A joint initiative between the University of the Free State and Grain SA is yielding exciting results, and innovative new food maize products that could boost the nutritional intake of low-income South Africans.
The university’s department of sustainable food systems and development joined forces with Grain SA in 2021 to explore new possibilities that maize could offer to Mzansi. To date, the project has yielded not only a more nutritional way of preparing maize, but also new possibilities for poor South Africans to earn an income.
“Maize is widely regarded as one of the most crucial agricultural products globally, serving as a staple food in many countries,” says Dr Alba du Toit, senior lecturer in the department. “It is estimated that by 2050, the demand for maize in developing countries would have doubled and that by 2025, it will become the crop with the highest global production.”
She believes the efficient use of grains such as maize could reduce food insecurity and malnutrition in South Africa.
That is why her department agreed to contribute its expertise and state-of-the-art facilities for food product development and sensory analysis to the Grain SA project.
The nixtamalisation process
The scientists who were involved in the project, explored a process called nixtamalization, in which dried maize kernels can be turned into dough or flour at home.
“Dried maize kernels are cooked and soaked overnight in an alkaline solution (lime water), washed, and hulled,” Du Toit explains. “The cooking and soaking process causes the outer covering of the maize to soften, resulting in it being easily separated and washed from the maize kernels. This product is now called nixtamal.
“After washing, the nixtamal could be ground to form a soft maize dough called masa. The nixtamal could also be ground coarsely to make wet masa crumbs that are dried in the oven. Once the masa crumbs are dry, they are ground even more finely to make a more refined flour that could be used in the same way as regular maize meal,” she adds.
Dried maize kernels of any colour can make tasty and nutritious masa.
Benefits of nixtamalisation
According to the project scientists, nixtamalisation is more beneficial than unprocessed grains and could address some of Mzansi’s nutritional issues.
Firstly, nixtamalisation removes 100% of aflatoxins, the toxic compounds produced by moulds during the storage of dried maize kernels.
Nixtamalisation can also increase the nutritional value of maize, while the starch granules are easier to digest, the maize is easier to ground and process, and the flavour is improved.
What’s more, is that any dish made with regular maize flour can be made using nixtamalised maize flour, with the added benefit that it contains more nutrients.
Possible job creation
The project went one step further. PhD and master’s students in the department have worked to develop recipes and products that could be easily produced, packaged, and marketed by women from low-income communities.
A recipe booklet was also developed and contained twenty recipes that only used equipment already available to women in low-income households. “A coffee mug serves as a measuring cup, a bottle as a rolling pin, and an upside-down jar as a cookie-cutter for the corn chips,” says Du Toit.
UFS Sensory Lab tests
The researchers initially tested several products in the university’s state-of-the-art Sensory Lab, from which two were selected for development: dried putu pap that can be reconstituted in a flash, by Sisipho Rebe, and crispy corn chips, by Taylon Colbert.
Both Rebe and Colbert are master’s students.
These product underwent a range of tests under the guidance of Dr Carina Bothma, expert adviser in the Sensory Lab and senior lecturer in the department, to test attributes such as taste, texture, appearance, and aroma with consumers.
The final step of the project, says Du Toit, will be to identify potential entrepreneurs who will receive guidance and training in starting up and running a business with the new products in hand.
“Pilot businesses will be set up and monitored,” says the university. “Based on research, it will be decided whether these businesses will be upscaled to fully commercial and economically viable units.”
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