Browsing by Author "Dimoso, Noel"

Now showing 1 - 7 of 7

Cashew apple in Tanzania: status of utilization, challenges, and opportunities for sustainable development
(F1000 Research, 2022-11-21) Dimoso, Noel; Kassim, Neema; Makule, Edna
Home Browse Cashew apple in Tanzania: status of utilization, challenges, and opportunities... ALL METRICS 143 VIEWS 14 DOWNLOADS Get PDF Get XML Cite Export Track Share ▬ POLICY BRIEF Cashew apple in Tanzania: status of utilization, challenges, and opportunities for sustainable development [version 1; peer review: awaiting peer review] Noel Dimoso https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5536-3437, Neema Kassim, Edna Makule https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3077-8932 Author details This article is included in the Agriculture, Food and Nutrition gateway. Abstract Cashew apples, although widely available and rich in nutrients are still underutilized after harvest in Tanzania. Approximately 2,327,000 metric tonnes of cashew apples are lost each year. Their counterpart, the cashew nut is highly appreciated and successfully contributes to the national economy. The huge underutilization of cashew apples is a challenge that requires urgent attention in order to achieve both national and global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. Improvement of the cashew apple sector could have a positive impact on global SDGs 1, 2, and 3 targets of no poverty, zero hunger, and good health and well-being respectively. At national level, this sector could contribute to the goals of the Tanzania Development Vision (TDV) 2025, namely: high quality livelihood, particularly food self-sufficiency and food security; and a strong and competitive economy, particularly a diversified and semi-industrialized economy with a substantial industrial sector comparable to typical middle-income countries. In addition, the country’s Third Five Year Development Plan III (FYDP III) 2021/22 – 2025/26 has established key strategic interventions, notably those related to competitive industrialization, energy, and food and nutrition security to ultimately achieve the goals of the TDV 2025. To be effective, however, these strategic interventions require continued strong central and local government support and active involvement of stakeholders to ensure program effectiveness yielded towards efficient utilization of widely available natural resources such as cashew apples which has cross-cutting benefits in food, agriculture, health, energy, and economic perspectives. Therefore, the work provides evidence on the utilization status, challenges, and opportunities for sustainable development in Tanzania.
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.
Development of quality dried cashew apple products
(NM-AIST, 2020-08) Dimoso, Noel
Cashew apple is an important healthy fruit and yet is highly underutilized in developing countries. This study explored factors affecting utilization of cashew apple among farmers in Lindi and Mtwara regions. Semi-structured questionnaire was used on 600 cashew farmers to collect information on cashew apple consumptions, processing and utilization constraints. In addition, dried cashew apple product was developed, in which full matured, ripe and intact fruits were plucked from the cashew tree. Then they were washed, blanched, sliced and immersed in 70% sucrose prior to drying on an oven or solar drier. As a result, majority of farmers reported to consume raw cashew apples. The frequency of consumption was more than five fruits a day (61.87%) and almost every day (55.98%) during the season. Traditional technologies for processing cashew apple porridge and alcohol were employed by about 43.7% of farmers. Lack of knowledge on post-harvest handling (86.2%) and processing technologies (82.7%) were mostly claimed to hamper cashew apple utilization. Both dried products showed no significant different (p > 0.05) on carotenoids (0.28 - 0.33g/100g), vitamin C (0.73 - 0.85g/100g) and tannins contents (266.59 - 267.95 mg/100g). During storage at ambient temperature for 60 days: total phenolic, tannins and vitamin C were significantly reduced (p < 0.05) in both oven and solar dried products. Furthermore, both dried products showed similar (p > 0.05) overall sensory acceptability. The combination of blanching, osmotic dehydration and solar or oven drying provide economically feasible value added products that can be reproduced in both urban and rural settings to enhance reduction of postharvest losses of the fruit.
Improving nutritional, bioactivity, and sensory properties of cereal by-products by co-culture fermentation: A review
(Elsevier B.V., 2025-11) Dimoso, Noel; Yuan, Lei; Lu, Chun-Lei; Chen, Cao-wei; Yang, Zhen-quan
Cereal bran, brewers’ spent grains, and corn gluten meals, which are generated in greater quantities, are underutilized by-products of grain processing industries. Cereal by-products have nutritional and functional potential and can be incorporated into various food products. However, the insoluble cell wall fiber and proteins, bound phenolic compounds, and anti-nutritional factors limit their application. This review provides an in-depth look at co-culture fermentation of cereal by-products and its impact on nutrition, bioactivity, and sensory properties. The potential limitations and strategies to improve co-fermentation processes are also covered. The studies described indeed provide supporting evidence for co-fermentation being more effective than monoculture fermentation with respect to nutrient bioavailability, antioxidant capacity, and gut microbiota modulation. Co-fermentation can also improve the aroma and shelf-life characteristics of cereal-based foods. Currently, the specific mechanisms underlying the synergistic effects of co-cultures during fermentation remain not fully understood, along with the lack of standardization of co-fermentation conditions and clinical studies. Moreover, the biovalorization of cereal by-products using co-cultures not only enhances their functionality, but also provides an eco-friendly and sustainable approach to reduce agro-industrial food waste.
The prebiotic potential of brewers' spent grain on livestock's health: a review.
(Springer Nature Switzerland AG., 2020-03-01) Lao, Emanuel; Dimoso, Noel; Raymond, Jofrey; Mbega, Ernest
The increasing interest from the feed as a source of energy towards specific nutrient-yielding compounds in feeds is amongst the latest developments from scientific and industrial communities. Apart from brewers' spent grain (BSG) being relatively inexpensive feed source, nutritious with high crude protein and minerals, recent studies have explored its potential as a source of prebiotics. Prebiotics are certain feeds that are comprised of non-digestive polysaccharides that can be fed to animals and modulate the balance and activities of microbial populations in the gut. The BSG contains arabinoxylans and β-glucans whereby when consumed by animals, they promote the activity of beneficial bacteria particularly species from three genera of Bifidobacterium, Enterococcus, and Lactobacillus. The increased degradation of fibrous feed accelerates the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) which serve as the primary energy sources for the anaerobic microbes. This elevated concentration of SCFA stimulates numerous physio-biological functions which include intestinal nutrients absorption, glucose balance, improvement of immunity, lipid metabolism, and suppression of pathogens such as Salmonella and Escherichia coli. To capitalize on the prebiotic potential of BSG, certain considerations need to be well taken care of and these include possible microbial dysfunctions such as rumen acidosis, different responses rates of animals due to variations in health status, age, and species as well as feed safety issues especially mycotoxin contamination which can jeopardize its inherited prebiotic benefits.
Precooling and Cold Storage Methods for Fruits and Vegetables in Sub-Saharan Africa—A Review
(MDPI, 2022-08-26) Makule, Edna; Dimoso, Noel; Tassou, Savvas
Fruits and vegetables, known for their large nutrient potential, are more susceptible to high postharvest loss than other crops. Factors such as perishability, poor post-production handling and storage and processing infrastructures, increase the magnitude of food losses. The postharvest loss of fruits and vegetables in Sub-Saharan Africa ranges from 30% to 50%. One key strategy to overcome such losses is through cold chain integration in value chains. However, most developing countries currently lack the basic infrastructure and management skills needed to support the development of integrated cold chains, particularly in rural areas, where up to 60% of overall food losses occur on the farm and in ‘first-mile’ distribution. Storage of highly perishable produce in a controlled environment with respect to temperature and relative humidity leads to quality and quantity preservation. This contributes to increases in food and nutrition security, household incomes and environmental protection. This review addresses the need for adopting and strengthening measures for the precooling and cold storage of fruits and vegetables to improve their value chains. A range of precooling and cold storage methods, their suitability, energy demands and the constraints on storage and distribution are discussed and recommendations are made on how to improve their accessibility for small-scale farmers in rural communities.
Quality Assessment of Formulated Osmotically Dehydrated Cashew Apple (Anacardium occidentale L.) Slices Dried using Hot air and Solar Driers
(International Journal of Biosciences, 2020-12-28) Dimoso, Noel; Makule, Edna; Kassim, Neema
Cashew apples are rich in phytochemicals particularly vitamin C and yet are highly underutilized in low technological countries. This study investigated the effect of drying methods on quality attributes of osmotically dehydrated cashew apples. Specifically; nutrient retention, rehydration coefficient, microbial safety and sensory attributes were assessed. Fully matured, ripe and intact fruits were washed, blanched, sliced, and immersed in 70% sucrose before drying on hot air and solar drier. No significant difference (p > 0.05) was observed on carotenoids (0.28-0.33 g/100g), vitamin C (0.73-0.85 g/100g), and tannins (266.59-267.95 mg/100g) in both dried cashew apple slices, except on significantly higher total phenolic (p < 0.05) in hot air-dried slices. During storage at room temperature for 60 days: total phenolic, tannins, and vitamin C were significantly reduced (p < 0.05) in both hot air and solar dried slices; while carotenoids were maintained (p > 0.05) in hot air-dried slices, and slightly reduced (p < 0.05) in solar dried slices. Solar dried slices had better rehydration efficiency compared to hot air-dried ones. Both dried products had similar (p > 0.05) overall acceptability, and zero microbial counts when observed for 60 days. Though solar drying retained less of the desirable nutritive values, it is relatively cheaper and is recommended for use in low resource settings.