Literature Review
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ASSESSMENT AND CHARACTERIZATION OF FOOD TYPES CONSUMED BY HADZABE HUNTER-GATHERER NOMADS IN NORTHERN TANZANIA BY MABULA MASUNGA MIGATA A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE IN PUBLIC HEALTH AND FOOD SAFETY OF THE SOKOINE UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE. MOROGORO, TANZANIA. 2011 ii ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to assess and characterize the food types consumed by Hadzabe hunter-gatherer nomads in Karatu and Meatu districts, northern Tanzania. A total of 259 respondents from the target districts were involved in the study. Through cross-sectional study design, the data were collected using structured and semi-structured questionnaires to investigate the temporal patterns for the availability of food types consumed. Micronutrients (Cadmium, Copper, Chromium, Ferrous, Zinc, Magnesium in mg/l and %Calcium) and proximate composition of macronutrients were analysed in three common consumed roots (Ekwa, Magharitako and Shumugo). Overall, 47 varieties of plant species were consumed but only 15 among them were recognized by their scientific names. Twenty eight type of leaf vegetables, 16 root/tubers and 15 wild fruits/berries were identified among consumed plant materials and 29 animal species. Findings from spatial analysis demonstrated that honey (96.5%), meat (91.9%) and roots (76.4%) were found both during dry and rain season. The analyses of micronutrients showed that Cu, Cr, Mg and Fe (mg/l) in the samples exceeded the WHO Maximum Acceptable Residue Level (MARL). In particular, moisture content in Shumugo roots was higher (90%) than the WHO recommended levels. It is concluded that there are many varieties of wild food consumed and their availability depends on the season. The examined roots for micronutrients are probably toxic for Fe, Cr and Cu that requires further toxicity studies. There is need to raise awareness about the risks and hazards associated with nomadism, that include among other things inadequacy of vital nutrients in their diets that may cause malnutrition; and also toxic natural food types. iii DECLARATION I, MABULA MASUNGA MIGATA, hereby declare to Sokoine University of Agriculture that this dissertation is a result of my own original work and it has neither being submitted nor concurrently being submitted for a degree award in any other institution. ……………………….. …………………… M. M. Migata Date (MPH & FS Candidate) The declaration above is confirmed by ……………………….. …………………… Professor H. S. Laswai Date (Supervisor) ……………………….. …………………… Professor R. H. Mdegela Date (Supervisor) iv COPYRIGHT No part of this dissertation may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, without prior written permission of the author or the Sokoine University in that behalf. v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to thank the sponsors of this project Carnegie Rise through AFNNET and the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Tanzania for their financial support and great influence in this study. Much appreciations are also extended to Professor H. S. Laswai of the Department of Food Science and Technology and Professor R. H. Mdegela of the Department of Veterinary Medicine and Public Health, Sokoine University of Agriculture, who devoted most of their time supervising and highlighting invaluable critical comments during proposal development, fieldwork and dissertation writing. Pertinent to this study I wish to point out few of the relevant supportive key persons including Miss. G. Pamba (District Executive Director – Hanang), Mr. Bitegeko B. C. (Regional Administrative Secretary – Manyara), Mr. A. Mzurikwao (District Administrative Secretary – Meatu), Mr. P. Nducha (District Administrative Secretary – Karatu), Mr. M. Lala (Human Resources Officer – Manyara), and Miss. P. Sanga (District Executive Director – Meatu). Other special thanks are offered to Dr. S. Ulomi (Regional Medical Officer – Manyara), Mr. S. T. Mshashi (Regional Health Secretary – Manyara), Miss. E. Kombe (Regional Health Officer – Manyara) and Dr. Aziz Msuya (District Medical Officer – Hanang) for their hospitality and collaboration that were made during data collection in their respective locations. I wish to record my thankful expressions to all research assistants namely Mr. G. Surumbu and Miss. J.O. Temu and all the respondents for spending much of their time interviewing, questionnaire editing, root samples excavation and subsequently successful submitting them to SUA and SEAMIC laboratories for analysis. Appreciations are vi directed to all teachers who participated as research assistants from Sungu Primary School in Meatu. Moreover, I wish to ultimately thank Miss. M. Makange, Mr. Mruke, Mr. H. Mwiko, Mr. Moody Hassan and M. A. Kundy for their contribution in one or another way in the entire period of this study. vii DEDICATION This dissertation is dedicated to my beloved wife Mariam Athumani Kundy and my children Judith M. Masunga, Edith M. Masunga and Julius M. Masunga. viii TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT......................................................................................................................iii DECLARATION..............................................................................................................iv COPYRIGHT.....................................................................................................................v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.............................................................................................vi DEDICATION................................................................................................................viii TABLE OF CONTENTS.................................................................................................ix LIST OF TABLES............................................................................................................xi LIST OF FIGURES........................................................................................................xiii LIST OF APPENDICES................................................................................................xiv LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND SYMBOLS...........................................................xv CHAPTER ONE................................................................................................................1 1.0 INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................1 CHAPTER TWO...............................................................................................................5 2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW...........................................................................................5 CHAPTER THREE.........................................................................................................43 3.0 MATERIALS AND METHODS..............................................................................43 CHAPTER FOUR............................................................................................................52 4.0 RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS..............................................................................52 CHAPTER FIVE.............................................................................................................88 ix 5.0 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS.....................................................88 REFERENCES.................................................................................................................90 APPENDICES................................................................................................................111 x LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Caloric intake by percentage to three nomadic hunter-gatherers...............10 Table 2: Percentage of life expectancy on three nomadic groups...............................11 Table 3: Recommended nutrient intake (RNI) for dietary zinc (mg/day) to meet the normative storage requirements from diets differing in zinc bioavailability ............20 Table 4: Recommended calcium allowances based on North American and Western European data..................................................................................................................22 Table 5: Recommended Nutrient Intakes (RNI) for iron for different dietary iron bioavailability (mg/day)...................................................................................................30 Table 6: Summary of tolerable upper limits for minerals as recommended daily allowances.........................................................................................................................32 Table 7: Daily protein needs for different sex, weight and age groups.......................39 Table 8: Socio-demographic characteristics of respondents........................................64 Table 9: Types of fruits, vegetables and roots collected and foraged by Hadzabe ...66 Table 10: Common wild animals and food types identified that were eaten by Hadzabe nomads .............................................................................................................69 Table 11: Roles of family members in collection of food by Hadzabe nomads (N=259) ............................................................................................................................................71 Table 12: Distribution of respondents on availability and durability patterns of certain honey, milk and money for commodity purchase (N = 259)...........................72 xi Table 13: Methods of preparation of certain foods from meat, roots/tubers