Browsing by Author "Nyambaka, Hudson"

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    Acceptability of Germinated Porridges with Micronutrient Powder among Children (6-23 Months) in Kenya: A Parallel Siterandomized Feeding Trial
    (African Journal of Agriculture and Food Science, 2025-05) Nyambaka, Hudson; Kimiywe, Judith; Susan, Momanyi-Nyasimi
    Introduction: Foods prepared from germinated ingredients have lower antinutrients and thus suitable vehicles for Micronutrient powder (MNP). Unfortunately, home consumption of these food products is declining in Kenya. Methods: Three phase acceptability study: a seven-day phase one using a crossover design, a two-week parallel site-randomized feeding trial, and a focus group discussion with caregivers. Results: Caregivers reported significant differences in color and texture between germinated flour porridge and control porridge, but these differences did not impact overall acceptance. Significantly more non-germinated flour porridges were consumed during the sensory testing. Conversely, germinated flour sorghum porridge (p=0.003), maize (p=0.127), and millet (p=0.073) were consumed over a 2-week feeding phase. Significantly more germinated flour porridges compared to non-germinated flour porridges were consumed in the latter days compared to the initial days ((p<0.001). Caregivers gave positive feedback on the germinated porridges. Conclusion: The three germinated porridges were accepted and could serve as vehicles for MNP in Homa-bay County.
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    Evaluation of micronutrients in seeds of pumpkin varieties grown by smallholder farmers in the Lake Victoria Basin
    (2013-12) Echessa, A.C. Peter; Nyambaka, Hudson; Ondigi, Alice N.; Omuterema, Stanley; Toili, William; Ijani, Afihini S. M.; Sande, Anne
    This study shows micronutrients malnutrition and its devastating effects taking toll of the world, affecting over two billion of its population. Measures have been put in place that includes supplementation, fortification and bio fortification among others. Utilization of indigenous crops are known to be nutritious and are acceptable among the communities mainly, developing countries favours the later method. The micronutrient levels in pumpkin seeds of six varieties, cultivated in four districts within the Lake Victoria Basin, East Africa were determined. This was with a view to establish if any significant differences existed between the varieties as well as set the background upon which the better varieties should be improved. The results showed levels of moisture (11.62-26.23 mg /100 g), β- carotene (0.02-0.42 mg /100 g), thiamine (0.19-0.54 mg /100 g), niacin (0.43-1.03 mg /100 g) and pyridoxine (0.13-0.26 mg /100 g), zinc (3.73-9.70 mg /100 g) and selenium (5.43-11.07 μg /100 g) significantly differed (p < 0.05). The varieties evaluated did not show significant differences in vitamin C, α-tocopherol and iron. The carnival squash (C. maxima) seeds, generally exhibited better levels of most micronutrients among the varieties sampled. Specifically however, bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) samples showed higher levels of selenium, while butternut (C. moschata) seeds had high levels of zinc (9.70 mg /100 g) and green kabacha (Cucurbita pepo) the B complex vitamins. With sufficient nutritional education and purpose full improvement of the better varieties through breeding, pumpkin seeds can go along way as an alternative path for bio fortification as a method of fighting micronutrients malnutrition.
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    Impact of Ph on Cr (VI) Ions Remediation from Contaminated Water Using Endod Saponin-Chitosan-Zeolite-Metal Oxide Nanocomposite
    (International Journal of Progressive Sciences and Technologies, 2020) Anyango, Beatrice Achieng; Nawiri, Pauline; Nyambaka, Hudson; Andala, Dickson
    Contamination of water bodies by heavy metals due to discharge of metal containing effluents into the water bodies is one of the environmental issues. Long term exposure of Cr (VI) levels of over 0.1ppm causes respiratory problems, kidney and liver damage. Sorption has proved to be the most efficient method of removal of toxic heavy metals from wastewater because of easy operation and availability of cheap adsorbents. This study aimed at removing Cr (VI) ion from contaminated water. Impact of pH was studied in the removal of Cr (VI) ions. The study involved assembling chitosan impregnated with saponin and zeolite. In addition, the oxides and hydroxides of Iron and Aluminum were cross linked in the matrix. Chitosan was the only biopolymer in the matrix. Batch experiments were carried out to investigate the impact of pH. The adsorption of Cr (VI) ions as a function of pH was in the initial pH range of 1 to 8. The results indicated that acidic pH strongly favored the adsorption. The Langmuir model was used as experimental data. The data obeyed the Langmuir model (R2=0.99) which shows a multilayer adsorption of Cr (VI) onto the heterogeneous surface. FTIR spectroscopy, XRD analysis were done on the adsorbent before Cr (VI) attachment. This study concluded that adsorption of Cr (VI) was pH depended, removal efficiency of the nanocomposite increased with decreasing pH. Maximum removal was at pH 2 where about 1.1ppm was the residual chromium concentration from an initial of 10ppm.
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    Nutrition-Sensitive Intervention with African Indigenous Leafy Vegetables among School-Going Children in Machakos County, Kenya
    (ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst, 2020) Wakhanu, John; Nyambaka, Hudson; Nawiri, Mildred; Kimiywe, Judith; Thagana, Wilson
    The 2014 Kenya Demographic Health Survey (KDHS) and Micronutrient Survey’s report revealed malnutrition among children aged 5-11 years in Kenya and recommended diversified food-based intervention through vegetable garden establishments to fight malnutrition. School gardens growing African Indigenous Leafy Vegetables (AILVs) (Amaranthus cruentus and Vigna unguiculata) were established at Kangundo and Kilalani primary schools in Machakos County and children aged 6-10 years, (Kangundo, N=66, Kilalani, N=46) that met the inclusion criteria participated as study subjects. There were two phases, I (13 weeks) and II (12 weeks) with 4 weeks in between to enable interchange of the role of the school as either experimental or control. AILVs were grown in gardens of the experimental school. Study subjects in the experimental group were fed on the AILVs recipe with an accompaniment of a mixture of cooked maize grains and beans once a day, 5 days a week per phase. The control group fed only on the accompaniment. Baseline and endline study children’s serum Zn and Fe levels were analyzed by Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy while retinol and β-carotene by High Performance Liquid Chromatography. Endline analysis in both phases I and II showed the mean serum Fe, Zn, retinol and β-carotene were significantly higher (p < 0.001) for respective experimental groups. Findings support the use of vegetable garden-sourced AILVs in schools to fight malnutrition among school going children.