Development of a sensorially acceptable food product from Cissus quadrangularis to create awareness among young adults
Authors:   , Singh Vihara 
Published: June 2022

Among the main causes of food insecurity in Africa is drought which results in poor harvests for farmers. Drought tolerant plants are environmentally sustainable and show great promise in improving food security and preventing malnutrition. South Africa has a wide range of drought tolerant indigenous plants that possess both medicinal and nutritional value. However, most of these indigenous plants are used by older generations and are unfamiliar to younger generations. With the revival of indigenous knowledge systems and botanical decolonisation, the potential of indigenous plants as functional foods has come to the fore. Aim: The aim of this study is to develop a sensorially acceptable food product with Cissus quadrangularis and to create awareness of Cissus quadrangularis among young adults. Methodology: This food product development study was informed by key informant interviews as well as a desktop study on food and nutrition trends. Through informed consent, ten elderly community members participated in the key informant interviews and shared their knowledge, uses and perceptions of Cissus quadrangularis. The developed food product underwent pilot and final sensory evaluation through a 9- point hedonic scale and a paired preference test. For the sensory evaluation, 110 participants were used, 10 for the pilot and 100 for the final sensory evaluation. The food product also underwent microbiological testing, nutrient analysis, and shelf-life testing. Once this was conducted, an awareness tool was developed. The awareness tool underwent pilot and final evaluation via a Likert scale. For the awareness tool survey, 110 young adult participants residing in KZN were used, 10 for the pilot and 100 for the final instrument. Results: Analysis from the key informant interviews indicated that the participants viewed Cissus quadrangularis as a medicinal plant, used to treat sprains, inflammations, broken bones, cholesterol, and ulcers. The participants cooked the plant in curries, pastes or fried doughs and some participants boiled it and drank the water. The desktop study on food and nutrition trends displayed key food trends for 2019 and 2020 such as zero-waste foods, botanical beverages, alternative ingredient, sustainability, plant-based foods, and natural remedies, less sugar, health convenience items, and texture. The results from the key informant interviews and desktop study on food and nutrition trends informed the development of the food product with Cissus quadrangularis. Following the steps of product development, a trendy energy bite infused with Cissus quadrangularis was developed. The energy bite yielded 10 portions of 21.5g each. Analysis from the microbial test indicate that the microbial count in the product was high averaging between 1000 to 5000 cfu/g which was within acceptable limit. However, the product was suitable for a short shelf-life of three days. Potassium sorbate was added to the energy bite infused with Cissus quadrangularis for the second microbial test. The second test results indicated that the microbial count found in the developed product was low and that there were no microorganisms present. The Cissus quadrangularis infused energy bite (both samples) indicated that the product was to some extent high in sugar (4g: 3.4g / 6g: 3.48g per 21.5g). The nutrient analysis showed that the product was relatively low in fat and sodium. The energy bite carbohydrate level was relatively low as it contributed (Women: 6.72 %/ Men: 6.32%) to the Dietary Reference Intake (DRIs) of women and men aged 19-30 years old. The amount of dietary fibre present in this study; in both samples was high (4g: 4.02 / 6g: 4.16 per 21.5g), contributing well to both women and men DRIs of dietary fibre, respectively (Women: 16.08 % / Men: 10.94%). The protein value in the energy bite was significantly low only contributing Women: 3.17% / Men: 2.6% to the DRIs of women and men, respectively. The vitamins and minerals tested in the nutrient analysis were not present in notable amounts, contributing low percentages to both women and men’s DRIs. Analysis from the pilot and final sensory evaluation showed that both the 4g and 6g sample of the developed food product was liked, however, the 4g sample was preferred. The final sensory evaluation showed that 27% of participants chose “like extremely” for the 4g sample whilst 18% of participants chose “like extremely” for the 6g sample. The Wilcoxon signed ranks test indicated that there was no significant difference between the 4g and 6g sensory rating score (p=0.066) indicating that there was a marginal preference of sample 1 (4g) over sample 2 (6g). There was no significant difference in the sensory rating of these products across gender for the 4g (p=0.521) and 6g (p=0.673) sample. The last objective of the study was to develop an awareness tool using the developed food product to create awareness of Cissus quadrangularis among young adults. The pilot and final awareness tool survey showed that the majority of participants found the awareness tool to be informative and that the participants involved were willing to make the recipes using Cissus quadrangularis. The final awareness tool results indicate that a significant 93% either liked or extremely enjoyed the video (p<.0005). Analysis with Pearson’s chi-square (Fisher’s exact test) of the cross-tabulation of responses with demographics shows that there was a significant relationship between gender and video rating, Fisher’s exact = 11.129, (p=.007). The results indicated that 57.1% of male participants extremely enjoyed the video whereas 59.3% of females only liked the video. Conclusion: The development of a trendy and sensorially acceptable food product with Cissus quadrangularis as a main ingredient and the development of an awareness tool created awareness to this unfamiliar indigenous plant with various health benefits among young people. Food product development using indigenous edible plants can be seen as sustainable measure and can contribute towards food security initiatives in South Africa. Awareness tools that appeal to the youth can help educate young adults on various indigenous foods reducing the vulnerability of food and nutrition insecurity.