I have found it difficult to run a number of blogs on fairly closely related topics.
I have therefore set up a combined blog with continues to provide the content this and other blogs were providing. This blog also provides other services and information.
Clicking on the image above will take you to the blog at www.digivu.co.za. Please Email me here. if you have any difficulty or comment.
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Here is another free source of Food Science literature.
This seems to be a source of papers of high standards on Africa specific topics. The topics covered in this the latest edition are:
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I always feel good when I see what looks like real useful information that is available to African entrepreneurs for free!
The West Africa Trade Hub is funded through and managed by the USAID Regional Mission for West Africa.
This is packed with useful information from trade directories to export and business guides, country and sector analyses to product reports and transport analyses to conferences and workshops.
There are two other hubs for East and Southern Africa, but these do not yet have the breadth of information presented by the West African Hub.
What I would like would be to hear from people who have used the West Africa Hub – is it as good as it seems? Leave a comment or email me here.
If so I think we could start to support and encourage USAID, the main funder of the hubs, to speed up the development of the other hubs.
Posted in Food Processing | Tagged analyses, directories, information, reports, trade, West Africa | Leave a Comment »
The UNIDO manual on Small-scale Root Crops and Tubers
Processing and Products is in the same series as other manuals prepared for UNIDO by Peter Fellows, including Small-scale Cereal Milling and Bakery Products
Like the Milling Manual this not just a textbook explanation of tubers and their processing – it comprehensively covers the real and practical issues that need to be addressed to establish and sustain a food processing business. The following are covered in detail-
This is a really practical book that would serve any entrepreneur entering the market well. I will help him/her to be sure they have covered all the important aspects.
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Returning to the GATE system I blogged about previously (http://www.digivu.co.za/2008/05/solar-dryer-detailed-design-link/) this manual on edible oil extraction is outstanding.
The manual focusses on three case studies of the small scale expelling of sunflower, shea and palm oil, It also presents general in depth information on the world market, oil science, descriptions of all oilseed and plants, agronomy, expelling processes, expelling equipment and by-products and their use.
Overall the manual has a special focus on technical issues and development potential.
The three case studies:
cover the costing and finances of small scale processing in detail.
There is an enormous amount of detailed information presented that would definitely be of use to anyone considering setting up a business or a community project.
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The article covers the background on infrared and its interaction with food components in detail.
It then describes its application in drying, enzyme inactivation and pasteurisation. Its potential as a unit operation in baking and grilling is discussed. Finally its effect on sensory characteristics and loss of nutrients is outlined.
Posted in Food Processing | Tagged Food Processing, heating, infrared | 1 Comment »
I am aware that many of the people who could benefit from the information I am publishing have difficulty in downloading files from the INTERNET due to the cost of being online. I in fact mentioned this in a recent blog which was based on a very practical drying manual which can be downloaded.
While GOOGLE says they, with HSBC, are going to bring cheap satellite based INTERNET connectivity to Africa, this will take time and we still need to see what options exists at present.
One solution is offered by Web2Mail.com.
The service allows you to receive any webpage as an attachment to an email. So long as you have a pop mail account getting the information into your computer will be much quicker than going online to download the information. This will be particularly useful where you want to download an online document.
There used to be many of these kind of services but they have mainly closed down claiming that they were not being used effectively.
We are investigating the possibility of the Blog supplying documents featured here by email, on request from users. This, however, requires that we get permission from the owner of the information.
Another thought is that seeing that most of what is discussed here essentially has a developmental focus, it should be possible to get assistance is sourcing documents from extension officers and NGOs who have better connectivity.
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I believe now is an appropriate time to focus on drying and solar energy. Drying is the simplest and one of the most effective methods of preserving food, allowing it to be stored without cost and equipment. The energy of the sun is free to anyone able to use it effectively. In the current situation where energy and food are both expensive and likely to continue increasing for some years the sun and solar drying of food is a very useful technology.
Although we will cover some of the basics over the next while, I want, in this post, to illustrate how simple it is to dry. I use a document distributed by Echonet to illustrate what can be done with little effort and little cost.
This pdf document is an extremely useful and practical manual for the solar drying of foods. It presents a simple drawing and describes a method of construction based on specified materials. As is obvious from the photograph below, this is not a flash and expensive piece of equipment from industry, but rather a device anyone with a little mechanical aptitude could construct and even redesign to make use of other materials which might be locally available.
As well as information on how to build the dryer the manual contains detailed information, originally from the University of Georgia, on drying and how to dry. The information covers the basics including hygiene, pretreatment, determining dryness and conditioning but also provides fruit by fruit and vegetable by vegetable information on preparation, drying conditions, storage and even how to reconstitute.
I am continuing to try and get permission to email the documents I discuss to those requesting copies and having difficulty with connectivity – however, for now it is probably best to make contact through the website and request that the document is emailed.
There is one other option, which is to use the web by email system that I will describe in a future post.
Posted in Food Processing | Tagged Drying, Fruit, solar drying, Vegetables | Leave a Comment »
This manual is a publication of Agromisa and covers the preservation of fruit and vegetables. It is available as a free pdf for online download and in print at a cost of 8.49 Euro from Agromisa.
The images below are clips from the manual and presented to help in illustrating the nature of the information.
Posted in Food Processing | Tagged Fruit, preservation, Vegetables | Leave a Comment »
This UNIDO manual is one of a series which offer practical and applicable online information without charge.
While we are all often disappointed by what we get when we follow the link that came up in our search, there are also real gems, like this manual written by Professor Peter Fellows, that are invaluable in setting up a business.
This not just a textbook explanation of milling and baking – the images below show that it covers the real and practical issues that need to be addressed to establish and sustain a food processing business.
I don’t think I can overate this book as a manual for entrepreneurs looking to start, improve or expand their business!
Posted in Food Processing | Tagged baking, enterprise manual, flowcharts, losses, milling | Leave a Comment »
