Department

Consumer and Food Sciences

Degree

PhD Food Science

Utilisation of marama bean flour in gluten-free bread making.  Food chemistry, rheology, sensory and nutrition.

Wheat allergies, the incidence of coeliac disease and the demand for non-wheat alternative baking flours drives the interest in and need for non-wheat based gluten-free bakery products and ingredients.  Cotyledons of the marama bean (Tylosema esculentum), an oilseed legume that is not grown commercially but collected from the wild in southern Africa contain no gluten. In my PhD, I investigated the dough properties, crumb structure and sensory profile of gluten-free bread from composites of defatted marama flour and cassava starch.  The findings of the research identified the considerable potential of marama flour as a functional gluten replacement for producing protein-and fibre-rich bread.  The study clearly demonstrated the potential of marama flour as a novel ingredient for the bakery industry.

Email

[email protected]

Supervisors

• Prof HL de Kock
• Prof JRN Taylor

Memberships

• South African association for Food Science and Technology (SAAFoST).
• African Network for Sensory Evaluation Research (ANSWER).

Publications

• Patricia Nyembwe, G. Duodo, A.  Minnaar and H. L. de Kock (2015).  Sensory and physico- chemical analysis of roasted marama beans with specific focus on compounds that may cause bitterness.  Journal of Food Chemistry, volume 178, page 45-51.
• Patricia M. Nyembwe, Henriëtte L. de Kock, John R.N. Taylor (2018).  Potential of defatted marama flour-cassava starch composites to produce functional gluten free bread–type dough.  LWT Food Science and Technology, 92, 429-434.
• Patricia M. Nyembwe, Henriëtte L. de Kock, John R.N. Taylor. Physical and sensory characteristics of defatted marama flour-cassava starch composite breads.  Manuscript in preparation for submission in the Journal of Food preference and quality.

Conferences

• Patricia Nyembwe, H. L de Kock, G.  Duodo, A. Minnaar (2013).  Do Saponins cause bitterness in marama beans (Tylosema Esculentum)? 20th SAAFoST Biennial International Congress and Exhibition, Pretoria, South Africa-poster presentation.
• Patricia Nyembwe, H. L de Kock, G. Duodo, A. Minnaar (2013).  Sensory and physio-chemical properties of roasted marama beans.  Panborn Conference, Brazil-poster presentation.
• Patricia Nyembwe & H. L de Kock (2015).  Do the sensory properties of marama beans (Tylosema Esculentum) hold promise for future utilisation in the food industry?  Afrosense Conference, Cape Town, South Africa-poster presentation.
• Patricia Nyembwe & H. L de Kock (2017).  Crumb texture of defatted marama flour-cassava starch composite breads, 22th SAAFoST Biennial International Congress and Exhibition, Cape Town, South Africa-poster presentation.
• Patricia Nyembwe M., & H.L. de Kock (2019).” Does bread made from defatted marama bean flour and cassava starch hold promise for coeliacs?”13th Pangborn Sensory Science Symposium, Edinburg, United Kingdom-poster presentation.
• Patricia Nyembwe M., JRN Taylor & H.L. de Kock (2019). Functional properties of defatted marama flour: a hope for the bakery industry. 23th SAAFoST Biennial International Congress and Exhibition, Johannesburg, South Africa-poster presentation

Funding 

University of Pretoria PhD Research Support, European Union Horizon 2020, Research and Innovation, LEAP-Agri.