While this NRF-rated researcher has a patent for dietary fibre from the Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterenea), she also has a patent for probiotic yoghurt produced from a Bambara groundnut milk beverage and the method for the production thereof. The latter may lead to an exciting new business venture for the university.
“Indigenous knowledge (IK) associated with Bambara groundnut (BGN) in South Africa is not documented,” she explains, adding that, “Despite the BGN rich IK and nutritional profile, not much is known about its nutraceutical potential.”
She says that this knowledge system is at risk of becoming extinct because of the rapidly changing natural environment and fast-paced economic, political and cultural changes.
“There is an urgent need to document the IK and establish a relationship between it and the BGN nutraceuticals.”
“One of my publications on BGN paved the way for international collaboration between the South African Association for Food Science & Technology (SAAFoST) and the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) in America.”
Her article “Should the BGN remain underutilized?” was published in the August 2015 issue of FST Magazine, which is published by SAAFoST and subsequently republished in Food Technology (USA) by IFT as “Utilizing BGN in Value-added Products” in 2016.
