Browsing by Author "Essuman, Edward Ken"

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    A Survey of Ackee Fruit Utilization in Ghana
    (Jamaican Journal of Science & Technology, 2014-12) Osei, Joycelyn Anima; Essuman, Edward Ken; Kyeremateng, Daniel Owusu; Agbenorhevi, Jacob K.; 0000-0002-8516-7656
    Blighia sapida is a woody perennial fruit tree species native to West Africa. The fleshy arils of the ripened fruits are edible while the seeds and capsules of the fruits are used for soap making. Our ethnobotanical survey revealed that although the ackee fruit is overlooked by researchers in Ghana, the fresh ackee aril is traded in some local markets. People have different interests in using ackee and variable knowledge of its uses. Preferred bakery products from suggestions in the survey conducted were cake, chips and rock cake.
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    Protein Extraction from Fern and its Physicochemical Properties
    (2013-12-17) Essuman, Edward Ken
    Fern is a seedless vascular plant that reproduces via spores and has various usefulness. This study was carried out to optimize conditions for protein extraction from two defatted fern types namely Nephrolepis biserrata and Arthropteris orientalis. The extraction of defatted fern protein was conducted using alkaline, alcohol and saline treatments method under various conditions such as variation of treatments concentration and time of agitation. Central composite design of response surface methodology was used for identification of the best condition and extraction yield optimization. Result showed that alkaline treatment of 0.1 M NaOH and agitation time of 30 min produced the highest extraction yield with maximum protein recovery of 5.11 mg/mL and 2.03 mg/mL for Nephrolepis biserrata and Arthropteris orientalis respectively. Nephrolepis biserrata fern type gave relatively higher maximum protein yield, giving about more than twice the values obtained for the Arthropteris orientalis. Nephrolepis biserrata showed the highest foaming capacity (65%) and solubility (55.9%). For each isolate, water and oil holding capacity were not significantly different (p>0.05) with Nephrolepis biserrata recording 2.13 mL/g and 2.73 mL/g and Arthropteris orientalis recording 2.39 mL/g and 2.93 mL/g respectively. Protein types such as β-galactosidase, phosphorylase and lysozyme were found to be present in the fern protein isolates in terms of their molecular weight.