It is difficult for many Rwandans to utilize climbing bean seeds (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) mainly because of longer cooking time (2 hours) and the high consumption of basic fuel. Climbing beans also contain anti-nutritional factors such tannins, phytates, trypsin inhibitors and phytohemagglutinins that limit nutrient absorption. One way to solve this problem is to utilize the flour of climbing beans made from different treatments and processing methods. In this study, climbing beans were pre-treated by soaking them in water for 24 hours, soaking in 2% sodium bicarbonate solution and steam blanching for 10 minutes. After that, pre-treated climbing beans were processed into flours by processing methods such as roasting, cooking and germination where anti-nutritional factors were reduced. The pretreatments did not significantly (p>0.05) affect phytates in climbing bean flours but processing conditions significantly (p<0.05) reduced it. Pretreatments and processing conditions significantly (p<0.05) reduced tannin content. The pretreatments followed by different processing conditions significantly (p<0.05) decreased trypsin inhibitors content. The great significant decrease in phytohemagglutinins content was observed in pretreatment followed by different processing methods. All pretreatments and processing conditions effectively decreased anti-nutritional factors at low level. However, pretreatments or untreated followed by germination and roasting were found to be the most and the least effective respectively. Making flour from germinated climbing bean seeds is a good option for sustainable food processing as it reduces anti-nutritional factors. It is an inexpensive method in terms of time, energy and fuel for Rwandan households, restaurants and industries where climbing bean seeds are integral part of daily meal.

The snack industry is one of the fastest growing food sectors and is an important contributor within the global convenience food market. Nowadays snacks and convenience foods are also consumed regularly in India. Properly designed convenience foods can make an important contribution to nutrition in societies where social changes are altering traditional patterns of food preparation. Extrusion cooking as a popular means of preparing snack foods based on cereals and plant protein foodstuff has elicited considerable interest and attention over the past 30 years. Several studies on the extrusion of cereals and pulses, using various proportions, have been conducted because blends of cereals and pulses produce protein enriched products. Special importance is placed on the physicochemical and chemical modifications of protein, starch and dietary fibre. Extruded products can be categorized for a particular application based on their functional properties such as water absorption and water solubility index, expansion ratio, bulk density and viscosity of the dough. Therefore, the literature was reviewed for effect of extrusion processing on product parameters, and nutritional and anti-nutritional properties of extruded products.

Chopped green bell pepper pieces were blanched (95 °C, 5 min) and chemically pretreated (1% potassium metabisulphite solution, 25 min at room temperature) before drying in hot air dryer (HAD) at various temperature ranges (60 – 80 °C). Three vacuum levels (200, 400, 600 mm Hg) and microwave power levels (100, 200, 300 W) were also used to dry green bell pepper samples in a vacuum-assisted microwave (VAM) (2.45 GHz, 0.8 kW) dryer. VAM drying methods offered a maximum reduction by four to five times in drying time as compared to that in HAD. The logarithmic model was found to have the best fit based on high R2 and small values of reduced χ 2 and RMSE. VAM method has higher values for effective moisture diffusivity (Deff ) and lower values for activation energy (Ea), in comparison to the HAD method.

Quality reductions of raw and cooked vegetables are caused by forces generated during industrial high-speed manufacturing. However, the transferability of low-speed texture measurement methods to high speed processes is limited. Therefore, analyses with a low-speed uniaxial compression test (breaking strength σ, breaking strain ε) and a high-speed pendulum test (relative fracture height ∆h) at different speeds (3.6, 4.4, 5.3 m s−1 ) were carried out. Textural values for potatoes, carrots and celeriacs (0 to 25 min cooking time) were recorded to compare the two measurement methods. Furthermore, whether the increase of textural values of blanched vegetables measured with low-speed methods, was also observable with high-speed methods, was also investigated. Low to medium rank correlation coefficients (rS < 0.659) between parameters of the two methods were calculated. In contrast to σ and ε, ∆h-values indicate a distinct initial increase as well as textural maxima between 5.0 to 12.5 min cooking time for all tested potato and carrot varieties. On the other hand, most celeriac samples did not exhibit an increase in texture with respect to cooking time. Therefore, a textural analysis at high speeds is necessary for the prediction of textural characteristics of blanched vegetables during high-speed processing in order to reduce quality degradation.

Cutting tool parameters such as edge-sharpness and speed of cut directly influence the shape of final samples and the required cutting force and specific energy for slicing or cutting operations. Cutting force and specific energy studies on different vegetables help to design the appropriate slicing or cutting devices. Peak cutting force and specific energy requirements for the transverse cutting of nine vegetables, differing in their textural characteristics of rind and flesh, were determined at cutting speeds of 20, 30, 40 mm min−1 and single-cut knife-edge angles of 15, 20 and 25° using a Universal Testing Machine. Low speed (20 mm min−1 ) cutting with a sharper knife-edge angle (15°) required less peak force and specific energy than that of high-speed cutting (40 mm min−1 ) with a wider knife-edge angle (25°). The vegetables with the maximum and minimum variation in the average peak cutting force were aubergine, at 79.05 (for knife speed 20 mm min−1 and edge angle 15°) to 285.1 N (40 mm min−1 and 25°), and cucumber, at 11.61 (20 mm min−1 and 15°) to 21.41 N (40 mm min−1 and 25°), respectively. High speed (40 mm min−1 ), with a large knife-edge angle (25°), required the highest force and specific energy to cut the vegetables, however, low speed (20 mm min−1 ), with a small knife-edge angle (15°), is preferred. Effects of cutting speed and knife-edge angle on peak force and specific energy responses were found significant (p<0.05). Linear or quadratic regressions gave a good fit of these variables.

Senna occidentalis seeds were roasted at varying temperatures of 190, 210 and 230 °C each for 10, 15 and 20 min. Phytochemicals of the roasted seeds were determined using standard methods. The phytochemicals analysed were tannins, saponins, flavonoids, alkaloids, glycosides, oxalate and phenolics. Phytochemicals are compounds hypothesized for much of the disease-protection provided by diets high in fruits, vegetables, legumes, cereals and plant-based beverages. This study has clearly shown that roasting time and temperature have significant effects on the seed parameters analyzed. There was an increase in tannin, alkaloid, saponin and phenolic contents and a decrease in the contents of flavonoids and oxalates.