Understanding microbiology to combat malnutrition

Lead Research Organisation: QUADRAM INSTITUTE BIOSCIENCE
Department Name: UNLISTED

Abstract

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Technical Summary

unavailable

Planned Impact

unavailable
 
Description One of the challenges faced in Africa, and many other developing countries in Asia, is the provision of cheap, safe and nutritious food, addressing the malnutrition associated with poverty and the prevalence of infant mortality (54% of child deaths have been associated with malnutrition, WHO 2013). Natural fermentation of cereals is the most important post-harvest value addition processing strategy used throughout Africa to produce foods with improved safety and shelf life. However the microbial dynamics of the naturally fermented foods is not fully understood. Within this project we trained more that 15 PhD students and postdoctoral researchers from at least 10 different African countries in using DNA based sequencing methods to analyse the composition and changes in the microbial communities in fermented foods. We developed a method for preparing microbial DNA that was applicable to all types of African fermented products. We also discoed several new species of bacteria including a novel species of lactobacillus from a fermented food called Gari that is widely consumed in Ghana and this strain plays a key role in the fermentation process.
Exploitation Route We will apply for further funding in collaboration with African partners to undertake translational research to develop safer starter cultures that can be utilised in African cottage industries. We have already identified a bacterial strain that produces essential vitamins for human consumption that we are exploring ways to translate into the fermeted food products to address key question of malnutrition in ODA relevant countries.
Sectors Agriculture

Food and Drink

Creative Economy

Healthcare

Manufacturing

including Industrial Biotechology
 
Description The findings have been used to develop novel safer fermented food that has been tested by consumer panel to have positive taste and acceptance properties. There is possibility that the new processing method developed within this programme will be taken up by local SME for manufacturing and distibution.
First Year Of Impact 2022
Sector Agriculture, Food and Drink,Healthcare,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology
Impact Types Societal
 
Description BBSRC IAA
Amount £10,000 (GBP)
Organisation Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 03/2019 
End 06/2019
 
Description Marie Curie CLARÍN-COFUND
Amount € 65,000 (EUR)
Funding ID ACA 17 - 16 
Organisation Foundation for the Promotion of Applied Scientific Research and Technology in Asturias 
Sector Public
Country Spain
Start 03/2018 
End 02/2020
 
Description Collaboration with Dr Damaris Odeny (ICRISAT, Kenya) and the Technical University of Kenya 
Organisation International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics
Country India 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution Our group provided training to a technician from the Technical University of Kenya on DNA extraction from fermented foods and DNA extraction from bacterial isolates. William Onyango Chienjo was trained in QIB on 29 and 30 January 2018. Our group also provided intellectual input in the design of the experiments.
Collaborator Contribution Dr Odeny and his team provided the samples to be studied in this project and the expertise on fermented foods. His group also undertook the DNA extraction from the fermented foods and bacterial isolates which will be sequenced in QIB.
Impact Metagenomic and genomic datasets that will be used in future publications.
Start Year 2017
 
Description Collaboration with Dr Damaris Odeny (ICRISAT, Kenya) and the Technical University of Kenya 
Organisation Technical University of Kenya
Country Kenya 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Our group provided training to a technician from the Technical University of Kenya on DNA extraction from fermented foods and DNA extraction from bacterial isolates. William Onyango Chienjo was trained in QIB on 29 and 30 January 2018. Our group also provided intellectual input in the design of the experiments.
Collaborator Contribution Dr Odeny and his team provided the samples to be studied in this project and the expertise on fermented foods. His group also undertook the DNA extraction from the fermented foods and bacterial isolates which will be sequenced in QIB.
Impact Metagenomic and genomic datasets that will be used in future publications.
Start Year 2017
 
Description Collaboration with Prof. Anteneh Tesfaye 
Organisation Addis Ababa University
Country Ethiopia 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Our group provided bioinformatics support to the PhD student Guesh Mulaw.
Collaborator Contribution Our partner Prof. Anteneh Tesfaye provided bacterial strains to be studied in this project and the expertise on fermented foods.
Impact Genomic datasets that will be used in future publications.
Start Year 2017
 
Description Collaboration with Professor Folarin Oguntoyinbo (Appalachian University, USA) 
Organisation Appalachian State University
Country United States 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution This is an established collaboration on the joint development of multifunctional starter cultures. We have isolated and characterised commensal bacteria from African fermented foods that have health benefits.
Collaborator Contribution Professor Oguntoyinbo undertook some characterisation of the strain in their use as starter cultures.
Impact 1 joint publication Diaz et al (2019) Comparison of the microbial composition of African fermented foods using amplicon sequencing. Scientific Reports 9, 1-8.
Start Year 2018
 
Description Collaboration with Professor Folarin Oguntoyinbo (University of Lagos, Nigeria) 
Organisation University of Lagos
Country Nigeria 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Our group provided training to students from the University of Lagos on DNA extraction from fermented foods, DNA extraction from bacterial and yeast isolates and bioinformatic analysis of metagenomic and whole genome sequencing data. PhD student Nwanneka Akinyemi was trained in IFR from October 2016 - February 2017 and PhD student Oluwaseun Juliana Areh was trained at QIB from 22/11/2017 to 27/12/2017.
Collaborator Contribution Professor Oguntoyinbo and his team provide the samples to be studied in this project and the expertise on fermented foods. His group also undertook the DNA extraction from the fermented foods which were later sequenced in QIB.
Impact As result of this collaboration one publication has arisen (doi:10.1128/genomeA.00481-16) and two publications are in preparation.
Start Year 2014
 
Description Collaboration with Professor Wisdom Amoa-Awua (CSIR-Food Research Institute, Ghana) 
Organisation Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)
Department Food Research Institute (CSIR-FRI)
Country South Africa 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution Our group provides training to one student from the University of Lagos on DNA extraction from fermented foods, DNA extraction from bacterial and yeast isolates and bioinformatic analysis of metagenomic and whole genome sequencing data. PhD student Amy Atter is being trained in QIB from 19/02/2018 to 16/07/2018.
Collaborator Contribution Professor Amoa-Awua and his team provide the samples to be studied in this project and the expertise on fermented foods. His group also undertook the DNA extraction from the fermented foods which will be sequenced in QIB.
Impact As a result of this collaboration metagenomic and genomic datasets were obtained. The results will be included in future publications.
Start Year 2017
 
Description Collaboration with professor Amit Rai India 
Organisation National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute
Country India 
Sector Public 
PI Contribution We hosted the visit of prof Amit Rai to QIB and In March 20204 Arjan Narbad visited NABI-DTP institute and gave a presentation and discussed further collaboration.
Collaborator Contribution Prof Rai visited QIB in February 2024 and this resulted in further planned collaboration grant applications to extend the link between QIB and NABI-DBT institute. Joint experimental work is planned.
Impact Further short term funding to undertake collaboration experimental work via staff exchange from NABI to QIB.
Start Year 2024
 
Description Wokshop Uganda 
Organisation University of Los Lagos
Country Chile 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution We organised the workshop in Kampla that brought together 12 researchers form Africa and elsewhere elsewhere who have interest in development and safety of African fermented foods.
Collaborator Contribution Professor Ogutoyinbo was instrumental in helping to organise this workshop, gave a presentation and contributed to discussions.
Impact Further research collaborations are planned between Research group of Professor Oguntoyinbo and my research group.
Start Year 2018
 
Description Analysis of the Microbiomes of Naturally Fermented Foods Training Course 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Postgraduate students
Results and Impact 15 postgraduate students and postdoctoral researchers attended the workshop in which they acquired hands-on practical of molecular-based methods for assessing the microbial composition of naturally fermented foods. The attendees provided samples which led to a joined publication which has been submitted to the International Journal of Food Microbiology.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018
 
Description Practical Bioinformatics workshop for capacity building on Microbiome research in Africa 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Postgraduate students
Results and Impact A workshop on the use of bioinformatic tools applied to the analysis of the diversity and function of the microbiome of African fermented foods was delivered. This workshop included theory and "hands on" exercises. A total of 16 participants from diverse educational and geographical backgrounds were trained during this workshop. The participants had the following educational level: ten were PhD students, four were postdoctoral researchers, and two were research assistants. The participants came from six African countries, including Ghana, Benin, Kenya, Uganda, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Zimbabwe and South Africa. Most of the participants who were affiliated to the University of Pretoria were visiting students or researchers who are originally from other African countries, which means that potentially they could pass on the knowledge to a bigger network of future scientists in their home countries. We hope that the diversity of the participants will ensure that young researchers can develop their career, and that experienced participants will train other students from their respective home countries.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
 
Description Talk at Wymondham College 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Schools
Results and Impact Talk at Wymondham College for 15 students on the topic of "improvement of food and health using bacteria" and the objectives of our project. The students were interested in the talk and there were questions and discussion about the topic.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018