Consumers with diabetes mellitus have shown interest in products with low postprandial glucose. To produce rice for this group of consumers, the effect of parboiling steaming time (0, 5, 15, 25, 35, and 45 min) and variety (NERICA1, NERICA7, WITA4, and IR841) on resistant, damaged starch fractions and glycemic response in rats was investigated. Resistant and damaged starch fractions were influenced by variety and steaming time but this was not the case for glycemic index. Nonparboiled NERICA7 and NERICA7 steamed for 25 min recorded the highest (10.07%) and lowest (2.49%) resistant starch fraction, respectively. Resistant starch correlated negatively with protein and sodium and positively with lipids. Damaged starch was high for WITA4 steamed for 45 min (26.80%) and low for nonparboiled NERICA1 (6.59%). Damaged starch correlated positively with lipid content and negatively with ash and total starch content. NERICA7 steamed for 35 min recorded the lowest postprandial glucose level 30 min after feeding (0.16 g/L), while WITA4 steamed for 15, 25, and 35 min and nonparboiled NERICA7 recorded higher levels (0.76, 0.91, 0.84, and 0.76 g/L, respectively). NERICA7 steamed for 35 min recorded both low glycemic and weak digestive properties because the glycemic index was lowest 120 min and increased steadily up to 180 min after feeding. We conclude that the digestive properties of rice depend both on the intrinsic properties of the variety and the parboiling steaming time.

Wild meat and freshwater fish are widely consumed in the Congo Basin, but in some areas, they are at risk of disappearing due to unsustainable hunting and fishing and changes in their habitat. Wild meat is also at risk of being eliminated from local diets due to potential policy changes such as wild meat bans. In order to understand the impacts of these potential changes on nutrition and to design appropriate policies, it is critical to understand the contributions of these wild animal source foods to individual nutrient intake. In this study, we focus on young children who are among the most nutritionally vulnerable. We use dietary intake data from children between 1 and 5 years of age from four sites in Cameroon and Democratic Republic of Congo to estimate the contributions of wild meat and local fish to their dietary intake of protein, iron, zinc and vitamin B12 and to meeting nutritional recommendations. Together, wild meat and fish comprised an average of 74% (rainy season) and 61% (dry season) of the quantities of animal source foods consumed by children across the sites. They contributed 23% of protein intake; 11% of iron intake; 14% of zinc intake; and 57% of Vitamin B12 intake on average across sites and seasons to those children who consumed these foods. Results from regression analysis showed that wealth was not associated with consumption of wild meat or of local fish but was positively associated with consumption of domestic meat. Reduced access to wild meat and fish from restrictions on hunting and fishing or due to unsustainable practices could have negative consequences on child nutrition in the Congo Basin. These would likely be greater for poorer households since they have fewer ASF alternatives compared to wealthier households. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Widely consumed forest fruits in Gabon were analysed for nutrient and bioactive compositions and their potential contributions to meeting the nutrient requirements of consumers. Edible pulps of Panda oleosa Pierre, Gambeya lacourtiana (De Wild.) Aubrév. & Pellegr. and Poga oleosa Pierre contained substantial amounts of bioactive compounds; flavonoids (13.5–22.8 mg/100 g), proanthocyanins (2.4–7.6 mg/100 g), polyphenols (49.6–77.3 mg/100 g) and vitamin C (6.7–97.7 mg/100 g). The highest content of β-carotene (76.6 µg/100 g) was registered in fruits of Pseudospondias longifolia Engl. The fruits of P. oleosa had the highest essential minerals Fe, Zn and Se. If a child aged 1 to 3 years consumed about 200 g or if a non-lactating and non-pregnant woman consumed 300 g of Panda oleosa, Afrostyrax lepidophyllus Mildbr., G. lacourtiana, P. longifolia and Poga oleosa, they could obtain substantial DRI ranging between 20–100% for energy, vitamins C and E, iron, magnesium, iron and zinc. Forest fruits can considerably contribute towards the human nutrient requirements. Based on the results of this study, forest foods should be considered in formulating policies governing food and nutrition security in Gabon.

Mycotoxins such as aflatoxins (AFs), fumonisins (FBs), zearalenone (ZEN), and deoxynivalenol (DON) pose a risk to public health due to their carcinogenic potency (AFs and FBs) and anti-nutritional effects. The hazards associated with mycotoxins are accentuated where food management practices, control, and regulatory systems from farm to plate are sub-optimal. Information on the frequency of these mycotoxins in rice commercialized in markets in sub-Sahara Africa (SSA) is limited. The current study examined AF concentrations in 527 rice samples collected from 54 markets in five SSA countries. Grain quality characteristics, processing methods, and origin of samples were contrasted with toxin levels. In total, 72% of the samples had detectable AFs levels (range = 3.0 to 89.8 µg/kg). Forty-seven percent (47%) of the samples had AFs above 4 µg/kg, the European Union maximum level (ML), and were evaluated for cooccurrence with FBs, ZEN, and DON. Total AFs and ZEN cooccurred in 40% of the samples, and 30% of the positive ZEN samples had concentrations above the ML of 75 µg/kg. Total AFs did not co-occur with FBs and DON. Multivariate analysis revealed that length-to-width ratio (p < 0.0001), mixed variety for width (p = 0.04), and chalkiness (p = 0.009) significantly influenced aflatoxin concentrations. Slender grains had higher AFs concentrations than bold and medium grains (p < 0.0001). Possible strategies to mitigate mycotoxin contamination in rice include improving grain quality traits and practicing proper drying and hermetic storage before and after milling. These findings provide valuable insights for both domestic and international actors in establishing and strengthening regulations and management systems to mitigate rice mycotoxin contamination.

Sweet potato is a food and nutrition security crop in sub-Saharan Africa with low yields resulting from soil infertility. We examined the effects of nine fertilizer regimes on the growth performance of orange-fleshed (OFSP) and white-fleshed (WFSP) sweet potato varieties in two agro-ecological zones characterized by Andosol and Nitisol soils. The treatments were: NPK20-10-10, NPK6-15-28, rice husk biochar (RHB), fast compost (FC), Tithonia diversifolia leaf powder, poultry litter (PL), RHB/NPK20-10-10, FC/NPK20-10-10 and PL/NPK20-10-10. These were compared to a control of no fertilizer. The Andosol and Nitisol soils were acidic with significant differences (p < 0.05) in total nitrogen, organic carbon, C/N ratio, phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium. Fertilizer effects were dominant on the adventitious root, total and marketable yields, moderately affecting main stem length and harvest index (HI) with weak effects on branch number, petiole length and leaf area index (LAI). Soil type and sweet potato variety strongly affected main stem length and HI. Variety × fertilizer strongly influenced adventitious root formation, while soil × variety × fertilizer affected total and marketable yields. LAI, primary branch number, dry biomass, total and marketable yields were best for the OFSP in the Andosol, while main stem length, petiole length, adventitious roots and HI were best for the WFSP in the Nitisol. Results of the study showed that FC, PL/NPK20-10-10 and RHB/NPK20-10-10 were the most promising soil fertility amendments to boost sweet potato productivity in the Nitisols and Andosols.