Eugenie Kayitesi

• PhD Food Science
• Professor (Associate) at University of Pretoria

Fermentation is of great importance to the food industry as it extends the shelf life of food while imparting desirable nutritional and sensory properties. However, the unpredictable fermentation period, inconsistency of the final product quality, and contamination with spoilage microorganisms of spontaneously fermented food remain a challenge. The...

Microorganisms such as Bacillus spp., Propionibacterium spp., Lactobacillus spp., Citrobacter spp., Enterobacter spp., Klebsiella spp , and Aspergillus spp. play vital roles in fermenting macromolecules present in African legumes, resulting in beneficial derivatives with diverse bioactivities advantageous to human health. While fermentation of legu...

Production of legume protein powders with consistent functionality and physicochemical properties has been challenging. Additionally, the inconsistency of legume protein powders affects the potential use in various food matrices. Integrated extraction and spray drying conditions can produce legume protein powder with consistent physicochemical prop...

Gluten intolerance, as well as the scarcity of wheat flour in some parts of the world, has prompted the development of gluten-free bread. Gluten-free bread, on the other hand, results in a low specific volume and to remedy this, the use of hydrocolloids and bases has proved to be very successful. The current study aims to determine the optimal prop...

This research is to investigate the breadmaking ability of three cassava starch varieties (96/1414, TME15, and YARA) grown in Cameroon. To achieve this, starch samples from each variety are collected before and during fermentation to determine chemical, rheological, and bread‐making properties. They are analyzed for pH, titratable acidity (TTA), la...

Recently, the assimilation of pH‐sensitive natural pigments into biopolymers has shown promising prospects for pH‐reactive based smart packaging material. Unlike synthetic pigments, which have potential safety problems due to migration, natural pigments have negligible toxicity levels both to humans and the environment and some even possess nutriti...

Background: Sour cassava starch is used as an alternative to wheat flour in breadmaking. However, its nutritional and technological properties are limited. To remedy this, the use of legumes has proved to be very successful. Thus, the present study aimed to determine the optimal condition for the production of bread made from sour cassava starch,...

BACKGROUND The consumption of green banana flour (GBF) products has been linked to reduced glycemic index (GI) and low risk of type 2 diabetes and obesity. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of micronization (high‐intensity infrared heating method) on the molecular, microstructure and in vitro starch digestibility of five GBF c...

Sensory characteristics and flavour profiles of lactic acid-fermented foods are influenced by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) metabolic activities. The flavour compounds released/produced are directly linked to the sensory characteristics of fermented cereals. African fermented cereals constitute a staple, frequently consumed food group and provide high...

Fermented foods are an integral part of the diet for many communities in Africa. The fermentation of maize is characterized by an improved nutrient content/bioavailability and the presence of bioactive compounds which are largely attributed to the activity of the microbial population mainly lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and yeasts. The role of LAB in...

Spider plant (Cleome gynandra L.) is an annual plant that grows as a weed or a volunteer crop and is used as a vegetable or traditionally as a medicine. The nutritional value of raw spider plant consists of an average of 84.94% moisture, 5.88% ash, 7.58% fibre, 2.56% fat, 7.33% protein, and 37.06% carbohydrates, and contributes to about 152.88 kcal...

African nightshades belong to the Solanum nigrum complex species which is characterised by taxonomical complexity. Species such as Solanum scabrum, Solanum villosum, Solanum americanum, Solanum eldorettii, Solanum chenopodioides, Solanum retroflexum, Solanum florulentum, Solanum grossidentatum, Solanum tarderemotum, Solanum physalifolium and Solanu...

The impact of smoking on the volatile components of five fish species via a two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC-TOF-MS) was studied. Among these, C. carpio was found to be the most susceptible to deterioration. The experimental results affirmed that: fresh fish flavors are delicate, aroma/odor produ...

This work developed an active selenium nanoparticles‐based potato starch film. The incorporation of selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) improved the microstructure, physical and biological properties of the nanocomposite film. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed a slight increase in surface roughness and heterogeneity of nanocomposite film. Additi...

In this #Nature correspondence (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-01379-7)we propose embedding a network of genomic-surveillance centres in the national health systems of every country. To read the full version of the letter, please see the preprint (https://osf.io/2dq39)

Sorghum, cowpea, and cassava are underutilised gluten-free sources of flour that have the potential to be used in bread products in sub-Saharan Africa. Excessive wheat imports affect the economies of countries in sub-Saharan Africa, driving the search for wheat flour alternatives. To extend the use of sorghum, cowpea, and cassava flours toward brea...

This study aimed to investigate the proximate composition, mineral content, functional properties, molecular structure, in vitro starch digestibility, total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC) and antioxidant activity (DPPH, FRAP) of green banana flour (GBF) cultivars grown in South Africa. With proximate composition, Finger Rose an...

Spore-forming Bacillus species are gaining interest in human health recently, due to their ability to withstand the harsh environment of the gastrointestinal tract. The present study explores probiotic features of Bacillus paranthracis strain MHSD3 through genomic analysis and in vitro probiotic assays. The draft genome of strain MHSD3 contained ge...

The infrared heating of preconditioned cowpea improves its utilization and potential application in food systems. This study investigated the effect of optimizing preconditioning and infrared heating parameters of temperature and time on cooking characteristics of precooked cowpeas using response surface methodology (RSM). The moisture level (32–57...

Novel starch sources with unique functionality and physicochemical properties are being sought by the industry to reduce the pressure on conventional sources of starch such as corn which are currently experiencing competing uses. Bambara groundnut is a starchy grain that can be potentially used as an alternative source of starch for various industr...

Bambara groundnut (BGN) is considered to be the third most important African legume because of its nutritional and health promoting properties. Specifically, phytochemicals present in BGN occur in different forms including phenolic acids, flavonoids, phytates, tannins and their derivatives. Ingestion of Bambara phytochemicals have been linked to th...

The African pumpkin (Momordica balsamina) contains bioactive phenolic compounds that may assist in reducing oxidative stress in the human body. The leaves are mainly consumed after boiling in water for a specific time; this hydrothermal process and conditions of the gastrointestinal tract may affect the presence and bioactivity of phenolics either...

In this study, a rapid solvothermal method was developed using Moringa oleifera leaf extract as a reducing agent. Synthesized selenium nanoparticles were amorphous and exhibited a polygonal-like nanostructure with an average size of 82.86 ± 19.42 nm. Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy mapping showed uniform distribution of selenium as a dorminant eleme...

Shrimps, including Pestarella tyrrhena , are highly susceptible to deterioration whereas odour production has been indicated as one of the factors determining the perishability and bait potential of shrimps. In this study, volatile components generated from fresh egg, adult female and male of P. tyrrhena were assessed using two-dimensional gas chro...

Native starches are not suitable for industrial use and must be modified for improved functionality. In this study, the effect of moisture preconditioning and infrared heating time on physicochemical properties of cowpea starch was investigated using a two-factor central composite rotatable design. Factors (moisture levels:10-40 g/100 g starch and...

Purpose The effect of the addition of red palm olein (RPO) as a natural antioxidant to sunflower (SF) on chemical properties and deep-frying oxidative stability of resultant oil during storage. Design/methodology/approach RPO was added to SF at different levels 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 50, 75 and 100 (w/w), and potato chips were fried in oil blends r...

There is a growing awareness today about climate change and its expected ravaging effects on agricultural productivity, food production and ultimately, food and nutrition security. Against this backdrop, drought-tolerant hardy crops are gaining importance as significant sources of food and nutrition especially in the most vulnerable parts of the wo...

A literature survey revealed that several wild indigenous Southern African fruits had previously not been evaluated for their proximate and amino acid composition, as well as the total energy value (caloric value). Fourteen species including Carissa macrocarpa, Carpobrotus edulis, Dovyalis caffra, Halleria lucida, Manilkara mochisia, Pappea capensi...

Metabolite profile provides an overview and avenue for the detection of a vast number of metabolites in food sample at a particular time. Gas chromatography high resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-HRTOF-MS) is one of such techniques that can be utilized for profiling known and unknown compounds in a food sample. In this study, the meta...

This data article reports the untargeted metabolite profile of whole grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) and fermented ting samples obtained using two strains of Lactobacillus fermentum. The sorghum grains were obtained from Agricol Johannesburg (South Africa) and fermentation was done at 34 °C for 24 h. Controlled fermentation with two Lactobacillu...

Pasta from whole-grain wheat is highly nutritious but has poor sensory properties. Hence, this study prepared pasta from fractionated whole-grain wheat flour enriched with 20% Bambara groundnut. The chemical, anti-oxidant and sensory properties of the pasta were assessed using standard methods. The fat, protein, ash contents, lightness and antioxid...

Native starches are unsuitable for most industrial applications. Therefore, they are modified to improve their application in the industry. Starch may be modified using enzymatic, genetic, chemical, and physical methods. Due to the demand for safe foods by consumers, researchers are focusing on the use of cheap, safe and environmentally friendly me...

Changes in fish odour are attributed to volatile compounds’ generation. In this study, the effect of three processing methods (boiling, sun-drying, and smoke-drying) on the volatile compounds produced from Ethmalosa fimbriata was investigated using two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC × GC-TOF-MS). Fo...

The past decade has seen nanotechnology progressively being adopted by the food industry. Its wide application in food packaging has redefined conservative food packaging with active and intelligent packaging. Nanomaterials do not only influence food quality and safety but also offer health‐related benefits. Selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) have been...

Solanum nigrum complex (black nightshade) is a wild leafy vegetable with phenolic antioxidant compounds related to the reduction of oxidative stress. Changes in phenolics and bioactivity due to cooking and gastrointestinal digestion of black nightshade were compared to spinach. Predominant compounds of black nightshade were myricetin, quercetin-3-O...

Purpose Cassava is a starchy crop with several industrial applications, but it deteriorates very fast after harvest. Refrigeration has been used to extend the storage life of the root and the starch isolated from the stored roots characterized. Hence, the purpose of this research is to investigate the chemical, functional, pasting and sensory prope...

Southern Africa harbours a diverse range of wild edible indigenous fruits, which have provided populations with food for years and most are anticipated to have potentially good nutritional value. The aim of this study was to conduct a literature survey as a means to identify knowledge gaps and to conduct mineral and vitamin analyses. A total of 60...

Ting is a traditional fermented sorghum product mostly eaten in Southern Africa, generally believed to be highly nutritious and rich in health beneficial properties. Although refined grains are mostly used for fermented foods, the use of whole grains (WGs) in fermented products is gradually gaining prominence due to their benefits. In this study, L...

The effect microwaving power and time on the functional, pasting and thermal properties of cassava starch was investigated. Cassava starch at a moisture content of 30% was microwaved at 600 and 700 W for 0, 5, 15, 30 and 60 s following a preliminary study. Microwaving power and time did not alter the crystalline pattern of the starch, but there wer...

Fermentation has been recognized as a viable food technique that contributes to food safety, enhances nutritional composition and health promoting properties of food. In this study, fermentation time (48–120 h) and temperature (25–45 °C) were optimized during the production of unhulled and dehulled dawadawa from Bambara groundnut, and mycotoxin red...

Cowpea is a food legume with high protein and carbohydrate contents, which could be explored in addressing food and nutritional challenges in many parts of the world. However, some cowpea varieties are difficult to cook, resulting in high energy requirements and greater loss of nutrients. Since the bulk of carbohydrate in cowpea is starch, this com...

African green leafy vegetables (ALVs) are rich sources of nutrients and health-promoting bioactive metabolites that possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties that will assist in reducing the development of noncommunicable diseases. Irrespective of their reported health-promoting properties, ALVs face challenges of their use i...

The physicochemical properties of starch extracted from fermented cassava roots was studied. Starches extracted from fermented cassava roots showed slightly lower amylose contents (24–26%) compared to starch extracted from unfermented cassava roots (27%). Fermented starches had partly broken granule with fissures or micro-holes and rougher surfaces...

A B S T R A C T Mycotoxins are toxigenic fungal secondary metabolites and known carcinogens that pose a significant threat to economies, trade, health and compromises food safety. Favourable environmental conditions on the African continent encourage the proliferation of fungal species, increasing the possibility of attendant mycotoxins to be prese...

This study investigated the nutritional composition, antinutrients and phenolic composition of raw, hulled and dehulled Bambara groundnuts (BGN) (Vigna subterranea) and their derived dawadawa products. Phenolic compounds were investigated using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC/Q-TOF-MS)...

Mycotoxins are fungal secondary metabolites that pose health risks to exposed individuals, requiring necessary measures to reduce them. Using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), mycotoxins were quantified in whole grain sorghum and ting subsequently derived from two sorghum varieties (high and low tannin). The whole grain (WG...

Differential metabolic signatures in naturally and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) fermented ting (a Southern African food) with different tannin content, as revealed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS)-based metabolomics A B S T R A C T Fermented whole grain (WG) sorghum food products including WG-ting can be obtained from different sample...

The objective of this study was to investigate the volatile flavor compounds of nkui, a Cameroonian food, using solid phase microextraction (SPME) and a two‐dimensional gas chromatography time of flight mass spectrometry GC×GC‐TOF‐MS system. Using SPME, volatile compounds were extracted from nkui and analyzed by GC×GC‐TOF‐MS. The data retrieved rev...

Fermentation parameters for ting production from whole grain sorghum were optimized and the pH, titratable acidity, total viable bacteria count, total lactic acid bacteria count, total fungal and yeast count, tannin content, total phenolic content, total flavonoid content and antioxidant activities were studied. Milled whole grain sorghum was mixed...

Challenges with spontaneous fermentation of whole grain (WG) sorghum into ting, necessitates the use of starter cultures that could ensure consistency, better acidification and improved quality. This study therefore investigated the effect of single and co-starter culture additions [L. fermentum (FUA 3165 and 3321)] on ting properties (physicochemi...

Fruits and vegetables (FV) are important sources of nutrients and phytochemicals. Consumption of adequate amounts of FV has been indicated to lead to reduction in the risk factors that are associated with chronic diseases. However, whether an individual appreciates the importance of fruits and vegetables and includes them in his diet is dependent u...

The relevance of fermentation as an important and key aspect of food processing cannot be overemphasized, as it enhances beneficial composition and ensures safety. Fermentation technologies have constantly evolved with advances effectively dealing with the challenges associated with the traditional food fermentation process. Over the years, concert...

Acrylamide (ACR) is a possible human carcinogen, with neurotoxic properties. It is a heat generated food toxicant particularly found in carbohydrate-rich foods. Its occurrence is of global concern and constitutes a major challenge to food safety, due to its presence in several thermally processed foods worldwide. Since its discovery, ACR has been r...

The effects of fermentation and malting on the proximate composition, mineral content, amino acids and total phenolic content of pearl millet flour and biscuits were studied. Consumer tests of the biscuits samples were also done using two sets of panelists. The results showed that fermentation and malting improved the crude fiber, crude protein, ca...

Pulses play a significant and diverse role in the agricultural systems and diets of underprivileged populations worldwide. They are ideal produce for reducing poverty, improving human health and nutrition, and enhancing resilience of the ecosystem. Fermentation is a processing technique that has been used for decades to transform food produce with...

The emergence of food metabolomics, otherwise known as foodomics, has opened new frontiers and possibilities for scientists to characterize and simultaneously determine and obtain the comprehensive profile of the food metabolome. Qualitative and quantitative determinations of this metabolome offer insights into the underlying processes involved and...

This study investigated the effect of fermentation conditions (time and temperature) of sorghum on the composition of ting, using the Doehlert design of response surface methodology (RSM). Fermentation temperature and time were optimized and pH, titratable acidity (TTA), total viable bacteria count (TBC), total lactic acid bacteria count (TLABC), t...

Purpose The purpose of this study was to composite maize, a cereal grain with low protein and lysine content, with groundnut a rich source of protein, to improve the nutritional quality of maize–groundnut composite flours and their resultant porridges. Design/methodology/approach Defatted and full fat groundnut flours were used to prepare maize–...

The review focuses on some of the high value-end biocommodities, such as fermented beverages , single-cell proteins, single-cell oils, biocolors, flavors, fragrances, polysaccharides, biopesti-cides, plant growth regulators, bioethanol, biogas and biohydrogen, developed from the microbial processing of fruit and vegetable wastes. Microbial detoxifi...

The review focuses on some of the high value-end biocommodities, such as fermented beverages, single-cell proteins, single-cell oils, biocolors, flavors, fragrances, polysaccharides, biopesticides, plant growth regulators, bioethanol, biogas and biohydrogen, developed from the microbial processing of fruit and vegetable wastes. Microbial detoxifica...

The review focuses on some of the high value-end biocommodities, such as fermented beverages , single-cell proteins, single-cell oils, biocolors, flavors, fragrances, polysaccharides, biopesti-cides, plant growth regulators, bioethanol, biogas and biohydrogen, developed from the microbial processing of fruit and vegetable wastes. Microbial detoxifi...

Phenolic compounds play a significant role in our diets due to their proposed health benefits in the human body. Their presence in plants has therefore led to the increase in recognition of underutilized African Green Leafy Vegetables (ALVs) as vital contributors to the food supply, which in itself is a component of food security in Africa. However...

A study which probed the occurrence and quantitative variations hepatotoxic microcystin in a Sub Saharan drinking freshwater reservoir was carried out between November 2014 and March 2015. Results reveal the presence of MCYST-YR, MCYST-LR, MCYST-RR, MCYST-LA and MCYST-LF variants either in cells collected directly from bloom or toxic isolates cultu...

The bioaccumulation and quantitative variations of cyanobacterial peptide hepatotoxin intracellular microcystin in floating scums of cyanobacterium microcystis flos aquae collected from predetermined sampling sites in the Swartspruit River was investigated. Three distinct MCs variants (MC-YR, MC-LR, and MC-RR) were isolated, identified, and quantif...

With the prevalent food insecurity in Africa, there is a growing need to utilize the available crops to develop nutritious, affordable and palatable food for the populace. Millet is critical in this role, relative to its abundance in the continent and good nutritional composition. For ages, fermentation and malting have been traditionally used to t...

Major wineries are confined to using grapes as substrate, as a result of which other fruits, especially in the tropical zone, remain underutilised. A wine, from jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus L.) pulp, was prepared by fermenting with wine yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) as starter culture. The wine had the following proximate compositions: to...

Protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) is a problem in Africa and other developing nations of the world. Food Agriculture Organization's statistics reveal that in Africa, more than one in four people are undernourished. Cereals are a major staple in many African homes contributing significant amounts of energy, protein, but limiting in essential amino a...

Major wineries are confined to using grapes as substrate, as a result of which other fruits, especially in the tropical zone, remain underutilised. A wine, from jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus L.) pulp, was prepared by fermenting with wine yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) as starter culture. The wine had the following proximate compositions: to...

Major wineries are confined to using grapes as substrate, as a result of which other fruits, especially in the tropical zone, remain underutilised. A wine, from jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus L.) pulp, was prepared by fermenting with wine yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) as starter culture. The wine had the following proximate compositions: to...

Background: Cowpea is mostly utilised as cooked whole seeds. This is often achieved only after boiling for up to 2 h, resulting in high energy consumption and a long time for food preparation. Micronisation of pre-conditioned cowpeas reduces their cooking time. Micronisation changes the physicochemical properties of cowpea seeds, which may affect...

Marama bean, an underutilised legume in southern Africa, is a good source of protein, fat and phenolic compounds, the latter known to have potential health benefits. Marama flours, sorghum meal, marama–sorghum composite flours and porridges were analysed for proximate composition, amino acid composition, energy value, fatty acid composition, total...

The edible seeds of marama beans are a good source of protein and fat and can potentially enhance the nutritional quality of sorghum products. Utilisation of marama flour in a composite porridge depends on sensory acceptance. Heating of marama beans before milling is used to inactivate trypsin inhibitors. Defatting of marama flour would improve she...