Reseach articles

Organoleptic, Physicochemical and Microbiological Quality of Yoghurt Enriched with Indigenous Fruits of Botswana

2026-10-21T01:00:22Z

Organoleptic, Physicochemical and Microbiological Quality of Yoghurt Enriched with Indigenous Fruits of Botswana Matenanga, Ompelege Keolopile; Boitumelo, Wame; Mareko, Molebeledi H.D.; Mojeremane, Witness; Seifu, Eyassu; Bayram, Mustafa; Haki, Gulelat Desse Background: Demand for healthy food products has increased research into yoghurt enriched with fruits and vegetables as sources of bioactive compounds. Indigenous fruits in Botswana are nutrient-rich and contain valuable bioactive compounds; however, they remain underutilized and receive limited attention for value addition. This study aimed to develop yoghurt enriched with indigenous fruits; Moretologa (Ximenia americana L.), Morula [Sclerocarya birrea (A. Rich) Hochst], Mowana (Adansonia digitata L.) and Mogose (Bauhinia petersiana Bolle) and evaluate their sensory, physico-chemical and microbial properties. Methods: Yoghurt was developed using standard procedures and sensory analysis identified the best treatments. T1 (90% yoghurt: 10% indigenous fruit) was selected for Mogose and Moretologa, while T3 (80% yoghurt: 20% indigenous fruit) was chosen for Mowana and Morula, based on highest overall acceptability scores. Result: Mogose yoghurt had higher protein (4.28%) than the control (3.27%). Addition of morula and mogose reduced syneresis (from 16.33% to 15.32% and 10.72%) and increased total soluble solids. Microbial analysis showed no coliforms and low yeast and mould counts, indicating safety. Overall, enriching yoghurt with indigenous fruits improved its nutritional and physico-chemical properties and promotes the use of underutilized plants. © 2026 Agricultural Research Communication Centre. Journal Article

Feta-type cheese developed from camel (Camelus dromedarius) milk: physicochemical properties and sensory acceptability

2026-10-20T01:00:23Z

Feta-type cheese developed from camel (Camelus dromedarius) milk: physicochemical properties and sensory acceptability Seifu, Eyassu; Ntshambiwa, Katso T.; Boitumelo, Wame S.; Madibela, Othusitse R.; Angassa, Ayana; Molapisi, Moenyane; Kobue-Lekalake, Rosemary I.; Haki, Gulelat D.; Mokobi, Boitumelo; Teketay, Demel; Kgosikoma, Keneilwe R.; Tselaesele, Nelson; Sekwati-Monang, Bonno; Mojeremane, Witness; Sianga, Keoikantse Aim: The study aimed to develop feta-type cheese from camel milk and evaluate its physicochemical properties and sensory acceptability. Methods: Milk samples were obtained from dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius) kept at the Tsabong Ecotourism Camel Park in Botswana. Feta-type cheese was developed using WhiteDaily 41 culture, which contains mesophilic and thermophilic lactic acid bacteria, and camel chymosin (CHY-MAX M1000). Standard procedures were used to assess physicochemical characteristics and sensory-based consumer acceptability. Cow-milk feta cheese produced using the same procedure served as the control. Mann–Whitney test was used to compare quality parameters of the camel-and cow-milk cheeses. Results: The results showed that producing feta-type cheese from camel milk was more difficult than from cow milk, and the yield from camel milk was slightly lower. Except for ash and fat content, no significant differences (p > 0.05) were found between the two cheese types. Cow-milk feta had significantly higher ash and fat levels (p < 0.05) than camel-milk feta. Overall, camel-milk feta displayed physicochemical characteristics comparable to those of cow-milk feta. The sensory acceptability test revealed that aroma, texture, taste, and overall acceptability scores were significantly higher (p < 0.05) for cow-milk feta than for camel-milk feta. However, colour did not differ significantly (p > 0.05) between the two cheeses. Conclusions: The findings show that making feta-type cheese from camel milk is possible, provided that manufacturing protocols are modified and processing parameters optimized. It is essential to improve the organoleptic properties of camel-milk feta cheese. Future research should consider the use of natural additives such as spices or condiments to improve flavour, aroma, texture, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, and shelf life of the cheese. Journal Article

Efficacy of Ampligo and Cyperfos against Fall Army Worm Spodoptera frugiperda (J E Smith) Larvae

2026-10-20T01:00:20Z

Efficacy of Ampligo and Cyperfos against Fall Army Worm Spodoptera frugiperda (J E Smith) Larvae Sam, Garmonyou A.; Tiroesele, Bamphithi; Omoloye, Adebayo A.; Legwaila, Mitch M. A laboratory study was conducted to determine the efficacy of Ampligo and Cyperfos insecticides at three concentrations each against fall army worm Spodoptera frugiperda (JE Smith) larvae on maize. Using three concentrations of Ampligo: 0.13, 0.23 and 0.3 ml/ l water and Cyperfos 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 ml/ l water bioassays were conducted with third instar larvae at 30°C± 5°C. Each treatment was replicated three times. The toxic effect was evaluated at 24, 48 and 72 hr following insecticides application. The results showed that both insecticides caused over 50% mortality; Ampligo caused 100% mortality at both recommended and higher concentrations in 48 hr similar to the higher concentration of Cyperfos. At 72 hr, 100% mortality was achieved by both Ampligo (lower concentration) and Cyperfos (recommended concentration); while Cyperfos lower concentration achieved 88.9% mortality. Ampligo outperformed Cyperfos in terms of overall effectiveness with time. This study found that Ampligo and Cyperfos can be used to effectively control S. frugiperda in Botswana. Journal

Stakeholder perceptions of ornamental invasive plants in Southern Africa—improving understanding for management

2026-10-14T08:27:22Z

Stakeholder perceptions of ornamental invasive plants in Southern Africa—improving understanding for management Rodríguez-Cala, Diana; Fried, Jana; Wilson, John R. U.; Dehnen-Schmutz, Katharina; Tshwenyane, Seoleseng O; Legwaila, Israel Successful management of invasive plants often requires broad societal buy-in. Hence, to facilitate management, it is important to understand what influences and drives perceptions of those involved or affected by invasive plants’ distribution, management, and impacts. In this paper, we focus on a sector central to this space—the ornamental industry—and on a geographic region that is highly affected by plant invasions but remains under-researched-Southern Africa. Using various techniques (semi-structured interviews, workshops, informal conversations, and questionnaires), we assessed key stakeholders' understanding of plant invasions and perceptions of invasive ornamental plants, collating data from 78 environmental specialists, 38 ornamental industry staff, and 72 ornamental gardeners. This data collection included participants from Botswana (104), Namibia (50), Zimbabwe (18), South Africa (13), and Zambia (3). We found that, across these groups, there is a broadly similar understanding of invasions consistent with definitions used in research and policymaking. People are often aware of ecological processes but do not necessarily use “scientific” terms to describe them. However, both the different groups and individuals within the groups differed in how they perceived specific plants. We argue that these differences are shaped by people’s interests, professions, and socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds, that are, in turn, shaped by broader socio-ecological and geopolitical dynamics. Such differences in perceptions can, of course, result in conflicts of interest, particularly when varying perceptions are informing conflicting actions. We believe that stakeholder relations would benefit from open, relational, balanced, and regular communication with a view to reaching agreements. Such communication should value and recognise the diversity in capacities, perceptions and knowledge as a step to removing power imbalances. This is particularly relevant in the Southern Africa context where successful invasive species management requires acknowledging and addressing racial and classist segregation that shape mutual perceptions and relations with invasive plants and landscapes. Journal