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Prof
Kolanisi, Unathi
Department: Consumer Sciences
Research Interest(s): Food and nutrition security, Indigenous knowledge systems and innovation, Human economy and social transformation, Sustainable food systems, Nutrition sensitive food value chains.
Active Community Engagement: South African Association of Family Ecology and Consumer Science (SAAFECS)
South African Association for Food Science and Technology (SAAFoST)
Biography: Professor Unathi Kolanisi is a Professor at the Department of Consumer Sciences. She is also a Research fellow at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in the Food Security Programme. Prof Kolanisi has published a significant number of manuscripts, two book chapters and graduated over 35 Post Graduate Diploma students, 24 Masters and 13 PhDs to date. She is also an Honorary research fellow (Associate Professor) at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in the Food Security Programme. Prof Kolanisi has international collaborations with Umea university (Sweden) and Ghana University (Ghana). She is currently enrolled for Advanced Leadership at University of KwaZulu-Natal , has received certificates in leadership and management course offered by Stellenbosch University, social facilitator certificates awarded by Agricultural Research for Development (ICRA, Netherlands) and WOCAN in Changmai-Asia respectively, Resource Management certificate awarded by (WOCAN) in (Thailand-Bangkok), Certificate in Indigenous Food Labelling warded by SANBIO (Southern Africa for Biosciences) in South Africa and a Certificate in Scientific Research, Partnership and Development awarded by Global Knowledge Initiative (Stellenbosch University ) in South Africa. She is actively involved in institutional co-teaching, she is now involved in an Inter – Professionalism project between Consumer Science and Speech Therapy (UKZN) 4th year students, addressing food and nutrition security of people living with swallowing disabilities, co-taught medical doctors in DR Congo – in international collaboration project such as the GROWNUT which is a partnership between University of Kinshasa, School of Public Health, DR Congo , University of Bergen, Center for International Health, Norway , University of KwaZulu-Natal, Departments of Pediatrics, Dietetics and Human Nutrition, South-Africa and she has taught the SADC Vulnerability Assessment and Analysis short courses, African Centre for Food Security, UKZN.
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- Noodles are a popular starchy food among youth and children. However, they are not nutritionally adequate as a single meal. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of Amaranthus leaf powder (ALP) addition on the nutritional composition, physical quality and consumer acceptability of instant noodles. Instant noodle samples were developed by partially substituting wheat flour used in a common noodle recipe with 1, 2 and 3% (w/w) of ALP. The samples were analyzed for nutritional composition using AOAC methods. Physical quality was evaluated in terms of color (CIELAB color values) and texture (g cutting force). Consumer acceptability was evaluated by 60 panelists using a 9-point hedonic scale. Increasing ALP from 0% to 3% had a non-significant effect on the total glycemic carbohydrate, protein, fiber and mineral contents of the noodles. However, the fat content significantly increased (from 1.55% to 4.57%) with the inclusion of ALP, leading to a higher energy value. ALP-fortified noodle samples were significantly softer in texture (271.39 g) than standard noodles (control) (609.08 g), and a significantly greener color was observed with ALP addition. All noodle samples were as acceptable as the control, which suggests that ALP could be used to improve the nutritional value of instant noodles.
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- Post-2000 South Africa has seen increasing levels of household food poverty; subsequently, food insecurity is a rising phenomenon among university students. Recent sources estimate campus food insecurity across South African universities at 26%. At the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), food insecurity is 51.3%, and in 2012 the institution implemented the Food Security Programme (FSP) to address the problem in the form of meal vouchers and food hampers to students in need. However, the FSP has not been monitored or evaluated and lacks documented interpretation of managing the intervention. Therefore, the significance and outcomes of the program are not yet understood. Through an explorative research design, data were generated from key informants using in-depth interviews. A purposive sample included four middle and three senior managers of the FSP to determine the key informants' experiences and perceptions in managing the food security interventions in higher education institutions. The findings revealed that the FSP is not formalized, and it operates as a self-help initiative linked to a social responsibility activity of the UKZN. 'Underestimation' and 'denial' of campus food insecurity implications resulted in the lack of prioritization and mainstreaming of the program. Ultimately, the FSP lacks sustainable funding, personnel, and infrastructure. As reasoned by the respondents, there is a social stigma associated with food aid. Suggestions and institutional recommendations are made.
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- Maize is among the top three grain crops in the world. In Africa, especially Southern Africa, maize is the basic ingredient in fermented soft porridge known as Mahewu. Mahewu is a refreshing drink, produced at the household level using various practices and ingredients as a fermentation enhancer. The underprivileged consume Mahewu as the main meal of the day, and hence, Mahewu is a source of dietary nutrients for many populations in Africa and South Africa. The ingredients and practices of making Mahewu differ from one ethnic group to another. However, some of the indigenous practices are not well reported. These practices are fading away; hence, there is limited information on some indigenous practices. This paper reports some traditional practices of making Mahewu in Zulu-based households in Ntambanana, a rural municipality in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. An ethnographic research approach was adopted for the study to gain insight into the traditional practices of making Mahewu. Probing of key informants, interviews, and observations were complemented by four focus group discussions, within the range of 10-12 regular consumers of Mahewu. Four focus group discussions were conducted in Buchanana and Luwamba in Ntambanana; findings consistently reveal that Mahewu is popularly known as “umdokwe” and is consumed by all age groups beginning from four months to the aged. Irish potatoes (Solanum tuberosum), imbiliso, and inserting a saucer or a spoon deep down into the Mahewu container were mentioned and identified as fermentation enhancers, which are lacking in other studies. Therefore, indigenous practices are diminishing, while some practices are being lost between generations. Inadequate transfer of these practices might make the drink soon to be accessible only commercially. To prevent this dilemma, the retention of traditional techniques of making Mahewu with sweet potatoes could promote food and nutrition security while retaining the indigenous practices. This study reports the preparation, storage, and utilization of Mahewu, a non-alcoholic maize meal beverage in Ntambanana, South Africa. It is recommended that campaigns promoting indigenous food consumption should form part of health and social development as well as welfare; hence, food and nutrition interventions should be implemented in rural communities.
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- Children’s feeding patterns and health outcomes are important determinants of any country’s food and nutrition security status. This study assessed the household food security and feeding patterns of preschoolers in Niger State, Nigeria. A cross-sectional descriptive design and a multi-stage sampling technique were employed to analyze 450 preschool children from selected local government areas. Household food security was measured using the HFIAS nine-item questionnaire, and feeding patterns were evaluated using the qualitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). The mean age of the preschoolers was 3.71 ± 0.80 years. A majority (61.30%) of the children consumed cereal-based products, while fruits and vegetables were the least consumed (16.40%). More than half (59.80%) of the preschoolers met their minimum dietary diversity. Almost all (98.80%) of the children were from food-insecure households, with 40.3% being severely food insecure. Parity, religion, and having a breadwinner and source of potable water were significantly associated with the adequacy of minimum dietary diversity (MDD) among the preschoolers (F value = 5.528, p ≤ 0.05). The contribution of poor feeding patterns and household food insecurity to the overall health outcome of preschoolers cannot be overlooked. Hence, nations must prioritize improving the availability, accessibility, and utilization of food to better meet the nutritional needs of preschool children.
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- Recent global meat consumption trends report an increase in goat meat consumption as a protein source; however, consumption is not popular in South Africa. Despite goat meat being a nutritious and sustainable source, the willingness to consume goat meat as an acceptable protein source among young adults is not known. The study aims to explore factors that may prevent goat meat consumption and determine the potential for goat meat consumption among young adults from a rural and urban university in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. An online meat consumption survey was developed and disseminated through email to students (n=416). Goat meat consumption by young adults was reported to be mainly due to cultural practices. Although most of the participants consumed goat meat, the frequency of consumption was lower than that of chicken, beef and pork. Key barriers to goat meat consumption included a lack of availability, unappealing aroma and allergies. The findings indicated the potential to promote goat meat availability at retail outlets in South Africa, specifically through value-added convenience products. An integrated approach, including consumer education and the increasing availability of goat meat and value-added products, will improve the consumption of this sustainable and nutritious protein source.
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- Background: South African universities face a challenge of low throughput rates, with most students failing to complete their studies within the minimum regulatory time. Literature has begun to investigate the contribution of well-being, including mental health, with depression among students being one of the most common mental disorders explored. However, locally relevant research exploring associations between depression and academic performance has been limited. This research hypothesizes that the presence of depression symptoms, when controlling for key socio-demographic factors, has an adverse impact on student academic outcomes and contributes to the delay in the academic progression of students. Methods: The study used a cross-sectional design. Data were collected in 2019 from first-time, first-year undergraduate students using a self-administered online questionnaire. In total, 1,642 students completed the survey. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) was used to screen for depression symptoms. Data on students’ academic performance were obtained from institutional records. Bivariate and multivariate regression analyses were used to examine associations between depression symptoms and academic performance. Results: Most participants (76%) successfully progressed (meeting the requirements to proceed to the second year of university study). Of the participants, 10% displayed symptoms of severe depression. The likelihood of progression delay (not meeting the academic requirements to proceed to the second year of university study) increased with the severity of depression symptoms. Moderate depression symptoms nearly doubled the adjusted odds of progression delay (aOR = 1.98, 95% CI: 1.30-3.00, p = 0.001). The likelihood of progression delay was nearly tripled by moderate severe depression symptoms (aOR = 2.70, 95% CI:1.70–4.36, p < 0.001) and severe depression symptoms (aOR = 2.59, 95% CI:1.54–4.36, p < 0.001). The model controlled for field of study, financial aid support as well as sex and race. Conclusion: Higher levels of depression symptoms among first-year university students are associated with a greater likelihood of progression delay and may contribute to the low throughput rates currently seen in South African universities. It is important for students, universities and government departments to recognize student mental wellness needs and how these can be met.
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- Does increasing access to finance promote human flourishing? And if so, are there pathways to sustainable credit and finance in the face of the perceived excesses of financialization? Can we reform or regulate the financial sector to promote sustainable credit and avoid over-indebtedness? These and similar questions have attracted considerable scholarly and public debate in the aftermath of the 2007 global financial crisis, with a growing focus on institutional alternatives to market exchange in finance and beyond. In this article, we study the persistence of non-intermediated credit, whereby lenders and borrowers engage in transactions directly and without financial intermediaries. Peer lending was a mainstay source of credit prior to the emergence of financial intermediaries and our benchmark case study outlines common features of credit relationships before modern banking in Europe. The other two case studies come from jurisdictions where non-intermediated credit persists on a broad scale, despite parties having formal access to modern finance. The aim of our contribution is threefold. First, we identify features of non-intermediated transactions that are consistent with a notion of sustainable credit, in the sense that they are not destabilising for the transacting parties (or the broader community). Secondly, we highlight the normative mechanisms that support non-intermediated credit across different settings to identify the scope conditions and limits for such transactions. Third, we evaluate such credit transactions along a set of normative benchmarks to draw out lessons for contemporary finance and financial regulation. We argue that even if non-intermediated credit cannot provide an alternative to modern finance, such transactions can help financial institutions tailor products to the needs of specific consumers or outsource credit assessment and repayment, while also allowing policymakers and regulators to identify and resolve concrete credit access problems for disadvantaged communities.
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- Aliha is a maize-based traditional fermented beverage prepared and consumed in Ghana, predominantly in the Volta Region and other parts of Ghana. The study sought to characterize the production processes, the nutritional values, and microbial composition of aliha. A total of 126 aliha producers in the Volta, Greater Accra, and Ashanti Regions were sampled using snowballing to identify and to recruit the producers for the study, using a pretested self-administered questionnaire. The physicochemical and microbial composition were carried out using standard methods. Four different production techniques were identified across the production sites. The variations identified during the production existed across the production chain. The main ingredients used for aliha production are corn, caramel, sugar, and water. However, aliha produced by the ‘original’ method (DN2) presented the best nutritional values (proteins, energy, and calcium), followed by backslopping techniques, AG1 (total carbohydrates and ash), and AG2 (fats and oils and phosphorus). Fungi and Enterobacteriaceae dominated the initial fermentation stages (24 h) with low acid values. However, as the fermentation time increased from 24 h to 72 h, the acid contents of the fermenting beverage increased sharply leading to a drastic reduction of fungi and Enterobacteriaceae contents with increasing records of lactic acid bacterial counts. Even though DN2 presented the best nutritional values, it was highly contaminated. Hence, the producers must be encouraged to use backslopping techniques for safety and to shorten the duration of production
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- 2022| Adonis & Abbey Publi...There is little documentation of umholiswano from local people’s perspective,as local knowledge has evolved with time. A phenomenology research designoutlined the attributes and their meaningful value as perceived by localcommunities. 65 participants participated in a series of focus group discussions and complemented six key informant interviews. Umholiswano (stokvel) is anindigenous concept that has been part of the life of many indigenous communities before the money era. It was used as a mechanism to achieve social justice, establish peace and create socio-economic balance toward improved well-being. In this study, umholiswano is a household financial planning and management tool, saving/investment system, a social-cohesion-nurturing and therapeutic mechanism founded on six core value principles(6CVPs), such as ubuntu, trust, solidarity, dignity preservation of social wealth and ukudlala (fun). Most key players are women, and umholiswano is regarded as the21st livestock for women. The majority are in the economically active age group but lack the skills to enter the formal economy. They rely on social grants andentrepreneurship activities. Umholiswano is undervalued as an economic strategy, nevertheless, its significant contribution to the quality of life of ruralwomen is observable. But, there is an existing gap for a quantifiable tool to assess the umholiswano’s contribution, as the measurability should start by identifying indicators designed “with people and for the people” and the above sixcore value principles identified in the study could be set as a guiding framework towards indicators development
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- Malnutrition remains a main problem in sub-Saharan Africa regardless of the applied interventions to combat food and nutrition insecurity. Biofortication of staple crops has been regarded as the latest intervention strategy to combat micronutrient diseases such as vitamin A deficiency in developing countries in southern Africa. The aim of the study was to determine the response of provitamin A biofortified maize cultivars under different environmental conditions. A randomized complete block design with five cultivars, two provitamin A varieties and three common maize varieties were planted in two on farm trails located under different agro-ecological zones (Bulwer and KwaDlangezwa) of KwaZulu-Natal in a two-season period (2015/16 and 2016/17). The five cultivars namely Border king (BK), provitamin A biofortified maize (PVABM), local landrace (LL), SC 506 and SC510 recorded a highly significant (P<0.001) plant growth (height and leaf number) in both experimental sites across two seasons (2015/16 and 2016/17). Chlorophyll content showed no significant differences for both trial sites in both 2015/16 and 2016/17 seasons. For the first season, no significant differences (P< 0.05) were observed for biomass among the maize varieties in both trial sites. However, it was observed that SC510 had higher biomass (2.33 t/ha), while BK recorded lowest biomass (0.66 t/ha) in Bulwer. In KwaDlangezwa, the biomass ranged from 0.713 t/ha (PVA) to 1.66 t/ha (SC510). For the second season (2016/17), Biomass in Bulwer ranged from 0.86 t/ha (LL) to 1.52 t/ha (SC510) and 0.94 t/ha (BK) to 1.44 (SC510) in KwaDlangezwa. The performance of the provitamin A biofortified varieties (SC510 and PVABM) showed that they can adapt and produce similarly to common varieties. It is noted that there is potential for these varieties to adapt under different environmental conditions of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The provitamin A biofortified varieties can be produced for human consumption at common smallholder farming systems
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