Oluwafemi Ayodeji Adebo

• DTech (Food Technology)
• Professor at University of Johannesburg

A study of the biochemical, nutritional, and functional modifications in underutilised and neglected food ingredients during processing is vital for promoting dietary diversity, addressing malnutrition and strengthening food security. This study investigates the impact of food processing techniques, including malting, fermentation, and ultra-sonica...

Obesity prevalence has steadily increased over the past decades. Standard approaches, such as increased energy expenditure, lifestyle changes, a balanced diet, and the use of specific drugs, are the conventional strategies for preventing or treating the disease and its associated complications. Fermented foods and their subsequent bioactive constit...

Refined wheat breads are consumed throughout the world as an energy‐dense staple food. The consumption of refined wheat bread has raised concerns among health‐conscious consumers. This has partly stimulated research interest in the inclusion of functional ingredients such as germinated/fermented legume flour in the development of nutritious and hea...

Variations occur in metabolite profiles after food processing, with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) being one such technique used in profiling metabolites. In this study, finger millet (Eleusine coracana) grains were traditionally (malted and fermented) and also novelly processed (ultra-sonicated), while edible crickets (Acheta domesti...

This study examined the impact of traditional (fermentation, malting) and novel (ultrasonication) processing technologies on the thermo-pasting, microstructural, nutritional, and antioxidant properties of finger millet (FM) and Bambara groundnut (BGN) flours. Fermentation, malting, and ultrasonication enhanced the water/oil absorption capacity (WAC...

This study examined the impact of okara addition on the nutritional, pasting, rheological, and thermal properties of sorghum flour and porridge. Porridges (fermented and unfermented) were made with 100% sorghum flour and sorghum-okara blends at 70: 30 and 50: 50 ratios. The inclusion of okara significantly enhanced the porridge's crude protein, fat...

This study investigated the rheological, physicochemical, and thermal properties of fermented and germinated whole reddish‐brown cowpea, white sorghum and orange‐fleshed sweet potato. Germination substantially reduced the pasting and rheological attributes of flour suspensions compared to the fermentation process. This study observed notable increa...

Background Food processing offers various benefits that contribute to food nutrition, food security and convenience. This study investigated the effect of three different processes (fermentation, malting and ultrasonication) on the nutritional, techno-functional and health-promoting properties of sorghum, mopane worm and Moringa oleifera. Methods...

Unlocking the potential of legumes through short‐term germination offers an innovative approach to improving the functionality of the resultant flour. This review examines the multifaceted benefits of short‐term germinated legume flour, emphasizing the enzymatic activities that breakdown complex legume compounds into simpler forms and reduce anti‐n...

Metabolite profiling is an analytical technique used to assess metabolites in complex biological samples. This technique allows for the identification of both targeted and untargeted metabolites. In this study, the effect of traditional (fermentation and malting) and novel processing (ultrasonication) on the metabolites of finger millet (FM) and Ba...

This study investigated the potential of annealed Bambara starch as a locally sourced stabilizer for ice cream, aimed at addressing the high cost of imported stabilizers. Annealed Bambara starch, modified at various temperatures (45, 50, 55, and 60 °C), was incorporated into ice cream formulations and compared with ice cream stabilized using xantha...

This study investigated the consumer awareness, consumption pattern and the quality of unrefined groundnut oil in comparison with soybean, sesame oil and palm olein obtained from stores in Ilorin South Local Government Area of Kwara State, Nigeria using a structured questionnaire administered to 400 respondents. Approximately 36% of the respondents...

Fermentation is an ancient food practice utilized to enhance food flavor, preservation, and nutritional value. This review delves into the topic of fermented rice-based foods, particularly focusing on their nutritional attributes and potential health benefits. With white rice being a staple for major global staple food, nutrient deficiencies due to...

Bambara groundnut are legumes with high nutritional value, quality, and potential for various food development, after undergoing processing. This study investigated the influence of different processing (fermentation, infrared heating, malting, and roasting) methods and conditions on the swelling power, FTIR spectra, colour, and metabolite composit...

Three‐dimensional food printing (3DFP) involves layer‐by‐layer deposition of food materials to transform a part model into a food product. With this cutting‐edge food processing technology, food's acceptability, among others, can be enhanced, consequently contributing to food security. This review focuses on 3D‐printed foods (3DPFs), with an overvi...

Maize is a popular gluten-free grain, used in many dishes in Africa and elsewhere. It provides numerous nutrients (especially starch) and contains antinutritional factors (phytates). To reduce these factors and improve the nutritional and physical potential of maize, a number of treatments are required, including malting. This study therefore in...

Legumes are vital food sources in global diets, especially in developing nations, offering affordability, nutrition, and sustainability. Legumes are rich bioactive compounds as well as in macro‐ and micro‐nutrients and help combat protein‐energy malnutrition. Fermentation is a food processing technique that enhances nutritional content, digestibili...

This study investigated the impact of bioprocessing techniques (germination, solid‐state fermentation, the combination of germination, and solid‐state fermentation) on the physicochemical properties, anti‐nutritional and bioactive constituents, in vitro digestibility, and techno‐functional properties of whole wheat grains were investigated. Bioproc...

This article explores the fundamental right to food, examining its legal framework, its relationship with other human rights, and the efforts being made globally to improve this right. It begins by looking at international and national laws that protect the right to food and examining their importance in ensuring food security and sovereignty. It t...

Germination and fermentation are age-long food processes that beneficially improve food composition. Biological modulation by germination and probiotic fermentation of cowpea, sorghum, and orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) and subsequent effects on the physicochemical (pH and total titratable acidity), nutritional, antinutritional factors and heal...

Rice is a popular grain and forms part of the daily diet of people throughout the world. However, the consumption of rice and its products is sometimes limited by its high glycemic index due to its high starch content, low protein content and quality, and low bioavailability of minerals due to the presence of anti‐nutritional factors. This has part...

Diet is a modifiable risk factor in the prevention and management of obesity, and various foods have the potential to aid in obesity management by modulating different pathways involved in the disease's pathology. We performed a systematic review of literature, using CINAHL, PubMed, and Google Scholar, focusing on the antiobesity potential of foods...

The present work aims to evaluate the influence of varieties and malting conditions on the liquefying and sweetening capacities of germinated flours of two new maize varieties (Atp-Y and Coca-sr). Five (5) factors such as soaking time (18–42 h), vegetable salt concentration (0.5–1.2%), soaking temperature (25–41°C), germination time (80–195 h) and...

There is a need to profile microorganisms which exist pre-and-post-production of umqombothi, to understand its microbial diversity and the interactions which subsequently influence the final product. Thus, this study sought to determine the relative microbial abundance in umqombothi and predict the functional pathways of bacterial and fungal microb...

The present study adopted a response surface methodology (RSM) approach validated by artificial neural network (ANN) models to optimise the production of a bitter gourd-grape beverage. Aset of statistically pre-designed experiments were conducted, and the RSM optimisation model fitted to the obtained data, yielding adequately fit models for the mon...

Fermentation of yellow maize using different inocula yields mahewu products with varying compositions. Comprehensive analysis of the metabolites influencing distinctive characteristics of mahewu from sorghum malt (YMSM); wheat (YMW), malted millet (YMMM) and malted yellow maize (YMYM) inocula was investigated using an untargeted gas chromatography...

Introduction The utilization of sprouted meals in beer production and enhancing the physicochemical properties of supplementary foods is widespread in Africa. This work aimed to determine the influence of soaking, germination, maturation and variety conditions on the physicochemical properties, proteolytic activity, free amino nitrogen (FAN) and so...

Artificial neural networks (ANNs) have in recent times found increasing application in predictive modelling of various food processing operations including fermentation, as they have the ability to learn nonlinear complex relationships in high dimensional datasets, which might otherwise be outside the scope of conventional regression models. Noneth...

Germination is a cheap and effective bioprocessing technique used for improvement of the nutritional, physicochemical and health-promoting properties of seeds. The benefits of germination on two fonio varieties (Digitaria exilis and Digitaria iburua) have not been studied. This study investigated the nutritional and physicochemical changes in two v...

Wheat flour (WF) was substituted with germinated Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea) flour (GBF) at different proportions (5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, and 30%) and used in the preparation of bread. The dough mixing, pasting, and gelatinization properties of the blends were evaluated as well as the nutritional quality, in vitro starch digestibility, p...

A variety of walnut known as Tetracarpidium conophorum is widely cultivated in several parts of Africa for its edible nuts. These nuts have been reported for their huge antioxidant, anti-obesity, and anti-depressant potentials, but remain underutilized due to their poor storage and preservation. This is why the nuts are mostly cooked and consumed a...

This study investigated available literature on leveraging the Internet of Things (IoT) to optimize the food fermentation process. Utilizing a subjective examination strategy through bibliometric investigation, this paper assessed 44 articles between 2013 and 2022. The bibliometric study focused on publications per author, publications per country,...

In this chapter, the occurrence of pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms in different classes of tropical fermented foods is reviewed. These classes of foods include cereals, roots, tubers, dairy, vegetables and fruits, as well as legumes, pulses, and oil seeds. The occurrence of different groups of pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms, includin...

This study evaluated the impact of seasonal and geographical variations on the toxigenicity of Aspergillus and Fusarium strains previously isolated from smallholder dairy cattle feeds and feedstuffs sampled during summer and winter in the Free State and Limpopo provinces of South Africa (SA). In total, 112 potential toxigenic fungal species were ob...

Indigenous Fermented Foods

The dominance of cereals as staple foods in Africa may partly be linked to the availability of numerous cereal-based fermented food products in the continent. This chapter provides an overview of cereal-based fermented food products, particularly their biochemistry (including modifications that occur during cereal fermentation), nutritional composi...

Mahweu is an important indigenous beverage for many low-income and undernourished consumers in southern Africa. As a result, the nutritional and phytochemical profile of mahewu samples (obtained using optimized fermentation and boiling conditions from a previous study) as well as their related raw materials (white and yellow maize) were investigate...

Key Features Discusses hot topics such as metagenomics for the identification and characterization of microorganisms in fermented foods Offers innovative techniques for improving these indigenous products and investigating their composition as well as upgrading traditional technologies used in the production of fermented products Covers the role of...

Fermentation is an ancient method of preserving and processing food. Foods fermented from indigenous crops are especially of importance in millions of Africans’ diets, mostly applauded for their nutritional, sensory, and health-promoting qualities. Recent studies have precisely associated the intake of indigenous fermented foods and health. Microbe...

Fermented foods are of significant importance in the daily diet of people around the globe. These group of foods are vital in the tropical regions of the world, where traditional food processes are in the forefront due to its cultural importance, ease, affordability, and the variety it brings to food. These foods also provide the much-needed nutrit...

There is an increasing global consumer demand for functional foods due to the prevalence of non-communicable and chronic diseases. Such functional foods including fermented food products are of interest due to the presence of beneficial health constituents. In Africa, fermentation is one of the traditional food bioprocessing techniques employed to...

In this chapter, the occurrence of pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms in different classes of tropical fermented foods is reviewed. These classes of foods include cereals, roots, and tubers, dairy, vegetables and fruits, as well as legumes, pulses, and oil seeds. The occurrence of different groups of pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms, incl...

Indigenous fermented alcoholic beverages are produced and consumed in almost every part of the tropical world. The absence of effective marketing practices is the missing link in successfully incorporating indigenous fermented alcoholic beverages in the international market. Many tropical countries lack the appropriate policies, value chain systems...

Fermentation is the oldest form of biotechnology process borne out of the need to extend the keeping quality of food materials. These subsequently derived fermented food products are consumed daily, and the three major continents of the tropics (Africa, Asia, and South America) have the richest diversity of these food products in the globe. These f...

Complementing traditional food processing techniques with emerging ones like three-dimensional (3D) food printing can re-innovate the derived products as more consumer-centric with known human wellness values. This study investigated the nutritional quality, polyphenol composition, and antioxidant activity of conventional and 3D printed biscuits fr...

Faba bean is an excellent source of protein, carbohydrates, fiber, and vitamins which could serve as a vital nutrient source in ensuring food security. The bean has the potential to be used as a vegetable protein source in different products thus, helping to meet the ever-changing consumer dietary need. The nutrient composition of Faba bean may dep...

Background Several metabolites released by fungal species are an essential source of biologically active natural substances. Gas chromatography high resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-HRTOF-MS) is one of the techniques used in profiling the metabolites produced by microorganisms, including Talaromyces pinophilus. However, there is limi...

Background: The volatilome of fermented food products are essential metabolites that significantly contribute to such foods’ overall composition and sensorial quality. The dataset presented herein represents the volatilome of raw and fermented maize flour samples. Methods: Maize grains were milled and naturally fermented at 35°C into sourdough at d...

This study investigated the effect of germination time (0, 24, 48 and 72 h) on the physicochemical characteristics, in vitro starch digestibility and microstructural changes in Bambara groundnut starch. The starch yield, lightness (L*) value, amylose content and resistant starch contents of isolated starches decreased significantly (p ≤ 0.05) with...

Mahewu is a fermented food product from maize, commonly consumed in Southern Africa. This study investigated the effect of optimizing fermentation (time and temperature) and boiling time of white maize (WM) and yellow maize (YM) mahewu, with the use of the Box–Behnken-response surface methodology (RSM). Fermentation time and temperature as well as...

The formulation of new food products with high nutritional quality and functionality is gaining global attention. The physicochemical properties, in vitro digestibility, antioxidant activity and consumer acceptability of biscuits produced from germinated finger millet (GFM) (Eleusine coracana) and Bambara groundnut (GBGN) (Vigna subterranea) flour...

This study investigated the effect of fermentation conditions (time and temperature) on the nutritional composition and health-promoting properties of raw milk, optimized naturally fermented amasi, and amasi fermented with starter culture. The composition of the products, including chemical analysis, amino acids, mineral composition, and fatty acid...

This study assessed the metabolite profile of raw and cooked pasta from whole wheat grain enriched with Bambara groundnut using gas chromatography high‐resolution time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry ( GC‐HRTOF‐MS ). Different metabolites (49), such as alcohols, amides, aldehydes, amines (4%), aromatic compounds (6%), fatty acids (4%), fatty acid ethyl...

Bitter gourd beverages are well acclaimed for their health benefits, which have propelled their consumption. The beverages are prepared through a fermentation process, which is one of the oldest means of preserving and enhancing the flavour of many foods. Optimized conditions for the fermentation of a bitter gourd–grape beverage were investigated i...

The study assessed the nutritional and sensory properties of a gluten‐free biscuit from blends of high‐quality cassava flour (HQCF) and walnut flour (WF). Design expert software was used to determine the compositing level with HQCF (minimum of 70 g and maximum of 80 g) and WF (minimum of 15 g and maximum of 30 g). Supplementation of HQCF with WF si...

Moringa leaf has been widely used in the enrichment of staple foods due to its high nutritional value and hypoglycaemic, immune boosting, antiviral, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. However, the acceptability of these products is generally low due to the green colour impacted by the colour of Moringa leaf. Decolourisation of the leaves may...

The canning of dika kernel (ogbono) soup into a ready‐to‐eat form has been recommended because of the special skills and time required in preparing this popular West African soup. This study investigated the thermal processing of ogbono soup, calculated the lethality (F) and process time, and predicted same using the artificial neural network (ANN)...

Presentation of foods is essential to promote the acceptance of diversified and novel products. This study examined the color profile, browning index (BI), and structural properties of 3D-printed and traditional biscuits from whole-grain (WG) sourdough and germinated flours. The processed flours and composite/multigrain flours comprising cowpea sou...

There is an increase in the use of adoptable bioprocessing methods for the development of high-quality pulse ingredients. This study investigated the nutritional composition, physicochemical, bioactivity, in vitro digestibility, functional, pasting, thermal and colour characteristics of germinated (24–72 h) pigeon pea. Germination increased (p ≤ 0....

The use of sprouted cereals for the development of flavor, improvement of biochemical, physicochemical and techno-functional properties in beer production, improvement of nutritional quality and viscosity of supplementary foods is widespread in Africa. The objective of the current work was to evaluate the effect of malting conditions and variety on...

Three-dimensional (3D) food printing is one technology that can revolutionized food processing and product development due to its multiple advantages including the design of customized, personalized nutrition food design from available food material. Research documents on 3D food printing came into the limelight in the year 2006, and have since exp...

Cowpea is widely grown and consumed in sub-Saharan Africa because of its low cost and high mineral, protein, and other nutritional content. Nonetheless, cooking it takes considerable time, and there have been attempts on techniques for speeding up the cooking process without compromising its nutritious value. Infrared heating has recently been prop...

Strychnos madagascariensis is an underutilized South African fruit-bearing tree, with the pulp being the primary consumable component. However, the seeds hold the potential as a food source due to their high nutrient composition. The aim of this study was to determine the physical properties of S. madagascariensis fruit and seeds to aid in food pro...

An efficient gas chromatography–mass spectrometry approach was used in this study to quantify 13 pesticide residues in rooibos teas purchased from registered retail outlets in South Africa between November 2019 and April 2020. A QuEChERS (Quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe) procedure was used to extract pesticides using 7.5 mg of graph...

This study used the response surface methodology (RSM) to investigate the most suitable microwave convective drying characteristics of sweet potato slices (for the commercialisation of dried sweet potatoes). The effect of three independent variables drying temperatures, microwave powers, and slice thicknesses on the moisture ratio (MR), effective m...

Cowpea is widely grown and consumed in sub-Saharan Africa because of its low cost and high mineral, protein, and other nutritional content. Nonetheless, cooking it takes considerable time, and there have been attempts on techniques for speeding up the cooking process without compromising its nutritious value. Infrared heating has recently been prop...

Fermented food products, especially those derived from cereals and legumes are important contributors to diet diversity globally. These food items are vital to food security and significantly contribute to nutrition. Fermentation is a process that desirably modifies food constituents by increasing the palatability, organoleptic properties, bioavail...

The aim of this present study was to optimize the fermentation conditions (time and temperature) of amasi (a Southern African fermented dairy product) using response surface methodology (RSM), and to determine the physicochemical properties, as well as the microbial composition, using next generation sequencing. Fermentation time and temperature we...

The particular interest in biomodifications of underutilised but nutritionally distinct whole grains is vital to promote diet diversity, nutrition transition and food security. This study investigated the use of short‐term solid‐state fermentation and germination to ease processability and improve the quality characteristics of whole grain (WG) cow...

Southern Africa has a vast resource of edible fruits, which can be useful in combating food and nutritional insecurity. However, many of these fruits are underutilized. An example of such underutilized fruit are the Strychnos fruits (monkey oranges). This review aims to highlight Strychnos spp as a potential food source to aid in the alleviation of...

Tamarind seed, a by‐product of the tamarind pulp industry, is a good source of protein with potential for industrial use. The aim of this study was to determine the functional properties of whole wheat and processed tamarind seed (pressure cooked, oven‐roasted and microwave‐roasted) and further determine the qualities of cookies from the composite...

This study aimed to investigate the kinetics of phenolic compound modification during the fermentation of maize flour at different times. Maize was spontaneously fermented into sourdough at varying times (24, 48, 72, 96, and 120 h) and, at each point, the pH, titratable acidity (TTA), total soluble solids (TSS), phenolic compounds (flavonoids such...

Bioprocess development for umqombothi (a South African traditional beer) as with other traditional beer products can be complex. As a result, beverage bioprocess development is shifting towards new systematic protocols of experimentation. Traditional optimization methods such as response surface methodology (RSM) require further comparison with a r...

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...

Umqombothi (a South African indigenous beer) is an important dietary beverage for many undernourished, low-income consumers in rural, semi-urban and urban areas. Umqombothi was brewed using optimal conditions earlier obtained and compared to the customary beer brew (CB) and mixed raw ingredients (RI). The products were evaluated for proximate compo...

Brain aging is one of the unavoidable aspects of geriatric life. As one ages, changes such as the shrinking of certain parts (particularly the frontal cortex, which is vital to learning and other complex mental activities) of the brain may occur. Consequently, communications between neurons are less effective, and blood flow to the brain could also...

The knowledge of physical properties of Bambara Groundnut is not only important in the design of equipment required for handling and processing, but also determines the potential food applications of the grains. Likewise, are the nutritional and microstructural properties that play key roles in the functionality and composition of end products. The...

The impact of germination alone or in combination with solid-state fermentation on the physicochemical, antioxidant, in vitro digestibility, functional, and thermal characteristics of brown finger millet were evaluated. Germination and fermentation increased (p ≤ 0.05) the protein, crude fiber, minerals, resistant starch (7.64–9.69 g/100g), total f...

Juice processing and preservation have been regarded as age-old technologies. Opuntia spp. is a fruit that grows in a semi-arid region and marginal soils and does not require much attention for cultivation. In view of the fruits’ nutritional and sensory attributes, unique juice processing technologies have been developed for higher yield and a prol...

Beverages play a vital role in the livelihood of human beings. Drinks, particularly those processed from fruits, provide nutritional and health benefits, and they also support socio-economic livelihood. Beverages have also become part of the culture and tradition among indigenous communities, being served at social gatherings, funerals, and marriag...

The extrusion cooking technology used in the agricultural and food processing industry is attracting global attention, particularly in the food and feed sector. Recent developments made in extrusion cooking technology and its application to food processing in developing countries is hereby appraised in this chapter. A view of classification types a...

The data presented in this study represents the profile of metabolites of germinated Bambara groundnut flour (GBF) and starch (GBS) extracted using two different extraction solvents. Bambara groundnuts obtained from a local agro market in Minna, Niger State, Nigeria were germinated at 28 ± 1°C for 24, 48 and 72 h, dried and then processed into flou...

Moving forward from 2020, Africa faces an eminent challenge of food safety and security in the coming years. The World Food Programme (WFP) of the United Nations (UN) estimates that 20% of Africa’s population of 1.2 billion people face the highest level of undernourishment in the world, likely to worsen due to COVID-19 pandemic that has brought the...

With the drive and context for the detection of more compounds and components in foods, the need for a robust, sensitive, and accurate system for the detection of constituents has never been more important. From a wide range of available analytical platforms for foods, gas chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (GC-HRMS) provides a better...

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...