Browsing by Author "Aluko, Angela"

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Challenges and opportunities toward sustainable consumption and value addition of cashew apples in Tanzania
(SAGE Publications, 2020-07-31) Dimoso, Noel; Aluko, Angela; Makule, Edna; Kassim, Neema
Cashew apple is an important healthy fruit due to its high nutrient contents, particularly vitamin C. However, its full potential is yet to be realized in low technological countries. This paper explores farmers’ consumption habits, processing methods, and utilization constraints faced. Also, osmotic-solar dried product was developed. In an exploratory survey, 600 farmers across the surveyed districts were interviewed. The study revealed that the majority of farmers consume raw cashew apples, with 61.9% consuming more than five fruits a day and about 56.0% consuming almost every day during the season. About 43.7% of farmers traditionally process cashew apple porridge and alcohol. Lack of knowledge on post-harvest handling (86.2%), and processing technologies (82.7%) were mostly claimed to hamper the utilization. The developed dried products retained 59.4% of total acidity, 37.4% of total ascorbic acid, and 68.5% tannins. In addition, the product received better sensory scores and overall acceptability. Though solar drying relies heavily on weather conditions, where possible it could be a better alternative to traditional methods. The combination of blanching, osmotic dehydration and solar drying could provide economically feasible value added products to both urban and rural settings and ultimately reduce the post-harvest losses and unleash their economic potential.
Effect of clarification on physicochemical properties and nutrient retention of pressed and blended cashew apple juice
(Wiley Online Library, 2023-01-11) Aluko, Angela; Makule, Edna; Kassim, Neema
The cashew apple is a nutritious pseudofruit of the cashew tree, after the nut. It is highly perishable and has an astringent taste, which hinder its utilization in the food sector. This study was designed to optimize clarification of cashew apple juice (CAJ) using gelatine, and assess the effect of clarification on physicochemical properties (titratable acidity, total soluble solids, and pH), nutrient retention, and sensory quality of pressed and blended CAJ. CAJ was treated with gelatine concentrations (0, 0.025, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, and 0.4 g/L) at room temperature (24–26°C) for 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 h. Both clarified and unclarified juice were analyzed for tannin, total phenol, β-carotene, vitamin C, sugar, minerals, antioxidant activity, and physicochemical and sensory qualities. The results showed that tannin in pressed CAJ was optimally reduced from 217.6 mg/100 ml TAE to 24.6 mg/100 ml TAE, and from 258.0 mg/100 ml TAE to 55.0 mg/100 ml TAE in blended CAJ, using 0.2 g of gelatine in a liter of juice, for 2 h at room temperature. Both CAJ with and without clarification showed no significant difference in pH, total soluble solids, and titratable acidity (p < .05). However, blended CAJ had higher contents of total phenol, tannin, β-carotene, vitamin C, sugar, minerals, and antioxidant activity (p < .05). The use of a low concentration (0.2 g/L) of gelatine in a liter of either blended or pressed CAJ yielded sweet and less astringent CAJ with high-intensity yellow color. The technologies performed well at room temperature and therefore provide the basis for potential business investment.
Investigating the Optimal Treatment to Improve Cashew Apple Juice Quality and Shelf Life
(Hindawi, 2023-09-06) Aluko, Angela; Kassim, Neema; Makule, Edna
An investigation was carried out to extend the shelf life of cashew apple juice (CAJ) by up to 90 days from its natural shelf life. CAJ was obtained by pressing apples. Then, extracted juice was clarified, pasteurized, and added with preservatives, citric acid (0.01%), and sodium benzoate (0.01%). The juice was analyzed for physicochemical qualities, sugars, microbial (total bacteria, yeast, and mould) and sensory evaluation tests for appearance (yellow and brown color), aroma, and taste (astringent, bitter, and sweet). CAJ was stored at refrigeration (4°C) and ambient temperature (22.6-32.5°C) for 90 days. Sensory and shelf life analyses were conducted at 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, and 90 days during storage. The results showed that cashew apple juice had strong vitamin C content (256.5 mg/100 mL). At ambient storage, there was high decrease of vitamin C (6.2-59.8%) and low decrease at refrigeration storage (1.6-10.5%). pH was found to decrease (4.4-3.15) and TSS (11–10.6°Bx), while titratable acidity (0.4–0.59%) increases with time at refrigerating storage. Also, at ambient storage, CAJ showed the similar trend, having decrease in pH (4.4-3.06) and TSS (11-10.3°Bx), while titratable acidity increased (0.4-0.61%). Moreover, sugar content for juice had minimum and maximum decrease at refrigeration and ambient temperatures, respectively. Storage at ambient temperature resulted in growth of microbes which was observed after 15 days for juices without preservatives and 75 days for juices with preservatives, with no E. coli growth. Juice on refrigeration had higher intensity of yellow color (7.50) and sweetness (5.58) while low intensity for astringency (1.58) (). Sensory evaluation of the beverage was found to be satisfactory. Thus, shelf life of cashew apple juice was extended to 90 days satisfactorily, ensuring consumption-safe parameters and satisfactory sensory qualities.
Underutilized Cashew Apple Fruit: Its Utility and Development as a Source of Nutrients and Value Added Products in Tanzania
(Enviro Research Publishers, 2023-03-29) Aluko, Angela; Kassim, Neema; Makule, Edna
The tropical cashew tree, Anacardium occidentale L., has remarkable potential. The tree produces the pseudo-fruit known as the cashew apple and nuts. The apple is sweet, juicy, and loaded with dietary fiber, phytonutrients, minerals, and vitamin C. Despite having high nutritional content, the cashew apple is neglected in low-technological nations like Tanzania, primarily because of negligence over the well- known nut, its perishability, and its astringent taste. Contrarily, cashew apples are processed into various goods in high-income nations where food processing and technology improvements have been realized. Cashew apple products include juice, syrup, wine, alcohol, dietary fiber extracts, and animal feed. However, inadequate technologies and skills for postharvest handling and value addition have led to a considerable loss of cashew apples, contributing to pronounced food and nutrition insecurity. This review documents the production of cashew apples in Tanzania and reveals the fruit's critical underutilization and potential nutrition and economic opportunities. This documentation may call for interventions to create awareness of the importance of cashew apples in social-economic, food, nutrition and health, empower locals, and invite new processing technologies to diversify and extend shelf-life. The ultimate goal is to promote the utilization of this abandoned nutritious fruit. Such approaches may reduce postharvest losses and impact food and nutrition security and the social-economic empowerment of smallholder farmers.