The objectives of this study were to add value to three popular indigenous fruits found in Namibia namely, Marula (Sclerocarya birrea), Monkey orange (Strychnos cocculoides) and Eembe (Berchemia discolour) into processed food products and to train rural communities on value addition for job creation, income generation and food security. Indigenous fruits are receiving increasing interests from researchers and scholars because of their nutrition and abundance in most African countries. The fruits are important sources of food for rural communities especially at times of food shortage, hunger and other disasters. In addition, they provide enormous health benefits such as antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. They are also known to create jobs and generate income for rural communities. Because of their role in combating food insecurity, nutrition and the problems of seasonality, studies on their value addition were carried out in Namibia. Different types of food products were made from the fruits namely; juice, jam, jelly and muffins (cakes). A pilot study was carried out to determine the levels and preference range of ingredients in the mix to formulate recipes of the products prior to processing and training the community members. The results were subjected to paired preference tests and the best ratio was then used. According to consumer preference test, marula juice was on the lower value (2.3) due to its low pH (3.26). As for jam and jelly; quality, taste and colour were acceptable and preferred. The three products made from monkey orange were all preferred but those from eembe were downgraded (2.31-3.20) due to dark colour and lack of flavour. The microbiological quality of the produced products confirmed their safety characteristics. The products made in this study were shown to be viable, of good quality and good sources of income for rural communities. The fruit flavour from marula and monkey orange can be utilized in the dairy and other soft drink industries for making yoghurts, sour milk, ice cream, juices and jams.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
customersupport@researchsolutions.com
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.