Fruit products are increasingly consumed but highly prone to microbial deterioration if not adequately processed and stored. The present study was conducted to evaluate the microbial and heavy metal concentrations of packed pineapple nectars, syrups and jams processed by 10 Small and Medium scale pineapple processing Enterprises (SMEs) over a storage duration of 12 months. Collected samples were analysed to determine whether the levels of microbial and heavy metal concentrations were in line with maximum permissible limits set by Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC), East African Standards (EAS) and Rwanda Bureau of Standards (RBS). The samples were tested for yeasts and moulds, total plate counts, Faecal coliforms, total coliforms, Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Shigella and Staphylococcus aureus using tested International Organization for Standardization (ISO) microbial determination methods. Quantitative determination of heavy metals: zinc, iron, lead, copper, cadmium and aluminium was carried out by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). Pineapple products were free from most of the microorganisms but only nectars from 30% of SMEs were highly contaminated above the permissible Codex and RBS limits with total plate counts >300 CFU/ml and yeasts and mould counts >300 CFU/ml. The mean levels of zinc, iron, copper and aluminium were within the acceptable recommended Codex and RBS standard values but the levels of lead and cadmium were above those permissible standard values. These results indicated that some fruit processors in Rwanda may not be observing good manufacturing and hygienic practices, leading to a need for improved post-harvest and processing guidelines, better monitoring and enforcement, and additional research into heavy-metal ingress in the manufacturing process.

This study aimed at evaluating the effect of storage time on the stability of pineapple products processed by small and medium scale processing enterprises (SMEs) in Rwanda stored at ambient (21 to 25°C) temperatures. Physico-chemical quality characteristics (pH, moisture, fibre, ash, total soluble solids, titratable acidity, sucrose, reducing sugars, total sugars and ethanol) of the sample products were analysed. Changes in the quality were monitored at three and one months interval for syrups, jams and nectars, respectively. Results showed that for nectars, most of the parameters evaluated were stable up to only two months of storage. All nectars, syrups and jams had a pH ranging from 3-5, the normal pH range for fruit products. The levels of titratable acidity of all products were below the maximum limit of 1.35% set by Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) Standards. Similarly, their levels of ethanol were less than the maximum of 0.3% recommended by Codex Alimentarius Commission standards. Syrups and jams were stable for most of the parameters up to six months of storage. There was a significant (p<0.05) decrease of sucrose and increase of reducing sugars in syrup and jam samples, specifically from six months of storage. Products from some enterprises exhibited sugar values higher than the maximum recommended by Rwandan, East African and CAC standards. The studied products exhibited significant variations in most of the studied parameters over the storage period with most of the samples not complying with the standards including sugar levels. Processors, therefore, need to be trained on proper fruit processing and the standard requirements for pineapple fruit products.

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In Rwanda, nutritional problems are increasingly drawing attention, and the National Nutrition Policy focuses on the solutions to reduce the prevalence of malnutrition and to improve household food intake. Since rural Rwandans typically have meals at home and household food intake is known to be affected by their socioeconomic status (SES), care should be taken to ensure that homemade meals are healthy. This study aimed to assess the current nutrient content of porridge and mixture so as to recommend modifications to be made to improve nutrient intake within rural households in Rwanda. A crosssectional study was conducted; anthropometric measurements and one-day weighed food records (WFRs) were collected from 30 participants in four households with different SES in the Musanze district in the Northern Province of Rwanda. The first objective of this study was to compare nutritional status and food intake among households with different SES. The study results indicated that SES did not solely explain the nutritional status of the household members, and co-existence of over-nutrition and undernutrition was observed within the better-off household. Although meal frequency per day and the number of dishes and ingredients were positively related to household SES, rural Rwandans consumed monotonous diets characterized by porridge for breakfast and mixture (a dish boiled some foods together) for lunch and dinner as a whole. These two familiar dishes, porridge and mixture, greatly affected their energy and nutrient intakes. The second objective was to compare energy and nutrient contents in the same dishes with different ingredients and cooking methods. Porridges were made by dissolving mixed flour (maize and sorghum flours) in hot water. The porridge did not contain vitamin A. The energy, protein, and iron contents of the porridge were affected by flour concentration. Thick porridge whose flour concentration is 13% is recommended. Beans and potatoes were popular ingredients of mixture. Beans were major sources of energy, protein, and iron intakes. Contrary to general assumption, roots and tubers were also the major sources of protein and iron intakes among the participants. To cook mixture that is well boiled and contains beans and potatoes is a feasible way to increase energy and nutrient intakes regardless of household SES. In order to provide good vitamin A intake, addition of yellow plantain, palm oil, and/or tomato is recommended. This study presents locally and economically feasible recommendations to make popular dishes more nutritious for rural Rwandans.