A high incidence of species substitution and mislabelling detected in meat products sold in South Africa

Background. Previous studies have established norms of 24-hour gastric pH profiles for western countries. This study was designed to establish the pattern for a rural African population with a high incidence of oesophageal cancer.Methods. After lower oesophageal manometry a probe was placed 10 cm distal to the lower oesophageal sphincter. We carried out 24-hour ambulatory monitoring of gastric pH on 59 healthy subjects. This was satisfactorily completed on 26 female and 18 male (age 21–64, median 35) subjects in the Transkei region of South Africa.Results. The mean 24 hour gastric pH was 2.84 and the mean night-time pH was 3.7. 40 volunteers recorded a night-time pH reaching over 4. 33 volunteers recorded a night-time pH over 7. Night-time alkalinisation was present for 136.4 minutes (25th centile 22.8, 75th centile 208.1) at pH4 or over, and 79.3 (2.5, 122.7) minutes at pH7 or over. Episodes of rapid alkaline rise were 17 (10, 47). 21.1% of these occurred while supine. 35 of 36 tested subjects were positive forH. pyloriIgG.Conclusion. Gastric alkalinisation is common in Transkei, at a higher pH than that reported in other studies, and is sustained longer. Nighttime alkalinisation is frequent. This suggests a high level of duodenogastric reflux.

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Projected effects on salt purchases following implementation of a national salt reduction policy in South Africa

Public Health Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s1368980020005273 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-18

Author(s):

Rhoda N. Ndanuko ◽

Maria Shahid ◽

Alexandra Jones ◽

Terry Harris ◽

Joel Maboreke ◽

...

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

South African ◽

Salt Content ◽

Meat Products ◽

Food Product ◽

Food Groups ◽

Food Category ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Salt Reduction ◽

Sectional Analysis

Abstract Objective: To assess the contribution of different food groups to total salt purchases and to evaluate the estimated reduction in salt purchases if mandatory maximum salt limits in South African legislation were being complied with. Design: This study conducted a cross-sectional analysis of purchasing data from Discovery Vitality members. Data were linked to the South African FoodSwitch database to determine the salt content of each food product purchased. Food category and total annual salt purchases were determined by summing salt content (kg) per each unit purchased across a whole year. Reductions in annual salt purchases were estimated by applying legislated maximum limits to product salt content. Setting: South Africa Participants: The study utilised purchasing data from 344,161 households, members of Discovery Vitality, collected for a whole year between January and December 2018. Results: Vitality members purchased R12.8 billion worth of food products in 2018, representing 9,562 products from which 264,583 kg of salt were purchased. The main contributors to salt purchases were bread and bakery products (23.3%); meat and meat products (19%); dairy (12.2%); sauces, dressings, spreads and dips (11.8%); and convenience foods (8.7%). The projected total quantity of salt that would be purchased after implementation of the salt legislation was 250,346 kg, a reduction of 5.4% from 2018 levels. Conclusions: A projected reduction in salt purchases of 5.4% from 2018 levels suggests that meeting the mandatory maximum salt limits in South Africa will make a meaningful contribution to reducing salt purchases.

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Persistently high incidence of HIV and poor service uptake in adolescent girls and young women in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa prior to DREAMS

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0203193 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 13 (10) ◽

pp. e0203193 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Natsayi Chimbindi ◽

Nondumiso Mthiyane ◽

Isolde Birdthistle ◽

Sian Floyd ◽

Nuala McGrath ◽

...

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Adolescent Girls ◽

Young Women ◽

Kwazulu Natal ◽

High Incidence

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Consumers’ Preference and Factors Influencing Offal Consumption in Amathole District Eastern Cape, South Africa

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su10093323 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 10 (9) ◽

pp. 3323 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Babatunde Alao ◽

Andrew Falowo ◽

Amanda Chulayo ◽

Voster Muchenje

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Decision Making ◽

Meat Products ◽

Meat Consumption ◽

Eastern Cape Province ◽

Eastern Cape ◽

Nutritional Knowledge ◽

Factors Influencing ◽

Point Of Purchase

This study was conducted to determine the consumers’ perceptions and factors influencing offal meat consumption in Amathole District in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. A total of 202 consumers from Amathole District were randomly sampled from three municipalities. The study revealed that consumers were more influenced by the freshness, price, and availability of the product and these factors determine the point of purchase. The most preferred purchase-point for offal meat in this study was butchery. However, sheep offal was more preferred to cattle offal. The point of purchase, however, remains a prominent factor among other factors that could influence decision making for any consumer. When it comes to offal meat, the results showed that the majority of consumers purchased more liver, intestine, and tripe, which is because they are often sold in a combo at the butchery. Furthermore, it was revealed that consumers have nutritional knowledge of the offal meat products before making their purchase but health reasons emerged as a factor that the consumers considered the least at the point of purchase.

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Food Taboos and Cultural Beliefs Influence Food Choice and Dietary Preferences among Pregnant Women in the Eastern Cape, South Africa

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu11112668 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (11) ◽

pp. 2668 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Gamuchirai Chakona ◽

Charlie Shackleton

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Nutrition Education ◽

Maternal Nutrition ◽

Cultural Beliefs ◽

Meat Products ◽

River Valley ◽

Care Practice ◽

Healthy Population ◽

Food Taboos

A well-nourished and healthy population is a central tenet of sustainable development. In South Africa, cultural beliefs and food taboos followed by some pregnant women influence their food consumption, which impacts the health of mothers and children during pregnancy and immediately afterwards. We documented food taboos and beliefs amongst pregnant isiXhosa women from five communities in the Kat River Valley, South Africa. A mixed-methods approach was used, which was comprised of questionnaire interviews with 224 women and nine focus group discussions with 94 participants. Overall, 37% of the women reported one or more food practices shaped by local cultural taboos or beliefs. The most commonly avoided foods were meat products, fish, potatoes, fruits, beans, eggs, butternut and pumpkin, which are rich in essential micronutrients, protein and carbohydrates. Most foods were avoided for reasons associated with pregnancy outcome, labour and to avoid an undesirable body form for the baby. Some pregnant women consumed herbal decoctions for strengthening pregnancy, facilitating labour and overall health of both themselves and the foetus. Most learnt of the taboos and practices from their own mother or grandmother, but there was also knowledge transmission in social groups. Some pregnant women in the study may be considered nutritionally vulnerable due to the likelihood of decreased intake of nutrient-rich foods resulting from cultural beliefs and food taboos against some nutritious foods. Encouraging such women to adopt a healthy diet with more protein-rich foods, vegetables and fruits would significantly improve maternal nutrition and children’s nutrition. Adhering to culturally appropriate nutrition education may be an important care practice for many pregnant women in the Kat River Valley.

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