and willingness to consume goat milk and its products. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 151 household farmers by using a 15% random sampling technique. Data were analysed using descriptive frequencies and chi-square tests to check for any association between the variables and farmers’ willingness to consume goat milk and its products. The results showed that a large share (41.78%) of the respondents do not consume goat milk. Taste (20.83%), cultural bias (8.33%), strong smell and natural dislike (64.58%) were some reasons why farmers do not consume goat milk. Some proportions (38.10%) of farmers were not aware of any nutritional benefits of goat milk. However, when these benefits were explained to them, a high percentage (93.10%) of these farmers indicated their willingness to consume goat milk and/or its products based on its nutritional benefits. Age, gender and educational status had a significant influence (P ≤ 0.05) on farmers’ willingness to consume goat milk and its products. The nutritional importance of goat milk and its products should be strongly promoted to improve the human diet in the study area.

This study aimed to determine and compare the fatty acid composition and atherogenecity index of milk fat from Nguni, Boer and non-descript at two different sampling periods. The goats (n = 10 for each goat genotypes) were raised under an extensive system of husbandry. Milk samples were collected from each individual goat to determine fatty acids, as methyl esters, using gas chromatography. The result revealed significant differences (P < 0.05) in fatty acid profiles among the three goat genotypes for butyric, caproic, myristic, palmitic, stearic, vaccenic, linoleic, conjugated linoleic, α-linolenic, arachidic, eicosatrienoic and docosapentaenoic acids, among other milk fats. The time of milk sampling also had a significant effect (P < 0.05) on caproic, lauric, myristic, palmitic, palmitoleic, margaric, stearic, linoleic, arachidonic, docosapentaenoic and conjugated linoleic acids of milk fat. In addition, Nguni goats’ milk fat had a healthier fatty acid than those of Boer and non-descript goats, characterized by a lower content in saturated fatty acid (68.65, 73.77 and 71.73 (P < 0.05), respectively). Goat genotypes and milk sampling time had an influence on the fatty acid composition of goat milk. These findings support the fact that goat milk is an important source of health-promoting substances and support the sustainable use of animal genetic resources to improve goat milk fat quality, and hence deserve further investigation with local indigenous goat breeds.