A leading researcher at CPUT in the Faculty of Applied Sciences, Prof Victoria Jideani, has two patents under her belt.

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.

Written by Kwanele Butana
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The Food Technology Department will host a screening of the documentary Food Evolution on Friday 24 August. 

Staff and students are invited to attend this free screening at 2 pm in the Auditorium on Bellville Campus.

Directed by Academy Award nominee Scott Hamilton Kennedy (The Garden), Food Evolution is narrated by America’s favourite science communicator Neil deGrasse Tyson.

Food Evolution explores the polarising controversy surrounding GMOs (genetically modified organisms) and specifically food. It wrestles with the emotions and the science driving both sides of the argument as the filmmakers take us from Hawaiian papaya groves to banana farms in Uganda and cornfields in Iowa, US.

Food Technology lecturer Tony Obilana says the South African Association for Food Science and Technology (SAAFoST) approached the Food Technology Department to screen the documentary and they were keen to make it happen as it is a good entry point for students to learn about an issue that affects more and more people.

Owen Frisby executive director of SAAFoST, which is affiliated to the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) in the US, a leading funder on the documentary, said they screened it at their most recent Congress last year. He asked how else the film could be viewed by South Africans and was told Food Evolution LLC (the company set up by IFT to promote the film) would allow screenings on university campuses.

“The thing about GM is no one ever reads anything good about it. They made the movie stressing the science and the key issue regarding this movie is ‘on what basis do you make a decision? Emotionally, or do you use science?” explained Frisby.

*Food Evolution is 92 minutes long and the screening is free. If you want to attend then email Tony Obilana on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. as soon as possible.

Written by Theresa Smith
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