Matthew Atongbiik Achaglinkame

• Master of Philosophy
• Assistant Lecturer at University for Development Studies

The present work evaluated β-carotene content, colour (L*, a*, b*), and consumer preference for egg yolks from chicken, guinea fowl, and quail, sampled from intensive or semi-intensive rearing systems in Ghana. The β-carotene content of guinea fowl yolk was almost seven times greater (p < 0.001) than that of chicken and quail yolks. The yellowness...

White yam (Dioscorea rotundata) is a vital crop in many tropical regions, and its preservation and quality retention are of paramount importance for ensuring food security. This study investigated the impact of steam blanching and different storage durations on the physicochemical properties of white yam slices. White yam slices were subjected to v...

Gardenia erubescens fruits are regarded as nutrient-dense, capable of promoting nutritional and metabolic human health. However, they are seasonal and highly perishable which limits their consumption and wider utilization. In this study, the effect of slice thickness (3 mm and 5 mm), pretreatments (steam blanching and dipping in ascorbic acid solut...

High dairy production and utilization have proven very effective in improving food and nutrition security in society, especially among the rural poor. This review sought to find out the status of dairy production and utilization in Ghana and Benin, the challenges, and the way forward. The review discovered low dairy production in both countries whi...

Indigenous vegetables (IVs) are rich sources of essential nutrients, particularly vitamins and minerals, and other non-nutritive phytochemicals. IVs play a critical role in the food culture of the Ghanaian people. Despite their importance, they have over the years been mostly associated with the resource-poor. In this study, the types of IVs, prepa...

Gardenia erubscens fruits have been identified as a valuable source of nutrients and antioxidants, which are beneficial for human health. To preserve the nutritional properties of fruits after drying, appropriate packaging material should be considered. The objectives of this study was to explore the effects of different packaging materials namely...

Gardenia erubescens fruits are outstanding sources of essential nutrients as well as health-promoting phytochemicals and minerals. However, fresh fruits are highly perishable and difficult to store. To reduce losses and extend their uses, fresh G. erubescens fruits could be converted into powder. The present study investigated the effect of slice t...

This study investigated the influence of different drying air temperatures (40, 50, 60 and 70 °C) on moisture removal ratio and drying rate of pre-cooked and uncooked palmyra (Borassus aethiopum) seed-sprout fleshy scale (SFS) slices and quality of the resultant flours. Through drying kinetic analysis, it was found that the drying process of pre-co...

In this catalogue we compiled information on nutrition and health benefits of the selected indigenous vegetables as well as agronomic tips on propagation, spacing, fertilizer, irrigation and expected yield. It also provides a key tool for partners in the horticulture sector and other development practitioners to include indigenous vegetables in the...

Gari, a fermented granular cassava food product, continues to play a major role in the diets of West Africans. The white cassava commonly used for this product is devoid of provitamin A but may have a significant concentration of cyanogenic compounds. The physicochemical and functional properties of partial substitution of cassava with orange-flesh...

The Gardenia erubescens (GE) fruit is a wild fruit common in the savannah zone including Ghana. It is rich in fiber, carbohydrates, minerals and health promoting bioactive compounds. However, due to its seasonality and perishability, the application of preservative methods such as drying is imperative to improve its shelf life. Unfortunately, there...

Snails, a delicacy in most tropical communities, are highly perishable and seasonal. Employed preservative methods are highly temperature dependent, adversely affecting their nutritional value and sensory properties. This study was aimed at determining the effect of size and drying time on the rehydration and sensory properties of freeze-dried snai...

Frafra potato (Solenostemon rotundifolius) is one of the underutilised and highly perishable food crops in Ghana. Being rich in starch and various bioactive compounds, it offers a dual-functionality. The study was undertaken to obtain Solenostemon flour that can be utilised as an ingredient for food processing in Ghana and Africa at large. Specific...

Malnutrition has been a serious issue in Ghana and Africa as a whole. However, the potential of many indigenous fruits to combat it has not yet been tested. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the nutritional characteristics of four underutilized wild fruits (Gardenia erubescens, Sclerocarya birrea, Diospyros mespiliformis, and Balanites aegyp...

Cereals and legumes, the main ingredients used in the preparation of complementary foods in Ghana, have been associated with aflatoxin contamination. This study aimed to determine aflatoxin contamination levels in cereal-based complementary foods on the Ghanaian market. A cross-sectional survey design over a two-week period was used to sample 48 co...

Malnutrition has been a serious issue in Ghana and Africa as a whole. However, potentials of many indigenous fruits in combatting it have not been tested and, thus, have been given little or no attention. The objective of the study was, therefore, to determine the nutritional potentials of two underutilized wild fruits (Gardenia erubescens and Scle...

Cereals and legumes, being the major staples of many African communities, frequently used for complementary foods for infants and young children. However, aflatoxin contamination is a threatening issue in these staples and its negative effects on human health, most especially infants and young children, are very alarming. Thus, this review sought t...