Browsing by Author "Embashu, Werner"
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Item Effect of pre-cooking pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) flour on the reduction of dregs in oshikundu(University of Namibia, 2016) Hepute, N.R.; Embashu, Werner; Cheikhyoussef, Ahmad; Nantanga, Komeine K.Oshikundu or ontaku is a low-or non-alcoholic fermented drink commonly produced in over half of Namibian households on daily basis. It is prepared using water, pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) flour and sorghum (Sorghumbicolor) malt flour. Like many African fermented drinks, oshikundu is a dynamic drink with live fermenting microorganisms that can lead to spoil age of the drink. Thus, the optimal shelf life is not known. The amount and quality of ingredients and conditions of processing are not standardised. Oshikundu has a lot of insoluble solids which tend to settle and form a sediment (dregs) at the bottom. To reduce the amount of dregs, this study used smaller amounts of sorghum malt and pearl millet flour that produced the same volume of oshikundu, as that produced using traditional amounts. The duration of heating pearl millet flour adjunct was also varied to improve the solubilisation of starch but not to change the consistency of oshikundu from the way it is prepared traditionally in households. The amount of total solids in oshikundu prepared in this study was significantly lower from those of common household-made oshikundu.Item Ethnobotanical knowledge on indigenous fruits in Ohangwena and Oshikoto regions in Northern Namibia(2013) Cheikhyoussef, Ahmad; Embashu, WernerBackground: Indigenous communities in Namibia possess a rich indigenous knowledge expressed within many practices of these communities. Indigenous wild edible fruits are available along the Namibian 13 regions of which it forms a rich source of vitamins, fibres, minerals and a heterogeneous collection of bioactive compounds referred to as phytochemicals for indigenous people’s diet. The aim of this study was to record the different IKS practices on the indigenous fruit trees in Ohangwena and Oshikoto regions of Namibia. Methods: An ethnobotanical survey was undertaken to collect information from local communities from 23-29 October 2011. Data was collected through the use of questionnaires and personal interviews during field trips in the Ohangwena and Oshikoto regions. A total of 65 respondents were interviewed; 54% women, 38% men and 8% both in group interviews. Results: The majority of the people interviewed were in their thirty’s, with the youngest being 18 years old and the oldest being 98 years old. Forty three plant specimens were collected from the two regions; these specimens belong to 20 genera and 25 species. Regarding to the indigenous knowledge; 87% of the respondents indicated that their knowledge on indigenous fruits was learnt mainly through their parent. Indigenous people’s perception on declining indigenous fruits revealed that 56.3% of the respondents reported that indigenous fruits were declining. Only a 42.2% indicated that the indigenous fruits populations are increasing. Regarding to the management practices to improve the production of these indigenous fruit trees; 38.6% reported that there are some efforts on management practices; on the other hand 61.4% reported there are no management practices on the indigenous fruit trees in their areas. Four species were found to be the most frequently used and mentioned fruits which need to be given high preference in terms of conservation are: Berchemia discolor, Hyphaene petersiana, Sclerocarya birrea and Diospyros mespiliformis. The following diseases and ailments have been reported to be treated by the indigenous fruit trees which include: toothache, diarrhoea, cough, tonsillitis, burns, skin allergy, stomach ache, snake bit, constipation, etc. 28% of the respondents mentioned an ethno veterinary use(s) of these fruits, e.g. the use of the Ziziphus mucronata roots to treat diarrhoea in cattle, the bark of eembe (Berchemia discolor) to treat calf weakness. Conclusions: The local communities in Oshikoto and Ohangwena regions have relatively good knowledge and practices regarding the indigenous fruit. This study enhances our understanding on the indigenous fruit in Namibia and their uses by local communities.Item Identification of lactic acid bacteria and yeast from Oshikundu using 16S and 26S rDNA gene sequencing(International Journal of Science and Technology of Namibia, 2018) Embashu, WernerOshikundu is brewed from fermentation of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R.Br) meal commonly known as mahangu, sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench)/pearl millet malt, water and/or bran (from pearl millet). Consumption of this brew is daily in many households mostly in the Northern Namibia. Oshikundu samples were collected from north central and central region of Namibia. Isolation of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) was carried out on deMan Rogosa Sharpe (MRS), M17 and Rogosa agars, meanwhile malt extract and potato dextrose agars were used for yeast. DNA from isolates was amplified using standard polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and PCRâĂŞproducts were sequenced thereafter. Sequence was multiple aligned through Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST) and compared to the known DNA sequences in databases found in National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI)/GenBank database for LAB and yeast identification from oshikundu. Identified LAB were Lactobacillus plantarum, L. pentosus, L. fermentum, L. acidifarinae, L. spicheri, L. namurensis, L. zymae, L. brevis, Leuconostoc gurlium, L. delbrueckiee subsp. bulgaricus, L. buncheri and Pediococcus acidilactici. Meanwhile for yeast were Saccharomyces spp., and PichiaItem Indigenous knowledge system best practices from Namibia: The case of Oshikundu processing methods(2012) MuAshekele, Hina; Embashu, Werner; Cheikhyoussef, AhmadIn recent years there has been increasing recognition by researchers, governments and development agencies That Indigenous Knowledge System (IKS) is one of the sources of knowledge which can be easily understood, accessed and useable to, particularly, people and communities in developing countries. Namibia, as a developing country is no exception in this case. The aim of this study is to present the production processes of oshikundu, a traditional fermented beverage in northern Namibia and to identify the practices that have potential for commercialization. The general IKS best practice protocol of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization and the Netherlands organization for international cooperation (known as Nuffic) will be used to evaluate the production processes that would lend oshikundu for commercialization. The research was carried out in the four “O” northern central regions of Namibia, where the majority of the inhabitants live in rural areas and where they produce and drink oshikundu in the traditional way. The results will be used to draw conclusions, implications and possible applications of how the oshikundu can be processed better and possibly made accessible in modern shops without changing too much its traditional taste.Item Malts: Quality and phenolic content of pearl millet and sorghum varieties for brewing nonalcoholic beverages and opaque beers(Cereals & Grains Association, 2019) Embashu, WernerBackground and objectives: The use of malted sorghum and pearl millet in the production of traditional foods and beverages is ubiquitous in Africa and India. However, there is limited industrial production and little data on the phenolic content and quality of pearl millet and sorghum malts of different varieties. Therefore, this study investigated the proximate content, malt quality, and phenolics of pearl millet (Okashana 2, Kantana, and Kangara) and sorghum (Macia and a landrace referred to as Red sorghum) varieties. Findings: Malting increased the protein in all the varieties, except for Kangara. Germinative energies were >97% for all varieties, except for Red sorghum. Malt quality (reducing sugars, free amino nitrogen, and β‐amylase activity) was highest for Macia followed by Kantana. All pearl millet varieties and Macia had no condensed tannins. The total phenolic content and radical scavenging capacity decreased after malting for all the varieties. Conclusions: Macia and Kantana can be candidates for industrial malting for brewing nonalcoholic beverages and opaque beers. Kantana and Red sorghum had higher amounts of phenolic compounds and can potentially be vectors of delivering phenolics into human diets. Significance and novelty: This study investigated the phenolic content and quality of malts of different pearl millet and sorghum varieties, which can potentially be used to brew particularly low‐alcohol beverages.Item Namibian opaque beer: A review(2018) Embashu, Werner; Iileka, Ottilie; Nantanga, Komeine K.Omalovuis a popular traditional opaque beer in Namibia. It is made from malted sorghum or pearl millet grown in prevailing semi-arid conditions. It has a short shelf life when stored at ambient conditions. It is brewed domestically and consumed within a day. The quality of ingredients, processing conditions and physico-chemical characteristics o fomalovuare not well understood.Like many traditional African beers, there is little or no documentation of the method used to brew omalovu. This review considers the production of wort from sorghum malt and pearl millet grains and subsequent fermentation to produce omalovu.Opportunities to improve the quality of omalovuare discussed. This may spur the development and growth of breweries to use locally grown sorghum or pearl millet to produce opaque beer.Item Optimation of Ontaku/ Oshikundu: Pearl millet and sorghum malts quality and conveniet premix development(University of Namibia, 2020) Embashu, WernerOshikundu/Ontaku is a nonalcoholic, acidic, opaque fermented beverage. It is comprised of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br) meal/flour, commonly known as mahangu, malts of pearl millet or sorghum (Sorghum bicolour (L.) Moench) and/or brans (pearl millet). Brewing of oshikundu remains an art in households with no empirical improvement of a controlled fermentation flow process to give a consistent product. Some of the major limitations to the formal commercialisation of this brew are the absence of standardised malting process that gives a consistent malt quality and microbial safety. The lack of standard ingredient ratios (flour/meal: malt: water) of brewing. Also, the sedimentation of adjunct particles at the bottom (dreg), thus creating the difference in viscosity of oshikundu. Welldefined fermenting microorganisms are not used, and the preparation method still relays on a laborious time-consuming process. Therefore, this study investigated conditions for malting, reduction of dreg, identification of fermenting microorganisms and formulation of ingredient ratio for an improved preparation process. Grains used in the study were collected from Omahenene Agricultural Research Station (20 15 harvest), of the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry. Pearl millet varieties Okashana 2 (SDMV 93032), Kantana (landrace) and Kangara (SDMV 92040), while sorghum varieties are Macia (SDS3220) and landrace commonly referred to as red sorghum. Malts of the two cereals were prepared by steeping in static water at 20-22°C for 2 hours wet and 2 hours air-rest for a total of 8 hours and germinated at 30°C. Malts were dried between 50-55°C for 24 hours. Cereals germinative energy was above 90% as recommended for sorghum by the European Brewery Convention. Malting loss was high up to 30% in pearl millet varieties and Macia. Crude protein and fibre were found . to increase following malting. Reducing sugars were not detected in nongerminated pearl millet graiJ.'ls. Malts reducing sugars were statistically significant (p ~0.05) between cereals. The malt reducing sugars was as follows Macia> Red sorghum> time reduce dregs. Also, ingredient ratios were formulated by the use of dry ingredients premix for making oshikundu that was easy to prepare.Item Optimisation of Ontaku/ Oshikundu: Pearl millet and sorghum malts quality and convinient premix development(University of Namibia, 2020) Embashu, WernerOshikundu/Ontaku is a nonalcoholic, acidic, opaque fermented beverage. It is comprised of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br) meal/flour, commonly known as mahangu, malts of pearl millet or sorghum (Sorghum bicolour (L.) Moench) and/or brans (pearl millet). Brewing of oshikundu remains an art in households with no empirical improvement of a controlled fermentation flow process to give a consistent product. Some of the major limitations to the formal commercialisation of this brew are the absence of standardised malting process that gives a consistent malt quality and microbial safety. The lack of standard ingredient ratios (flour/meal: malt: water) of brewing. Also, the sedimentation of adjunct particles at the bottom (dreg), thus creating the difference in viscosity of oshikundu. Well-defined fermenting microorganisms are not used, and the preparation method still relays on a laborious time-consuming process. Therefore, this study investigated conditions for malting, reduction of dreg, identification of fermenting microorganisms and formulation of ingredient ratio for an improved preparation process. Grains used in the study were collected from Omahenene Agricultural Research Station (2015 harvest), of the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry. Pearl millet varieties Okashana 2 (SDMV 93032), Kantana (landrace) and Kangara (SDMV 92040), while sorghum varieties are Macia (SDS3220) and landrace commonly referred to as red sorghum. Malts of the two cereals were prepared by steeping in static water at 20-22oC for 2 hours wet and 2 hours air-rest for a total of 8 hours and germinated at 30oC. Malts were dried between 50-55oC for 24 hours. Cereals germinative energy was above 90% as recommended for sorghum by the European Brewery Convention. Malting loss was high up to 30% in pearl millet varieties and Macia. Crude protein and fibre were found to increase following malting. Reducing sugars were not detected in nongerminated pearl millet grains. Malts reducing sugars were statistically significant (p ≤ 0.05) between cereals. The malt reducing sugars was as follows Macia> Red sorghum> Kantana>Okashana 2 = Kangara. Malting resulted in significantly increased free amino nitrogen (FAN) content. Kantana had the highest FAN followed by Macia malt. No amylolytic activity was detected in nongerminated grains irrespective of the cereal. Pearl millet was found not to contain condensed tannins. Malts had an unacceptable high aerobic plate count load above 6.3 Log cfu/g or (2 × 107 cfu/g) as specified for Southern African sorghum malts. However, results show that the malts were not contaminated by Salmonella spp., Shigella and coliforms. Regulated mycotoxins in malts were found to be below the legal limits. Cereal malts are not of safety concern from coliforms and mycotoxins under these malting conditions. Oshikundu is likely fermented by lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus. plantarum, L. pentosus, L. acidifarinae, L. paraplantarum, L. spicheri, L. namurensis, L. zymae, L. fermentum, L. brevis, L. delbrueckii subsp bulgaricus, L. buncheri, Leuconostoc gurlium and Pediococcus acidilactici) and yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae and S. paradoxus). However, the dynamics of LAB and yeast during fermentation are not known. The use of smaller amounts of dry ingredients and pre-gelatinisation of pearl millet meal in the process of making oshikundu significantly decreases total solids. This suggests that the amount of suspended particles in oshikundu that tend to settle during storage can also be reduced through this route, in the absence of consumer acceptability test. The study demonstrated a creative formulation of a dry powder premix for brewing oshikundu. Preliminary sensory evaluation showed that panellists extremely liked the ease of preparation method, where only water was required to be added to the premix. The study demonstrated that malting pearl millet and sorghum grains under set conditions gave malts of acceptable quality (reducing sugars, free amino nitrogen, alpha and beta amylase activity, phenolic content, radical scavenging activity, mycotoxins and microbial load). Also, a lower amount of pre-gelatinised adjunct can be used to achieve the same yield of oshikundu and at the same time reduce dregs. Also, ingredient ratios were formulated by the use of dry ingredients premix for making oshikundu that was easy to prepare.Item Oshikundu: An indigenous fermented beverage(University of Namibia Press, 2015) Embashu, Werner; Cheikhyoussef, Ahmad; Kahaka, Gladys K.Oshikundu is a common beverage in Oshana, Omusati, Ohangwena, Oshikoto and Kavango West and East regions of Namibia. As in many parts of Africa, cereal foods and beverages form part of the daily diet in these regions. Cereal beverages, such as oshikundu, undergo fermentation, which is a natural process that has been used for many years as an economical form of food preservation. Fermentation kills harmful microorganisms and prolongs the shelf life of basic foodstuffs; it also enhances the nutritional value and organoleptic quality of them, as it does to their quality and stability. Oshikundu fermentation is dominated by lactic acid bacteria (LAB). The use of LAB offers many advantages, such as increasing food palatability and improving the quality of foods and beverages. Using starter cultures has led to the large-scale production of fermented cereal beverages in many parts of the world. However, the inconsistency of the organoleptic properties of oshikundu remains a challenge in household processing technology. Consumer choice is greatly influenced by the sensory attributes of oshikundu, such as its aroma and taste. Furthermore, the brewing technology depends on backslopping of an unknown starter culture, preventing the successful production of it on a large scale.Item Pearl millet grain: A mini-review of the milling, fermentation and brewing of ontaku, a non-alcoholic traditional beverage in Namibia(2019) Embashu, Werner; Nantanga, Komeine K.Pearl millet is a cereal that grows and produces grains in arid areas where other cereals may not survive. It has the potential to become a global food crop as the world experiences climate change. Pearl millet is a staple food for more than 60% of the Namibian human population. It is processed into flour, porridge and a daily-consumed fermented acidic beverage, known as ontaku or oshikundu. This drink comprises pearl millet meal, sorghum or pearl millet malt and water. Ontaku has a heterogeneous composition and a short shelf life, usually of less than a day at ambient conditions. Its brewing processes are various but all are not standardised. Freshest ontaku is non-alcoholic, but over time it can have an alcohol content of up to 1.6%. The quality and phenolic content of the malt and the composition of congeners and fermentation metabolites such as methanol and butyrate in ontaku have not been investigated. The production of ontaku with improved safety and of predictable, consistent and consumer-acceptable qualities requires the standardisation and control of ingredients and processing conditions. This contribution provides a mini-review on the malting, fermentation and milling processing steps and the underlying basic science involved in the production of the ingredients used in the brewing of ontaku. It also highlights gaps in knowledge to aid future research in the field of African traditional fermented cereal foods.Item Physicochemical, nutrient and microbiological analysis of Oshikundu; a cereal based fermented beverage from Namibia.(2014) Embashu, WernerThe aim of this study was to determine the physicochemical, nutrients, predominant microflora mainly looking at lactic acid bacteria and spoilage bacteria in Oshikundu samples collected from Omusati, Oshana, Ohangwena and Oshikoto regions. Oshikundu is brewed from pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L. R.Br.,) meal locally known as Mahangu, malted sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench), bran and water. Oshikundu pH ranged between 3.33 ± 0.127 in Oshana region and 3.60 ± 0.014 in Oshikoto region. Titratable acidity as lactic acid was found to be ranged between 1.20 % in Oshikoto and 1.68 % in Ohangwena region. Meanwhile acetic acid ranged between 0.10 % in Omusati and 0.30 % in Ohangwena region. The protein content ranged between 0.133 ± 0.007 and 0.178 ± 0.02 (mg/mL), insoluble fibre, 0.025 ± 0.01 % and 0.028 ± 0.004 %, energy, 46.8 ± 8.45 and 54.4 ± 4.17 (kJ/100 mL) on dry basis. Micro-nutrients including vitamin B1 and B2, were detected in Oshikundu. Minerals were analysed and revealed the presence of B, Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, S, Zn and P which was the highest (ranged between 3.914 ± 0.452 and 11.511 ± 7.264 ppm). The microflora of Oshikundu included 6 predominant Lactic acid bacteria (LAB): Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactococcus lactis ssp. lactis, Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. delbrueckii, Lactobacillus fermentum, Lactobacillus pentosus and Lactobacillus curvatus ssp. curvatus. Five bacterial species were identified that are likely to be responsible for Oshikundu spoilage; Enterobacter cloacae, Enterobacter sakazakii, Pseudomonas luteola, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Serratia ficaria. Further studies on microflora, starch structure and characterization of flow behaviour are necessary in understanding the rheological properties of Oshikundu for process design and product quality evaluation.Item Processing methods of Oshikundu, a traditional beverage from sub-tribes within Aawambo culture in the Northern Namibia(University of Namibia, 2013) Embashu, Werner; Cheikhyoussef, Ahmad; Kahaka, Gladys K.; Lendelvo, Selma M.Fermented beverages have a long history in Africa and fermentation is the cheapest, oldest form of food preservation. Indigenous Knowledge (IK) has been at the for-front of the traditional food and beverage processing technology. Oshikundu is a Namibian cereal based fermented beverage brewed with water, brans, pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.) flour locally known as mahangu and malted sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) flour. Oshikundu is brewed in many households among Aawambo and part of Kavango region.It is a perishable beverage with a shelf life under six hours. Oshikundu is brewed for many generations among Aawambo, which the brewing process have adopt and evolved over time. The traditional art of brewing Oshikundu has been passed orally from generation to generation. The knowledge of brewing and interest is declining over time especially among young people. Rural women have taken advantage of the locally available raw materials with their IK for their livelihood by selling Oshikundu. The traditional methods have potential to incorporate the modern biotechnology to control, optimise and standardise the organoleptic quality of Oshikundu.Item Study on indigenous fruits and ethnobotanical uses in Ohangwena and Oshikoto regions(2012) Cheikhyoussef, Ahmad; Embashu, Werner; Heita, Lusia; Potgieter, SannetteSUMMARY: Research into Indigenous Knowledge System Technology (IKST) has been receiving increasing attention from various research institutions and Government Ministries in Namibia during the last five years. Indigenous communities in Namibia possess a rich traditional knowledge expressed in many practices in their communities. Indigenous wild edible fruits are available within the Namibian 13 regions which provide a rich source of vitamins and fibres for indigenous people’s diet. The aims of this study were to record the different IKST practices on the indigenous fruit trees in Ohangwena and Oshikoto regions. Three constituencies in Ohangwena region were surveyed; these including Okongo, Eanhana and Ondobe Constituencies. In Oshikoto region; only one constituency which is Onayena was included in the survey. A total of 65 respondents were interviewed; 54% women, 38% men and 8% both in group interviews. The majority of the people interviewed were in their thirty’s, with the youngest being 18 years old and the oldest being 98 years old. Thirty eight plant specimens were collected of which 24 are from Ohangwena and 15 from Oshikoto region, these specimens belong to 18 genuses and 23 species. Regarding to the indigenous knowledge; most of the respondents indicated that their knowledge on indigenous fruits was learnt mainly through their parents. Almost all of the respondents reported that the indigenous fruits and their products have social values such as it is presented to guests at special ceremonies, weddings, etc. In addition to their social values; health values have been reported also especially with regard to has flu. Some people depend on these fruits and their by-products to get income, for example Distilled liquor from Eembe (Berchemia discolor), Palm fruits (common practice in Oshikoto region). Most of the peoples reported that the traditional beer and wines are the main products made from these fruits.Item Survey on indigenous knowledge and household processing methods of Oshikundu: A cereal-based fermented beverage from Oshana, Oshikoto, Ohangwena and Omusati regions in Namibia(2012) Embashu, Werner; Cheikhyoussef, Ahmad; Kahaka, Gladys K.SUMMARY: The aim of this study is to survey the indigenous knowledge and Household processing methods of Oshikundu; a cereal-based fermented beverage from Oshana, Oshikoto, Ohangwena and Omusati Regions in Namibia. A field trip to the above mentioned regions was carried out from 16-21 April, 2012. A total of 22 Oshikundu samples were collected and 12 questioner on the traditional household processing method. Oshikundu was found to be acidic, with an average pH 3.56. Oshikundu has social values and serves as an important daily beverage in many households. Variations were not observed in household processing methods among the four regions and women over the age of 60 years old have shown interest and knowledge when it comes to Oshikundu. Interestingly, they were quick to point out that the Oshikundu brewed in the 21st century is not the genuine Oshikundu as they grew up drinking it. Furthermore, they attributed this to modernization, loss of interest in traditional knowledge and its practices, and lack of documentations. In addition, young people claimed they put sugar in Oshikundu to enhance the taste. It was interesting to learn that some people feared that researchers have (might) exploit their resources and knowledge, the art of processing, brewing Oshikundu. This can be linked to secrecy of Indigenous knowledge, where secrecy may be used to stop the unauthorized flow of information from the traditional knowledge holders to outsiders. Findings for similar research that involves communities’ participants should look at communication strategy to disseminate information back to the community