ENZYMATIC AND SOME BIOCHEMICAL CHANGES ASSOCIATED WITH THE PRODUCTION OF "KANTONG," A TRADITIONAL FERMENTED CONDIMENT IN NORTHERN GHANA

This paper reports on the activities of three major food enzymes (amylase, protease and lipase) during the traditional fermentation of Ceiba pentandra seeds into "kantong," a condiment used in Northern Ghana for soups. Samples were taken at periodic intervals during the fermentation, and enzyme activities and other parameters were determined. All enzyme activities increased steadily during fermentation, but leveled off when the fermentation was stopped at 48 h and the product dried. The increase in enzyme activities led to significant reductions in the levels of fiber and lipids, whereas protein and ash contents increased significantly ( P <  0.05). The fermentation produced significant increases in the concentration of all the amino acids. The process was acidic, as the pH dropped from 6.95 to 4.91. "Kantong," used in poor homes as substitute for meat or fish for flavoring soups, can serve as a nutritious condiment in the diet and its consumption should be encouraged.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

"Kantong" is a traditional fermented condiment produced by the fermentation of the seeds of silk cotton (Ceiba pentandra). It is widely used in Northern Ghana as flavoring for soups and stews. However, no scientific studies about the fermentation process have been carried out. A scientific understanding of the fermentation process will enable a technological improvement on the process, either by the use of starter cultures or the addition of exogenous enzymes to the medium for the substrate conversion. The work also provided information on the nutritional value of the product, and thus its role in providing food security to the people who use it. The microbiological aspects of the fermentation are described under a different topic.     

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Assessment of Institutional and Legal Framework for Sustainable LandUse Management Practices in Ashi River Watershed, China

中国阿什河流域可持续土地利用管理实践的制度和法律框架评估

Vitus Tankpa1, 王立1, Raphael Ane Atanga2, 郭晓朦 1 ,Alfred Awotwi 3

（1.哈尔滨工业大学 环境工程学院 城市水资源与水环境国家重点实验室 哈尔滨150090;

2.约翰内斯堡大学 旅游与酒店学院,南非 约翰内斯堡;

3.发展研究大学 环境科学系 ,加纳 纳夫龙戈）

中文说明：土地退化（LD）引起的非点源污染（NPS）是导致农业为主型小流域水质恶化的关键影响因素。目前全球正在推行可持续土地利用管理（SLM）方法以减少LD的影响。国际经验表明,土地使用者的行为直接影响流域的可持续土地管理实践和NP污染态势,洞悉土地使用者与SLM实施方略之间的内在关系才能有效防止NPS对流域水资源的污染。本研究的重点是通过法律法规约束有效性来探讨在阿什河流域实施SLM的方法和可行性。通过结构化的调查问卷来收集实地数据,采用随机抽样法从两个控制单位社区的150个土地使用者那里收集数据进行统计分析。结果显示,阿什流域SLM方法的实施率较低,这与当地建设能力和法规执行力度密切相关。其中,居民的职业和年龄与SLM采用率相关性最高,与农业有关的居民对SLM的采用状况更为敏感。建议通过职能部门加强决策和推行法规的力度,以促使农民推行SLM技术,将有助于解决阿什河NPS污染问题。

关键词：可持续土地利用管理; 体制;法律框架;土地利用;阿什河流域