Novel pearl millet couscous process for West African markets using a low-cost single-screw extruder

Traditional West African pearl millet couscous products are popular; however, their preparation is laborious, time-consuming and energy-demanding, involving agglomeration, steaming, drying and sieving steps. In this study, a process was developed to produce millet couscous using a high pressure, high temperature and low-cost single-screw extruder. The innovation was to directly process the cooked low-moisture extrudate to a couscous product by drying and milling to the appropriate particle size (ranging between 1 and 2 mm). Throughput for the traditional process as prepared for commercial sale is 50 kg per day, but with the same amount of labour, the extrusion process yields ~350 kg per day. A consumer sensory study held in Niamey (Niger) showed that the extruded millet couscous was comparable to traditional couscous, though this was dependent on selection of the proper millet variety. This novel extrusion process could stimulate small- to medium-scale manufacturing of couscous and couscous-type products in West Africa.     

Phosphorus seed coating increases phosphorus uptake,early growth and yield of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.) grown on an acid sandy soil in Niger,West Africa

In pot and field experiments conducted in 1990 and 1991 on an acid sandy, phosphorus (P) deficient soil in Niger, West Africa, the effect of seed coating on seedling emergence, early growth and grain yield of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.) was studied. Seeds of pearl millet were coated with different rates (0; 0.5; 1.0; 2.0; 5.0; 10.0 mg P seed^–1) and types of P fertilizers (single superphosphate, ammonium dihydrogen phosphate; monocalcium phosphate, sodium dihydrogen phosphate and sodium triphosphate). Seedling emergence was generally reduced at coating rates higher than 0.5 mg P seed^–1 and prevented with single superphosphate and sodium triphosphate at rates higher than 5 mg P seed^–1. No correlation was found between the pH and osmomolity of the coatings and final emergence of millet seedlings. The most favourable effect on plant growth and P content was achieved with ammonium dihydrogen phosphate (AHP) as seed coating. This was attributed to the enhancement effect of ammonium on P uptake. Compared to the untreated control dry matter production at 20 days after planting (DAP) was increased by 280%, P content per plant by 330%, total biomass at maturity by 30% and grain yield by 45%. Although seed coating with AHP may be harmful to seedlings emergence, it represents a suitable method to enhance early growth and increase yield of pearl millet.     

玉米黄酒发酵条件的优化

以玉米碴为原料,分别选用UV－48黑曲霉和啤酒酵母为发酵菌种,通过对接种量、培养温度、pH值以及发酵周期的研究,确定以玉米为原料制作黄酒的最佳发酵条件为：最适接种量为糖化菌10％,酵母菌1％;最适发酵温度为15－18℃;最适pH值为4.5-5.5,最适发酵周期为16－19d。     

Cereal‐based fermented foods in developing countries: ancient foods for modern research

Cereal‐based fermented foods are major contributors to energy intake in developing countries (DC). Their microbiota is dominated by lactic acid bacteria and has been extensively investigated. Diversity studies have been facilitated by molecular methods enabling genotyping of isolates; the rapid development of ‘omics’ approaches should facilitate more comprehensive studies to describe the relation between microbial diversity, cell physiology and product characteristics. Also, the link between the food microbiota and health benefits, in particular in nutrition, should be investigated. There is a need to encourage researches in the field of DC cereal‐based foods in direction of more mechanistic approaches.     

Fermentation and heat-moisture treatment induced changes on the physicochemical properties of foxtail millet (Setaria italica) flour

This research intends to verify the effect of Lactobacillus paracasei Fn032 fermentation and heat-moisture treatment (HMT) on the physicochemical properties of foxtail millet (Setaria italica) flour. The results obtained showed a significant (P < 0.05) increase in protein content (12.02–20.54%), total starch (15.78–51.01%) and starch fractions after fermentation and HMT. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis showed high decomposition temperature (T_d) trend of 180.59 and 189.82 °C after HMT. However, there was significant (P < 0.05) enthalpy (ΔH) decrease. Flour digestion resulted in variation of slow digestible starch (SDS) and resistant starch (RS) count from 6.83 to 18.42% and 7.61 to 22.68% respectively, after fermentation and HTM. Following this observation, it was ascertained that in X-ray diffraction; pasting viscosity and fluorescence spectrophotometry show greater HMT influenced on the flour components. Findings from the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis showed microstructure differences of the flours samples. Fermentation and heat moisture treatment methods present a possible way of changing or improving the physicochemical properties and add nutritional value to foxtail millet meal.     

糙小米和小米联产工艺探讨

根据谷子不同加工产品糙小米和小米的组织结构及营养成分特点,提出糙小米具有较高的营养价值及生产的必要性;分析小米生产工艺各工序特点,确定糙小米和小米联产工艺流程及设备的选用,糙小米的生产与小米相比可以提高粮食出品率和利用率、减少投入及节能降耗,二者还可以满足不同群体的需求,对企业和社会都具有非常重要的现实意义。     

小米挤压膨化产品的吸湿动力学研究

挤压膨化食品极易从周围环境中吸收水分,导致脆性丧失;对吸湿动力学过程的了解有助于选定合适的包装材料和存储环境。将4种形态的小米挤压膨化产品在不同温度、相对湿度下吸湿,并对吸湿过程进行模拟分析。与扩散模型、Peleg模型相比,Weibull模型最能预测小米挤压膨化产品的吸湿行为。根据Weibull模型,同一温度下,初始吸湿速率随相对湿度增大而近似线性增大。同一相对湿度下,总体吸湿速率随温度升高呈近似线性增大。温度越低、相对湿度越高,平衡水分越高。不同样品间的平衡水分差异较小,而吸湿速度差异明显,尤其在低温—低相对湿度条件时。外层气孔结构的差异可能是样品间初始吸湿速率差异的主要原因。     

6款市售红谷黄酒的营养及安全性评价

目的 对目前市售的红谷黄酒类产品(无其他辅料添加)的营养价值及安全性进行分析评价。方法 采用比色法对产品的总蛋白、总多糖、总多酚、总黄酮、总皂苷、尿素含量及自由基清除能力进行测定,利用高效液相色谱法对γ-氨基丁酸(γ-aminobutyric acid, GABA)、苯甲酸及生物胺(biogenic amine, BA)含量进行测定,比较市售红谷黄酒产品的组间差异以及与其他类型黄酒产品的异同。结果 市售红谷黄酒产品拥有较高的营养价值,其中SC品牌黄酒具有较高的GABA与总皂苷含量,GC品牌黄酒具有较高的总多酚与总黄酮含量,同时具有最佳的体外抗氧化能力。从安全性角度分析,除SC品牌黄酒中总BA含量较高外,其余市售红谷黄酒产品的BA含量以及所有产品的尿素含量均处于较低水平,苯甲酸均未检出。结论 市售红谷黄酒产品相较于其他原料酿造的产品,具有更高的营养价值与较强的抗氧化性能,且产品的总体饮用安全性较高。本研究明确了红谷黄酒的产品优势,为红谷黄酒的推广提供数据支撑。