Kenya did not meet its millennium development goal in Food and Nutrition security. Most people rely on starchy staples for energy and on legumes for proteins. Because of their amino acid profile, legumes have a greater potential in the fight against nutrient insecurity and alleviation of protein energy malnutrition than most staple foods such as maize, cassava, and rice. In addition, legumes are easily affordable in the human diet, compared to relatively expensive animal proteins. However, legume utilization by food-insecure consumers (rural and urban poor) is hindered by the hard to cook phenomenon, high levels of phytic acid, the presence of antinutrients and various flatulence causing oligosaccharides. In particular, the inconvenient long cooking times and conditions of limited cooking fuel and firewood within reach, lead women to change the food consumption patterns compromising the nutritional intake of many families (Brouwer et al., 1989). For the agricultural efforts on legumes to be successful in the long term, postharvest and processing issues need to be addressed to facilitate the consumer in utilizing these raw materials by unlocking the key barriers to utilization. It is in this perspective that this project seeks to build on the just ended team project on the hard to cook defect on common beans between JKUAT-FST and KU Leuven LFT (2011-2015).
The general objective of this project is to increase the diversity of legume based value added products of high consumer acceptability taking into account the raw materials offered by project 1 and the nutritional data that will be obtained in project 3. This means that the long term objective is create a knowledge base in legume processing that allows for the development of new and improved convenient legume based foods that can become available to the Kenyan consumer (and beyond).
The specific objectives have been translated to activities in line with the core functions of JKUAT: capacity building, research, and outreach/extension. The first is human and infrastructure capacity building and sustainability related activities that focus on effective research training of PhD (2) and MSc (5 local and 1 international). This is applicable for existing/future staff members of FST. The project will procure 4 equipments for research (NIR Spectrophotometer, colorimeter, water bath, centrifuge, and microscope). In relation to research, the project will focus on the development of simple screening tools for identifying sensitivity of legumes to the hard to cook behaviour. Further, an in depth understanding of the role of legume constituents (protein and pectin) and seed substructures in the development of hard to cook behaviour will be explored followed by digestibility studies. The final activity will relate to development of prototype products, user guidelines for different sectors involved in the legume value chain.
Elizabeth is a PhD student under LCEFoNS Project 2. The main objective of her study is to enhance understanding on the aging process in common beans. This will be achieved by determining the influence of storage and processing on the physico-chemical characteristics of common beans. She will specifically be involved in developing screening tools using near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) for the fast identification of important quality traits in fresh and aged beans by both breeders and processors. This is in addition, to using a material science approach to identify suitable storage conditions for beans.
She holds a Bachelor of Science in Food Science and Nutrition (First Class Honors – 2010) and Master of Science in Food Science and Nutrition (2016) from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), Kenya. She has also undertaken a Master in Human Development and Food Security (Distinction – 2014) at Università Degli Studi, Roma Tre in Italy.
She is currently employed at JKUAT, where she works as a Tutorial Fellow in the Department of Food Science and Technology, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (COANRE). She is also a junior editor with African Journal of food and Agriculture Development (AJFAND). She also has a keen interest in processing innovative food products from fruits and has previously worked with ICRAF (Nairobi) and other small medium enterprises in this area.
Irene Njoki Wainaina is a PhD student in a ‘sandwich’ programme between KU Leuven University, Belgium and Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), Kenya. She has an MSc in Food Technology from KU Leuven, Belgium and a BSc in Food Science and Technology from JKUAT, Kenya. She has extensive knowledge in the Food Science and Technology field with aspects pertaining to quality, safety and processing. Her research interests remain in the field of food quality and safety but also the postharvest handling techniques and value addition options to ensure quality, safety, accessibility and availability for overall sustainability in the society
Ariel Buzera is an alumnus of Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology who graduated with MSc in Food Science & Technology in November 2018. He is a beneficiary of the current LCEFoNS Project where he studied “Effects of Processing Methods on Physico-Chemical Properties of Bio-Fortified Common Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) Grown in DR Congo”
Vivian is currently an MSc Student pursuing Food Science and Technology at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture & Technology. She is a beneficiary of the LCEFoNS Project where she studied “Lowering Flatulence Factors in Common Bean through Fermentation”
Mercyline Onduso is currently an MSc Student pursuing Food Science and Technology at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture & Technology. She is a beneficiary of the LCEFoNS Project and she is currently working on “Anti-nutrients Available in Different Varieties of Beans and the Processes which Reduce their Content and Improve the Bio-availability of Nutrients”
Alice Ritho is currently an MSc Student pursuing Food Science and Technology at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture & Technology. She is a beneficiary of the LCEFoNS Project and she is currently working on “Fortification of Noodles with Improved High-iron, High-zinc beans varieties in Kenya”
Nancy Samoey is currently an MSc Student pursuing Food Science and Technology at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture & Technology. She is a beneficiary of the LCEFoNS Project and she is currently working on “The Post-Harvest Evaluation of Quality Attributes of Newly Developed common bean varieties’’
Joseph Karue is currently an MSc Student pursuing Food Science and Technology at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture & Technology. He is a beneficiary of the LCEFoNS Project and he is currently working on ʻʻImpact of Storage and Subsequent Cooking on the Physicio-Chemical Properties of Common Beansʼʼ
The link between the department of Food Science and Technology and other universities and research institutions in the field of food science, technology, and nutrition is increasing. Collaborative research with Nairobi University, Kenyatta University, KALRO (Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization) etc. do exist. The department is working with the national government (Ministry of Agriculture) and County governments in postharvest handling, processing, and value addition of food/cash crops, dairy and meat products, cereals and legumes and horticultural produce. With regard to legumes, the recent MOU between JKUAT and East African Grain Council (active in 10 sub-Saharan African countries) is of interest as well as the interactions with the National Cereal and Produce Board (79 depots distributed throughout Kenya). JKUAT staff members participate in national agricultural policy formulation and support farmers through extension services. It is hoped that interaction with Pan African Beans Research Alliance and EcaBREN are important to the success of this project. Private sector player and industries like Njoro Canners, Cherubet, Premium foods, Smart Logistics Ltd, among others, are considered very important stakeholders and will be consulted to take part in annual stakeholder meetings as well as project dissemination activities.
P.O. Box 62 000 – 00200
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Telephone:
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