.
.
Nutrition and Health in
Ethiopia
Evaluation of the Plant Genetic Resources Centre of
Ethiopia's Germplasm Collection with Regard to an improved Utilization for a
sufficient and healthy Nutrition in Ethiopia 1992
by Dr. Johann Georg Schnitzer
Published on Internet September 2013
|
Table of Contents |
|
Introduction |
|
The
Terms of Reference |
|
Part I current Status, with Comments and Hints
|
1. |
Determine current status to identify germplasm material
of special nutritional and health value |
|
Health
and nutrition values of the germplasm still unknown |
|
Lysine
- important limiting essential amino-acid |
|
Higher
biological protein values by foodstuff combinations |
|
Different protein contents depending on agricultural method |
|
Each
yield - and its soil - must be analyzed again |
|
Currently only some general protein content can be analyzed |
|
Available analyzing methods don't allow health evaluations |
|
Cooperations between different institutions not yet working |
2. |
Determine current status to develop special food resources of importance |
|
Enjera |
|
Shortage of t'eff |
|
Experiments with other cereal mixtures to make enjera |
|
Experiments with sorghum mixtures should be continued |
|
The
not yet studied tannin problem |
|
Patability more than a tannin problem - a practical example |
|
Less
patability and health value - by storage and oxidation |
|
Hints
what is important |
|
No
practical uses up to now made from enjera experiments |
|
No
data about influence of different enjeras on health |
|
Not
yet food projects important for Primary Health Care |
|
Swedish study about Ethiopian food compositions 1975 |
|
Essential amino-acids analyzed |
|
Animal
feeding experiments |
|
Enjera
- loosing 70% of health value by fermentation!! |
|
Collo
(roasted barley) without any health value! |
|
Weaning food FAFFA: Growth effect destroyed by roasting soy |
|
Barley: More than double growth and health value than t'eff |
|
No
practical uses made up to now from results reported 1975 |
|
Some
scientific deficiencies in the experiments |
|
Difference between white and red t'eff not yet proofed |
|
Growth
rate not only from protein; growing factors of seeds |
|
No
more daily fresh grinding: Degeneration of population! |
|
Developing countries should avoid degeneration |
|
Baby-Food |
|
Weaning Food tasting experiments |
|
The
method used |
|
Misleading results by adding refined industrial sugar |
|
Permanent sugar consumption causes damages and degeneration |
|
Sugar:
Chemical Substance and drug, no natural foodstuff |
|
Weaning food with sugar boiled: Destruction of protein! |
|
Boiling baby food makes efforts to increase lysine useless! |
|
Most
available cereals for baby food |
|
Uses
of tasting studies: Recipees and the FAFFA production |
|
Data
of growth rates at mother and child health stations |
|
The
actual supplies and need of baby foods |
|
Health
of the nation depends on health quality of baby food |
|
Important brestfeeding and the handicapped office employees |
|
Actual
composition of FAFFA baby food |
|
Other
mixtures used for home-made weaning food |
|
Import
of weaning food consumes foreign exchange per year about 2 billion 216
million US$! |
|
The
use of raw, unheated, undenaturated baby food: Forgotten |
|
Health
values of weaning food used low or even negative |
|
Already 49% of Ethiopians showing degeneration symptoms |
3. |
Problems in Ethiopia, where the Genebank's collection and expertise
could be valuable |
|
Starvation - lack of cereals |
|
How
the Genebank could help |
|
Erosion |
|
How
the Genebank could help |
|
Lack
of foreign currency |
|
How
the Genebank could help |
|
Genetic erosion |
|
New
food crop varieties: Not proofed in marginal climates |
|
New
developed seed varieties: Health risks unknown |
|
Improving health value never was purpose of new varieties |
|
Most
heavy degeneration just where the new varieties eaten |
|
Only
traditional landraces proofed bases of healthy people |
|
Food
processing and preparation also of influence |
|
How
the Genebank can help |
4. |
Data for nationally coordinated program for sufficient and healthy
nutrition |
|
A fast
growing population (yearly growth rate 2.9% |
|
No
data about foodstuff quantities, processing, storage |
|
No
data about deficiencies and malnutrition diseases |
|
Most
important: Protein deficiency |
|
Suggestions of ENI (Ethiopian Nutrition Institute) to solve the heavy
deficiencies |
|
Suggestions of ENI can't solve the problem of deficiencies |
|
Lack
of trace elements - e.g. iodine - by oversupply of nitrate? |
|
Drug
distribution can't replace natural healthy nutrition |
|
No
data about degeneration signs or healthy populations |
|
No
standard available to measure health or degeneration |
|
Suggestions of ENI for a nationally coordinated program |
|
Current status |
|
Part II (Projects
Outlines, Recommendations) |
1. |
A project outline to identify germplasm material of nutritional and health value
|
|
Analyzing health-relevant contents of germplasm varieties |
|
Laboratory for Analyses |
|
Which
content of what to analyze? |
|
Contents of food crop varieties |
|
Total
protein and essential amino acids |
|
Fat
acids |
|
Carbohydrates |
|
Fibres
|
|
Vitamins |
|
Enzymes |
|
Hormones |
|
Aromatic substances |
|
Minerals |
|
Trace
elements |
|
Inhibitors |
|
Toxins
|
|
All
natural and artificial pollutions |
|
Radioactivity and radioactive elements |
|
Analyses of composition and contents of the soils |
|
Animal feeding laboratory
for control of health and nutrition values of food |
|
Computer monitoring system
for control of the bulk of PGRC/E's germplasm collection |
|
Introduction |
|
Implementation strategy |
|
Suggestion for a time schedule |
|
How to proceed
basically |
|
Computer equipment |
|
Data
bases |
|
Planning of Analyses and animal feeding laboratory, integration of computer system |
|
Planning of the Analyses Laboratory |
|
Planning of the animal feeding laboratory |
|
Planning of integration of the computer monitoring system |
2. |
A
project outline to develop special food resources of importance in
Primary Health Care |
|
Develop health-improved enjera mixtures and preparations |
|
Improve nutrition value of seed mixtures |
|
Fresh
grinding promotion |
|
Health-value maintaining enjera flour mixtures |
|
Health-modified fermentation process |
|
Possible: Professionally produced, packed, sterilized, storable high
health value enjera |
|
Animal
feeding experiments for evaluation |
|
Immediate practical result of this project: Health-improved enjera
processing principles |
|
Healthy enjera pamphlet with instructions, to distribute |
|
Develop health-improved baby food mixtures and preparations |
|
Improve growth, protein and nutrition values if seed mixtures for baby
food |
|
Fresh
grinding and germinating promotion |
|
Modified healthy fresh uncooked preparation process |
|
Immediate practical result of this project: Health-improved baby food
processing principles |
|
Healthy baby food pamphlet with instructions to distribute |
3. |
A
project outline for a nationally coordinated nutrition program
|
|
Summary |
4. |
Appendix I to project outline |
|
Appendix II to project outline |
|
Pamphlet to print |
|
|
© Copyright 1989-1992-2013 by Dr. J. G. Schnitzer, D-88045 Friedrichshafen, Germany
|
Introduction
It was
May 23rd 1983, when Dr. Melaku Worede (Director of the Plant Genetic
Resources Centre of Ethiopia) and Dr. Johann Georg Schnitzer (Germany)
met a first time at the Genebank in Addis Ababa.
Immediately both scientists were recognizing the high
synergetic effect for human health, nutrition and environment, if they
could cooperate.
In a
detailed letter of October 12, 1983 ro Dr. Melaku Worede, Dr. Johann
Georg Schnitzer described an important centre point of their
possibilities:
'Basically we want to get conditions concerning nutrition in which
the GENOTYPE of human being can be fully realized in the
PHENOTYPE. That means healthy, intelligent and beautiful people with
a powerful internal will of performance. This step makes it possible
to develop civilization on to a higher level without chronic
ailments and without starvation in the world.'
('Genotype' is used here for the complete genetic information of the
fecundated ovo, ready to be realized in the new human being).
For
several following years the intended cooperation couldn't be realized.
In 1989, the Genebank asked officially the German Government's
organization GTZ (Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit, Eschborn),
fo fund consultation of the Genebank By Dr. Johann Georg Schnitzer. At
last, it realized in February 1992 by this consultancy for 'Evaluation
of the Genebank's Germplasm Collection with Regard to an improved
Utilization for a sufficient and healthy Nutrition in Ethiopia'.
This
consultant project was limited to about 0.6 man-months in Ethiopia in
February 1992, correlated preparation work before going there, and
immediate work on results of the investigations after return to Germany,
to reach the agreed delivery date end of March 1992.
Because already beginning of April 1992 this report is wished to be
basis of further discussions of Dr. Melaku Worede with the GTZ
Representative at the Genebank in Addis Ababa.
To
determine the current status and the needs of development, a
questionnaire was worked out and faxed to Ethiopia January 25, 1992,
before the stay of Dr. Schnitzer there. Copies were given immediately ba
the Genebank to the Ethiopian Nutrition Institute ENI and to the
Ministry of Health of Ethiopia (MOH).
Most
of the answers were given by the Genebank and ENI. Other answers could
be found by interviewing one manager of the FAFFA factory (babyfood
production). The MOH could not answer the questions because of some
organisatorial problems.
In Part I the current status of the term is reported
and already some comments are given and conclusions are made.
In
Part II the project outlines are given.
Also in Part II, two immediate practical developments
of considerable importance for Ethiopia and the second even for other
countries are reported: An improvement of health and nutrition value of
home-made Ethiopian bread (enjera); and an optimal healthy and very
cheap home-made weaning food.
Some
unexpected and surprising results were found.
In general, this report is opening the chance for
Ethiopia, to become independent in its self-sufficient food supply from
own agricultural production, by using the Genebank's collection and
expertise.
Thanks
have to be said to
Dr. Melaku Worede,
Director of the Plant Genetic Resources Centre (Genebank), Addis
Ababa, Ethiopia;
Dr. Thomas Labahn,
Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ), D6236 Eschborn,
Germany;
Mr. Regassa Feyissa,
Head, conservation and Further Evaluation Department,
Plant Genetic Resources Centre (Genebank), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia;
Mrs. Almaz Negash,
Research Officer,
Plant Genetic Resources Centre (Genebank), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia;
Mrs. Beyenech Wossene,
Laboratory Assistant
and mother of the participating babyfood-testing baby Daniel,
Plant Genetic Resources Centre (Genebank), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia;
Daniel Agize,
7 months old first babyfood-testing baby,
son of Mrs. Beyenesch Wossene, Addis Ababa;
Ethiopian Nutrition Institute (ENI),
Director Dr. Aberra Bekele and
Mr. Gugsa Abate, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia;
Mr. Moges Abebe,
Technical & Production Manager,
Faffa Food Factory
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia;
Ms. Azeb Mulugeta Desta,
c/o Dr. J. G. Schnitzer
D-7770 Überlingen, Germany
Dr. Kurt Gruber,
Physisist and Computer Specialist
Connex Systems Engineering
CH-8910 Affoltern am Albis, Switzerland
Dr.
Kurt Gruber was cooperating with Dr. Johann Georg Schnitzer in the
preparation of the terms of reference and the questionnaire, and he - as
the specialist of information processing structures - worked out the
chapters about the information and data processing possibilities
indispensable to carry out such voluminous tasks and projects.
It is our wish, that this report might be the runway
for takeoff for projects and cooperation, which result in health and
prosperity for the Ethiopian population and which contribute to overcome
the present critical stage of human development, to reach a new higher
level of civilization, where health and sufficient food for everybody
will be normality.
Überlingen am Bodensee (Germany), March 31, 1992
Dr.
Johann Georg Schnitzer
P.S. This is the second edition.
After
the first edition of March 31, 1992 was delivered on April 3, 1992,
corrections were wished by the sponsor, which are carried out in this
second edition.
Überlingen am Bodensee (Germany), June 18, 1992
Dr.
Johann Georg Schnitzer
September 2013, Dr. Johann Georg Schnitzer has
published this report on his website:
http://www.dr-schnitzer.de/nutrition-and-health-in-ethiopia.html
The present (2013) address and contact data are:
Dr. Johann Georg Schnitzer
Zeppelinstr. 88,
D-88045 Friedrichshafen,
Deutschland/Germany
Fax +49-(0)7541-398561
mailto:Dr.Schnitzer@t-online.de
E-Mail
http://www.dr-schnitzer.de
D+E Site (German and English)
http://www.dr-schnitzer-buecher.de
books (German and English)
http://www.dr-schnitzer.de/intrasearch.html
Search (German and English)
http://www.dr-schnitzer.de/schnitzerreport-index.htm
Experiences (German)
http://www.dr-schnitzer.de/emailnachrichten.html
News (German)
http://www.dr-schnitzer.de/forum-documentation.html
(German)
____________________________________________________
The important development, the present (2013) status, the address
and the actual efforts of the Ethiopian Genebank see here:
Ethiopian Institute of
Biodiversity
http://www.ibc.gov.et/
info@ibc.gov.et
P.O.Box 30726
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia
back to Table
of Contents |
|
The Terms of Reference
Elaboration of a Report with subject:
Evaluation of the Genebank's Germplasm collection with regard to an
improved utilization for a sufficient and healthy nutrition in Ethiopia.
-
Determine current status and develop a project outline to identify
germplasm material possessing special characteristics of nutritional
and health value with particular reference to indigenous landraces
or primitive cultivars which constitute the bulk of PRGC/E's
germplasm collection.
-
Determine current status and develop a project outline to develop
special food resources of importance in primary health care.
-
Information aquisition to develop a list of problems in Ethiopia
where Genebank's collection and expertise could be valuable (e.g.
baby food).
-
Develop a project outline for a nationally coordinated nutritional
program providing sufficient and healthy nutrition for the country,
involving the Ministry of Health (MOH) and a foreign institution
collaborating with both MOH and PRGC/E.
back to Table
of Contents |
|
Part I
Current Status, with Comments and Hints |
1. |
Determine current status to
identify germplasm material possessing
special characteristics of nutritional and health value with particular
reference to indigenous landraces or primitive cultivars which
constitute the bulk of PGRC/E's germplasm collection |
1.1.1. |
Health
and nutrition values of the germplasm still unknown |
|
The
very important bulk of PGRC/E's Germplasm collection itself is
containing about 52,000 varieties of food crops, medicinal plants and
spices plants of East Africa.
But the knowledge about the nutritional and health
value of these varieties is yet very low. Only the general protein
contents ara analyzed - without determining the contents of the
essential amino acids - of about 500 wheat samples and of about 3500
sorghum samples. |
|
Lysine
- important limiting essential amino-acid
The
essential amino-acid lysine is - because of relative low contents in
most cereals - a 'limiting' amino-acid. That means: All other
amino-acids can only be used to built up the complete protein of the
human body so long as there is lysine available. As soon as all lysine
is consumed, the leftover of the other essential amino-acids can no more
serve to built up more complete body protein.
Up to now, only some sorghum types could be analyzed
and proofed to have higher contents of lysine. To know more about, would
be of high practical importance for a sufficient and healthy nutrition
of the population.
The
relative lowest content of one of the eleven essential amino-acids
limits the biological use of all others. Whilst in cereals the limiting
amino-acid mostly is lysine, the protein of legumes (like lentils,
chickpeas, peas) (like lentils,
peas, chickpeas) can be limited by tryptophane. |
|
Higher
biological protein values by foodstuff combinations
By
combining e.g. a type of cereal limited byy lysine with a leguminose
limited by tryptophane, they complement each other. The biological value
of their combined proteins is considerably higher than each of them
alone. But to optimize and recommend for practical use such
combinations, the contents of all essential amino-acids of each
important variety must be known. |
|
Different protein contents depending on agricultural method
The
contents of essential amino-acids even of the same type of a food crop
is different, depending on the methods of agriculture. Wheat e.g.
cultivated by chemical fertilizers has a biological value of 29.7 (29.7%
of its protein can be used to built up complete human body protein).
Grown without chemical fertilizers on natural soil with enough humus,
wheat has a considerably higher biological value of 48! To compare with:
The biological value of cow milk protein is 44.9. |
|
Each
yield - and its soil - must be analyzed again
This
fact is leading to two conclusions:
-
Each yield of even the same variety must be analyzed again, when the
recommendations shall be of practical value for health and nutrition
of the population;
-
The analyses of the soils concerning their biological values for
feeding the plants growing in and on them must be added, to optimize
the agricultural methods serving an optimal healthy and nutritious
food production.
back to Table
of Contents |
|
Currently only some general protein content can be analyzed |
1.1.2. |
Currently the Genebank is continuing to analyze - by their very limited
laboratory possibilities - the general protein content of more food crop
varieties. But even this has become difficult, because of lack of
functioning equipment and also lack of equipment and chemicals for
calibration of their laboratory equipment. |
1.1.3. |
The
results of a recent study with similar terms of reference, carried out
by Dr. Dendy, were mainly - according to only a letter of him available
at the Genebank in February 1992 - that the analyses of general protein,
carried out ba the Genebank's laboratory possibilities, were quite
different from analyses of the same sorghum types he carried out in
England. So he emphasizes the need for regular checking against a
primary standard. |
|
Available analyzing methods don't allow health evaluations |
1.1.4. |
To
identify germplasm material with special characteristics of nutritional
and health value, currently there is only available the general protein
evaluating, but this is not working properly (lack of equipment itself,
and lack of calibration chemicals and equipments). |
1.1.5. |
Practical uses which have been made up to now of the results of previous
investigations on health and nutritional value of germplasms, are the
increase of high lysine sorghum types in breeding programs. |
|
Cooperations between different institutions not yet working |
1.1.6 |
Cooperations between different institutions in Ethiopia to improve
utilization of the Genebank's germplasm collection are not yet
established.
There
was only some cooperation 4 years ago between the FAFFA-(babyfood)-factory
and ENI (Ethiopian Nutrition Institute) in developing a
sorghum-containing FAFFA and comparing it with t'eff-FAFFA and wheat-FAFFA.
But only the taste and acceptance, no health values were tested.
At
this time the FAFFA factory even is afraid not to get enough raw
materials for continuing its present supply of 72-80t per day (which is
only 5% of the total purchased baby-food in Ethiopia).
back to Table
of Contents |
2, |
Determine current status to develop special food resources of importance
in primary health care |
2.1 |
Enjera |
|
Shortage of t'eff |
2.1.1. |
T'eff,
as the original seed to produce the Ethiopian fermented enjera (for
those who don't know it: a type of flat bread, like a pancake, small
pieces of which are used by the Ethiopians as Europeans use fork or
spoon ore Chinese use sticks - to take up with it and eat any other
food), presently is not available in sufficient quantities. Also it has
become very expensive (200 - 300 birr per 100 kg). Therefore already
different other cereals are used to mix it with t'eff or to replace it,
like sorghum, maize, wheat, barley. |
|
Experiments with other cereal mixtures to make enjera |
2.1.2 |
The
ENI (Ethiopian Nutrition Institute) has already tried, about two years
ago, different other mixtures of raw materials, which would be the best
to replace partially t'eff. The aspects of testing were not health, but
only those of taste and appearance, by which as best mixtures came out:
Barley 30%, wheat 30%, t'eff 40%;
maize 60%, t'eff 40%;
Wheat 60%, t'eff 40%;
barley 40%, t'eff 60%.
|
2.1.3.1. |
Most
sufficient supply with seeds as raw materials for enjera made from
mixtures would be possible with barley, wheat, sorghum and t'eff. |
2.1.3.2. |
Sorghum also was used in the experiments of ENI (sorghum 80%, wheat 20%
and another sorghum 70%, wheat 15%, t'eff 15%), bit it didn't come into
the group of the best ones (concerning taste and appearance). |
|
Experiments with sorghum mixtures should be continued
However, taking into consideration that on varieties of sorghum about
400 million people depend in Africa and Asia, this topic should not yet
be finalized. The tested mixtures contain less t'eff (only 15%) than all
the other, as better tested mixtures (40-50% of t'eff).
Also there is no difference made between white and
coloured sorghum varieties, and it is not told if the flours were
freshly ground or stored ones.
It
seems that the white ones are partially those with higher protein
contents - and lower contents of tannin. |
|
The
not yet studied tannin problem
Tannin
is reducing the patability, what was the major problem the FAFFA factory
faced when trying to develop the sorghum-containing FAFFA.
Also it is suspected that the tannin content could
have a negative impact on the synthesis of protein and the activity of
enzymes. |
|
Patability more than a tannin problem - a practical example |
2.1.3.3. |
The
problem of patability of enjera from coloured sorghum was the one
bringing Dr. Johann Georg Schnitzer the first time to Ethiopia in 1983:
The
German Karlheinz Böhm had started his first aid project near Bisidimo
(not far from Harrar). About 800 ha to plant food for about 1200
refugees were available in the project. On 600 ha a coloured variety,
called 'Kenia-sorghum', was cultivated. The reason to take a coloured
variety was its resistance to the weaver birds, who sometimes eat up
most of the white sorghum seeds on the fields before the farmers are
able to harvest it. The coloured variety they don't touch.
But
after the coloured sorghum was harvested and used to prepare enjera, the
people said: 'We cannot eat it, it has a bitter taste.' Böhm's first
idea was to develop a pealing machine. But Dr. Schnitzer dissuaded to do
so, because he knew already: Taking off any part from a seed always
means danger of diseases and degeneration for the population.
First
he asked for sample of the sorghum to send to him, but there he couldn't
find a bitter taste. So he went himself to Ethiopia to study the problem
on the spot.
Going
around when the project was shown to him, they reached a milling house
with a medium size mill and a gasoline motor to drive it. Dr. Schnitzer
asked: 'How many times do you grind here?' The answer: 'Once each three
weeks.' Dr. Schnitzer: 'Just we found the solution of this problem!
Immediately after grinding any seed flour starts to oxidate, loosing its
health values very fast, within some hours or days. Depending on the
contents, some types of seeds develop by oxidation a bitter taste. The
same e.g. happens to oats flour. You must start to grind each day, and
only grind what you need the same day to prepare the food and enjera,
then there will be no more bitter taste!'
They
did so, and there was no more bitter taste. What was even more
important: The high health value of the seeds didn't get lost on the
way, it fully reached the food and the stomach of the people (exception:
Losses by fermentation of the dow). |
|
Less
patability and health value - by storage and oxidation
Later,
coming back to Addis Ababa, Dr. Schnitzer discussed this with Dr.
Krauss, who was working for the Genebank at that time. He confirmed,
that the colour substances of the skin of sorghum, being oxidized,
become bitter tasting substances. |
|
Hints
what is important
This
example is already giving hints, that on one side it is important to
know the different contents of varieties, and on the other side to use
the best ways of storing (preferably als unground germinable seeds) and
fresh processing, to reach the best final health values of the food
preparations.
back to Table
of Contents |
|
No
practical uses up to now made from enjera experiments |
2.1.4. |
Up to
now, no practical uses have been made of the study about different seed
flour mixtures to prepare enjera (e.g. no recommendations about
alternative mixtures, to compensate partially the lack of t'eff, have
been given to the population). |
|
No
data about influence of different enjeras on health |
2.1.5. |
As
well, no data are available about the influence of different enjera
mixtures on the health status of the population. |
|
Not
yet food projects important for Primary Health Care |
2.1.6. |
Up to
now, except a study on composite flour mentioned by ENI without further
details, no projects have been carried out to develop special food
resources of importance in primary health care. |
|
Swedish study about Ethiopian food compositions 1975 |
2.1.7. |
From 1964 to 1975 studies to develop a 'Food
Composition Table for Use in Ethiopia I and II' were sponsored by the
Swedish International Development Authority, Stockholm, and the Ministry
of Public Health, Addis Ababa.
Both tables were published 1975 in Uppsala, Sweden,
and can be obtained as well at the Ethiopian Nutrition Institute,
P.O.Box 5654, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, as at the Institute of Medical
Industry, Biomedical Centre, University of Uppsala, P.O.Box 575, S-75123
Uppsala, Sweden.
Table I is showing some basic contents of most
Ethiopian foodstuffs: Calories, nitrogen, total protein, fat,
carbohydrates incl. fiber, fiber, ash, calcium, phosphorous, iron,
carotene equivalent, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, tryptophan, ascorbic
acid.
but some foodstuffs are not analyzed, like bananas,
which woould be important for nutrition of babies and children. |
|
Essential amino-acids analyzed |
|
Table
II in its first part reveals the analyzed contents of 18 amino-acids,
including all essential amino-acids and including glutamic acid (which
is important for the functions of the brain). |
|
Animal
feeding experiments |
|
In its
second part animal feeding experiments were reported, carried out to
find the growth rate effect of the different foodstuffs and food
preparations.
Testing the growth effects of t'eff varieties and of enjera preparations
made from, results of high practical importance for health constitution
of Ethiopian population were reported (page 42):
The
growth effect of different t'eff preparations on young laboratory rats
was tested, measured in grams of increased weight within a period of 3
weeks:
Preparation |
Growth in g within 3 weeks |
T'eff flour (it is not reported if
freshly ground) |
....... 26.8 g (+ -
7.1) |
Unfermented bread from red t'eff |
....... 27.3 g (+ -
6.5) |
Bread from red t'eff, made in Ethiopia |
....... 15.6 g (+ -
6.6) |
Bread from white t'eff, made in Ethiopia |
.......... 8.3 g (+ -
3.7) |
24 hours fermented bread from red t'eff
|
........ 11.7 g (+ -
4.4) |
48 hours fermented, from red t'eff |
.......... 7.9 g (+ -
2.0) |
72 hours fermented, from red t'eff |
.......... 8.0 g (+ -
2.7) |
back to Table
of Contents |
|
Enjera
- loosing 70% of health value by fermentation!! |
|
These
experiments are proofing that the enjera, just by the fermentation
process, is loosing most of the original health and growth value. This
is a very heavy disadvantage and damage for health constitution of the
Ethiopian population, and sure one of the reasons for already 49%
degeneration signs found in 1989 in the Addis Ababa Population. |
|
Collo
(roasted barley) without any health value! |
|
Another result reported in this Table II is concerning barley and the
effect of the roasting process:
Preparation |
Growth in g within 3 weeks |
Barley, flour, unroasted |
....... 72.6 g (+ -
7.2) |
Barley, flour, roasted |
.......... 6.5 g (+ -
3.6) |
This
shows the complete destruction of the growth and cell regeneration
effects ba roasting. So the 'collo', which is roasted barley the
Ethiopians like to eat when drinking coffee or other beverages, has only
a drastically reduced health value compared to original barley.
This
is, however, of restricted concern because the quantities of collo eaten
are relatively small. |
|
Weaning food FAFFA: Growth effect destroyed by roasting soy |
|
In
contrast, this result has a strong effect for the weaning food FAFFA
because the high protein containing soybeans are roasted before grinding
and adding to the mixture, at a temperature of about 160° C. The
intention is to destroy the trypsin inhibitors of the soybeans. But the
total effect is a complete denaturation of its protein and a complete
destruction of its growing effects.
It is
also known from other animal experiments, that the growing and cell
regenerating effects of seeds and cereals are completely destroyed at
temperatures of 160° C and above. The first denaturating effects start
already at temperatures above 42° C (enzymes). |
|
Barley: More than double growth and health value than t'eff |
|
The
result regarding barley is showing that the growth and cell regenerating
effects of barley are more than double, compared to t'eff, which should
be taken as one of the hints, which kind of experiments and developments
should be made to improve the health quality of nutrition. |
|
No
practical uses made up to now from results reported 1975 |
2.1.8. |
Up to
now, no practical uses or consequences of these scientific results,
published in 1975, have been worked out. |
|
Some
scientific deficiencies in the experiments |
2.1.9. |
The
results of these analyses reported in Table II did not report if the
flours used were freshly ground or how long they were stored before
feeding. This would be very important to get correct results. Because it
is known that already some hours or days after grinding the cereal
flours lose fast their growth effects, which are important parameters of
their health maintaining values. |
|
Difference between white and red t'eff not yet proofed |
|
By
this mistake e.g. the big difference between white and red t'eff could
be artificially produced; perhaps the flour of the red t#eff used for
the experiments was more freshly ground and the flour of the white t'eff
stored for 4 weeks, having lost by that time nearly all of its growing
effects. |
|
Growth
rate not only from protein; growing factors of seeds |
|
It
would be a misperception of data reported in Table II, that the growth
rate would be based only on the protein value and contents. It is known
from animal growth experiments, that even under full protein supply the
growth can be reduced or stopped by lack of other substances, which must
be completely available to allow growth (in young organisms) and cell
regeneration (in adult organisms). Those are groups of minerals, trace
elements, vitamins and other substances, which are not yet completely
analyzed. But it is proofed, that they are completely available in the
germs of cereals and other seeds, and that their efficacy (that means
their measurable biological growth and cell regenerating effects) gets
very fast lost after grinding of the seeds and storing them under normal
atmospheric conditions open or in sacks, paper- or plastic sacks or
silos. |
|
No
more daily fresh grinding: Degeneration of population! |
|
The
old Ethiopian tradition of grinding each day freshly what is needed to
prepare the food of the day, has been given up more and more. People go
once per month to a milling place, to grind all the flour for the month;
some even grind only once per year! This is a further reason for the
growing degeneration of the population and of the destruction of the
former very strong health constitution of the Ethiopians. The economy of
the country will not be able to carry the costs of the degeneration
ailments which must be suspected in the near future and which are
already developing (e.g. tooth decay, hypertension, diabetes, reduced
development of the bones, muscles, brain, malformation of the skeleton. |
|
Developing countries should avoid degeneration |
|
Developing countries like Ethiopia should avoid completely the
degeneration of their population. The knowledge how to do it is
available. Healthy populations - and a healthy, unpolluted evironment
and agriculture - are their most important natural capital.
back to Table
of Contents |
2.2. |
Baby-Food |
|
Weaning Food tasting experiments |
2.2.1. |
Several weaning food mixes have been tasted by ENI (but not tested or
studied on their different health effects):
Broad beans |
+wheat, +barley,
+t'eff, +sorghum, +maize, +ensete; |
Field peas |
+wheat, +barley,
+t'eff, +sorghum, +maize, +ensete; |
Lentils |
+wheat, +barley,
+t'eff. |
|
2.2.2. |
The
best accepted ones were the underlined ones. |
|
The
method used |
|
The
procedure was to determine the mixture, then to prepare it, to taste it
by adult persons and if found tasty to feed it to babies and children.
By taking the weight of the mixture before feeding it to a certain
number and age group of them, and taking later the weight of the
leftover, the acceptance was found out. Those were then published to be
recommended by the advisers in the villages. |
|
Misleading results by adding refined industrial sugar |
|
The
method can mislead, because very often 10-20 g or sugar per child are
added in these mixtures, and already the ENI found a tendency to the
sweet side. Once adapted to sweet taste, the children will prefer higher
and higher sugar concentration. By those tests, the recommended and
produced babyfood mixtures will become more and more sweet. |
|
Permanent sugar consumption causes damages and degeneration |
|
The
permanent consumption of considerable amounts of sugar will destroy the
teeth by dental caries, reduce the calcium and phosphorus contents of
the bones (osteoporosis) and produce a deficiency of B-vitamins, with
all negative consequences for disorders of metabolism and general health
constitution. |
|
Sugar:
Chemical Substance and drug, no natural foodstuff |
|
Sugar
- processed refined industrial sugar - is no natural food, it is a pure
chemical substance and it is not just a refined foodstuff. It is as well
a substance similar to drugs which make consumers addicted to it. All
normal natural foodstuffs are only eaten so long as there is hunger or
appetite for them. The more eaten of them, the lower hunger or appetite
for it. But with sugr it is something else. A person who is used to
sugar and takes it, will feel to want more and more of it, and try to
get higher and higher concentrations. |
|
Weaning food with sugar boiled: Destruction of protein! |
|
There
is another negative effect of adding sugar to a baby food mixture. In
each of the recipes given it is recommended to mix with the ingredients
flour, milk, sugar, and then to boil it. What happens, is described by
Frédéric Stahl, Strasbourg, in his book 'Die Erde hat Eiweiß für alle'
(Earth has sufficient protein for all humans) 1977, page 25:
'Protein - except enzyme protein - remains unchanged up to about 85°
C. In case the foodstuff is containing - besides protein - also
sugar, either mono- or disaccharides, (then) the Maillard-Reaction
happens (reaction between the CO-group of the sugar and an NH2-group
of an amino-acid, by exit of water, as Bürke is describing in
detail). The compounds produced are no more decomposed by the
digestive enzymes. In the proteins the amino-acids are connected by
their COOH- and NH2-groups. Therefore, only
those amino-acids of a protein molecule can participate in the
Maillard-Reaction, which contain several NH2-groups.
To those belongs lysine.'
'Because the seeds contain - besides starch - also small amounts of
sugar, and cereal protein mostly limited by lysine, it is to
understand that by cooking, baking and frying the biological value
of cereals is reduced Bürke investigated this extensively by
experiments.'
back to Table
of Contents
|
|
Boiling baby food makes efforts to increase lysine useless! |
|
It is
easy to imagine, that all efforts, e.g. to increase breeding of sorghum
types with higher lysine contents, would become useless, when after that
mixtures of it with sugar are developed and recommended to boil. |
|
Most
available cereals for baby food |
2.2.3. |
The
sufficiency of cereals to prepare baby food differs from area to area.
But mostly available are barley, wheat, sorghum and t'eff. The FAFFA
factory is reporting now lack of soya and chickpeas. |
|
Uses
of tasting studies: Recipees and the FAFFA production |
2.2.4. |
The
practical uses of the studies on (acceptance of) baby food have been
made by developing the production of FAFFA, and by giving printed
recipes to the health advisors and mother and child health stations. |
|
Data
of growth rates at mother and child health stations |
2.2.5. |
Te
mother and child health stations and also the RRC (Relief and
Rehabilitation Commission) possess data about the growing rates of the
children. |
|
The
actual supplies and need of baby foods |
2.2.6. |
With
the manufactured FAFFA baby food (72-80 t per day) actually estimated
750,000 babies are fed, mostly getting some additional other food and
breastfeeding. In Ethiopia there are about 1.5 million babies below 1
year of age, out of the roughly 5 million babies. In total there are
about 15 million children between 0 and 5 years of age. This information
was given by the Technical & Production Manager of the FAFFA factory to
Dr. J. G. Schnitzer in February 1992.
The
considerably high percentage of babies between 0 and 5 years of the
total population of actually 56 million Ethiopians (in 1992) is
demonstrating the high growing rate of 2.9% of the population. The
population growth during the next 10 years is estimated to increase the
Ethiopians up to 74.5 millions in the year 2002.
The
actual numbers of 1992 mean, calculating an average of (dry) 180 g of
weaning food product per day and child, an actually needed daily
production of 2.700 t of weaning food. |
|
Health
of the nation depends on health quality of baby food |
|
It's
easy to imagine, that the biological health quality and performance of
the population depends considerably on the biological and health quality
of these 2.700 t per day or 995.500 t per year of weaning food. |
|
Important breastfeeding and the handicapped office employees |
2,2,8. |
Breastfeeding, as an important health base for the babies, is used in
urban areas only up to max. 1 year. Ladies working in offices
don't breastfeed their babies because of the difficulties to practize it
during the working hours (they cannot bring their babies with them to
the office, they cannot leave the office when it woould be time for
breastfeeding, and the babies are also not brought to them to the
office). For this important problem a solution should be found.
In
rural areas, breastfeeding is used up to 4 years.
back to Table
of Contents |
|
Actual
composition of FAFFA baby food |
2.2.9. |
The
actual composition of FAFFA is:
Wheat |
57% |
Chickpeas |
10% |
defatted soy |
18% |
dried skim milk |
5% |
sugar + iod salt |
9% |
vitamins, minerals |
1% |
|
|
Other
mixtures used for home-made weaning food |
2.2.10. |
Where
FAFFA is not available, mixtures of barley, wheat, emmer-wheat,
sometimes added peas, chickpeas, fanu-greek are used for own preparation
of baby food. |
|
Import
of weaning food consumes foreign exchange per year of about 2 billion 216
million US$! |
|
FAFFA
production is only 5% of what is sold on the Ethiopian market in total
as ready mixed baby food and weaning food. It is sold for about 0.50 to
2 Birr per 500 g. The other 95% are imported, like Cerilac, S 26, Nab,
and some others. These are sold for 30 to 40 Birr per 450 g (which
creates a considerable and also avoidable need of foreign exchange for
it). This information also was given by the Technical % Production
Manager of the Ethiopian FAFFA factory to Dr. Johann Georg Schnitzer in
February 1992.
The
daily import quantity of weaning food therefore is calculated to be
1,425 t. Calculated at a purchase import price of 20 Birr per 450 g
package, and calculated the free exchange market price of US$ of
about7:1, this are per day 8,866,635 US$ paid by the Ethiopian economy
to import weaning food of doubtful health and growth value. Per year
this are 2,216,750 (2.216 billion) US$ Ethiopia is losing foreign
currency, which could be better used to import technical and high tech
products the country cannot produce!
To
compare the costs for the import of baby food in relation to others: The
last Ethiopian budget before the political change had been about 4.8
billion Birr (or 676 million US$) in total, and within that about 1.2
billion Birr (or 169 million US$) for defence. That means losing foreign
exchange in an amount of the complete national budget into 3.28 - for
importing baby food. |
|
The
use of raw, unheated, undenaturated baby food: Forgotten |
2.2.11 |
Use of
raw, undenaturated, unheated weaning food is no more known. That means,
all weaning food - except some fruits given - is at least denaturated by
heat. |
|
Health
values of weaning food used low or even negative |
2.2.12 |
In
general: The health values of the FAFFA types of baby food (and
considerable percentage of other preparations used or recommended) have
to be considered as rather low or even negative. Due to the oxidation
during storage of the flour and e.g. denaturating heat processing in the
factory, some longrange heavy degeneration has to be expected.
Also
the imported weaning foods, based on milk powder, white refined wheat
flour and industrial sugar, are of very doubtful health and nutrition
value. Animal experiments with feeding heated, pasteurized, boiled milk
or dried milk powder are showing heavy skeleton and organ degeneration
of the animals from the second generation on, whilst the animals from
the same family produce healthy following generations fed by fresh raw
milk. Also refined flour and sugar are having negative effects on
metabolism and growth and demineralizing bones and teeth. |
|
Already 49% of Ethiopians showing degeneration symptoms |
|
As
shown by a randomized study, carried out in June 1989 by the author of
this study Dr. Johann Georg Schnitzer and Dr. Kurt Gruber in cooperation
with the Ethiopian Ministry of Health, already 49% of the Addis Ababa
population are showing degeneration symptoms. As one of the causes of
such degeneration, oxidized and denaturated cereal products are known.
back to Table
of Contents |
3. |
Problems in Ethiopia, where the Genebank's
collection and expertise
could be valuable |
3.1 |
Starvation - lack of cereals |
|
How the Genebank could help |
|
By its
Germplasm collection and expertise the Genebank could take over a key
role to maintain and improve the food supply and healthy nutrition of
Ethiopian and East African population - |
3.1.1. |
by
determining the amino acid and other health-relevant contents of the
germplasms and giving advices which are the best combinations to grow
and to prepare healthy and nutritious food; |
3.1.2. |
by
identifying and recommending increased plantation of those high protein
value plants which are having high resistance to drought and other
marginal soil and climate conditions, and which allow the natural
low-input-agriculture without needing chemical fertilizers and
pestizides. |
|
Erosion |
3.2 |
The
light Ethiopian soils are highly sensitive to erosion, which has already
destroyed a lot of fertile land. Erosion is continuing by keeping too
many animals, which don't allow young trees to grow, and by cutting off
the trees for firewood to cook the food. Also, erosion by use of
chemical fertilizers is starting, which destroy the natural humus within
4-8 years, so that rains can wash off the land. |
|
How
the Genebank could help |
|
The
best prevention of erosion comes from rich living humus, which is
absorbing rainwater like a sponge and giving it slowly off to the plants
and the ground water. The Genebanks germplasm collection and expertize
can help to avoid erosion by - |
3.2.1. |
recommending those food crops which grow by natural agricultural methods
and which increas the humus content of the soils; |
3.2.2. |
teaching the natural agricultural methods, linke fertilizing by
composting and by mixing-in legumes (like lentils, chickpeas, peas) which increase fertility of the
soils. |
3.3 |
Lack
of foreign currency |
|
About
90% of the Ethiopian population are farmers. Even if the 'chemical
agriculture' would not destroy the permanent fertility of the soils, the
country and the farmers would not be able to import the chemical
fertilizers, pestizides and the hybrid seeds, which cannot be multiplied
by the farmers, so they must buy each year again the seeds to run such
type of agriculture. Also there is already overproduction of such food
crops in the world, so that there would be no good chances to export for
foreign currency. The lack of foreign currency would only become worse. |
|
How
the Genebank could help |
3.3.1. |
The
Genebank by its germplasm collection and expertise can provide the
farmers with the seeds and the knowledge to run a low-input natural
agriculture, which will make the farmers and the country rich, allowing
also good export of unpolluted, very healthy food products, which are
demanded in the high-civilized polluted countries, and which can be
produced from Ethiopian food crop landraces. |
3.4. |
Genetic erosion |
|
A fast
erosion of the genetic varieties of traditional food crops is going on
in the world. This is heavy and dangerous for the fast growing human
population. |
|
New
food crop varieties: Not proofed in marginal climates |
|
Because the new breeded food crop types are not yet proofed to resist
marginal climate and other conditions, which have been survived by the
traditional landraces in their long evolution history of hundreds,
thousands and ten thousands of years. |
|
New
developed seed varieties: Health risks unknown |
|
Also
all these newer food crop types - including those developments of the
last 150 years like wheat types with increased starch content (to
produce more white flour, one of the causes of civilization ailments)
and decreased germplasm content - are not yet at all studied on their
long range degenerating effects on populations, serving as nutrition
base during several generations. |
|
Improving health value never was purpose of new varieties |
|
Whenever a genetic program of a seed has been changed up to now, e.g. to
make it more resistant to a certain insect, or to increase the yield per
hectar, or to make it more resistant to temperature below 0° C, never it
was checked, not even in animal feeding experiments, and not at all in
human experiments, if there are - positive or negative - effects on
health constitution, level of immunity to infections, intelligence
quotients, reproduction in the next generations. |
|
Most
heavy degeneration just where the new varieties eaten |
|
It is
a fact that just those populations, fed by products from those
manipulated cereals and other food crops, are showing heavy
degenerations and a level of chronic civilization ailments, the costs of
which can no more be financed even by the richest countries. In
addition, the performance of those populations is decreasing (e.g. by
lower supply of glutamic acid, which is important for a good functioning
and creativity of the brain, so that their economy is going down. Other
populations, having still reserves from a more healthy and natural
nutrition are overtaking them. |
|
Only
traditional landraces proofed bases of healthy people |
|
Only
the traditional landraces of food crops proofed to be reliable bases for
a healthy population and reproduction without degeneration - what can be
seen e.g. by the perfect skeleton and teeth status of the former
generations of all past historic and prehistoric times of the human
populations all over the world. |
|
Food
processing and preparation also of influence |
|
Probably the food processing and preparation methods are also having
influences on maintenance of health or creating degeneration. But the
fact remains, that the newer and newest food crop seeds and hybrid seeds
are not at all proofed to be safe for long range health of populations.
back to Table
of Contents |
|
How
the Genebank can help |
|
The
Genebank can help to protect the populations and keep the future open
for healthy food crops and for sufficient supply of the growing world
population even under changing and marginal conditions by - |
3.4.1. |
conserving all landraces and varieties in the Genebank; |
3.4.2. |
motivating and instructing the farmers to grow in each place the most
appropriate varieties and use the most appropriate intercropping
methods; |
3.4.3. |
assisting in marketing efforts to support the permanent production of
the varieties; |
3.4.4. |
protecting the traditional agriculture, by advising and supporting, from
high-input and high-tech agricultural monocultures of genetically
manipulated, partially even hybrid seeds; |
3.4.5. |
protecting and improving, by advising and supporting the farmers, the
natural lving humus - needed to maintain permanent fertility which
allows low-input agriculture - from being displaced by wrong
agricultural methods; |
3.4.6. |
evaluating the best appropriate varieties to produce and prepare healthy
baby food, and advice the farmers how to grow it and in which needed
quantities. |
4. |
Data for nationally coordinated program for sufficient and healthy
nutrition of Ethiopian population |
|
A
fast
growing population (yearly growth rate 2.9% |
4.1. |
Total Ethiopian
population |
56,019,330 |
Population growth |
2.9% |
Child mortality (1-5
years) |
160/100,000 population |
Total death rate |
8.7/100,000 population |
Life expectancy |
50.8 years males
53.1 years females |
(Source 1984 population census CSA)
back to Table
of Contents |
|
No
data about foodstuff quantities, processing, storage |
4.2. |
About
foodstuff quantities, processing, storage, distribution and preparation
methods no reliable data are available. |
|
No
data about deficiencies and malnutrition diseases |
4.3. |
About
nutritional deficiencies and diseases caused by malnutrition, no data
are available. It is only known basically, that there are Protein
malnutrition, Iodine deficiency disorder, deficiency of vitamin A, and
nutritional anaemia. |
|
Most
important: Protein deficiency |
4.4. |
Protein malnutrition is the most important deficiency.
What
has been done to improve protein supply up to now is (as reported by ENI):
Development of weaning food (as described above), nutrition education,
establishing nutrition rehabilitation centre, introduction of soybean,
supplementary feeding program (multisectoral approach towards
alleviating nutrition program), exp<nsion of JNSP experience (district
health approach). |
|
Suggestions of ENI (Ethiopian Nutrition Institute) to solve the heavy
deficiencies |
4.5. |
Suggestions of ENI to solve the heavy deficiencies are: Development of
nutrition-oriented development programs as long term, food
supplementation as short term strategy, distribution of iodine capsules,
distribution of vitamin A capsules, increased promotion of
vitamin-A-rich foods, distribution of iron tablets. (It is not explained
in the answer of ENI to the Genebank on our questions, what long term
and short term means in detail). |
|
Suggestions of ENI can't solve the problem of deficiencies |
|
Except
the first two, which describe but only general intentions of developing
development programs, all others of these suggestions must be
criticized, because of leading in the wrong diseases treating direction
by distribution of medicaments, instead of improving the natural bases
of health by developing and promoting healthy nutrition, which would be
the originally appropriate task for a country's nutrition institute. |
|
Lack
of trace elements - e.g. iodine - by oversupply of nitrate? |
|
As
known in Europe, goitre by lack of iodine in areas with low iodine
content of the soil mostly develop only, when nitrates reach the ground
water and come into the drinking water - reducing the relative intake of
the already low iodine content.
These
nitrates are contents e.g. of chemical fertilizers and also of cow dung
or human faeces and urine, which are brought on the meadows and fields
as fertilizers (or just infiltrate the soil because of lack of sewerage
system).
Also
the food crops will absorb less iodine when fertilized by uncomposted
cow dung, urine and other raw uncomposted faeces, or when fertilized by
chemical nitrate fertilizers.
This
is similar to absorption and intake of the trace element copper. In an
example reported by Professor André Voisin (1902-1964), (Paris,
professeur d'agriculture), one meadow's soil was having low content of
copper. Even then, the cows eating the grass didn't develop the
copper-deficiency disease 'meadow-tetanus'. But as soon as nitrate
fertilizer was put on the meadow, the disease developed. Because the
nitrate salts were relatively reducing (displacing) the intake of copper
by the plants.
The
solution of the iodine problem is to clean up the agricultural methods
used, by returning to natural composting for fertilizing and recycling
of faeces, urine and cow dung, and organize a clean water and sewerage
system.
back to Table
of Contents |
|
Drug
distribution can't replace natural healthy nutrition |
|
Also
the intake of vitamin A capsules would be expensive and uneffective to
provide a total population; but already the daily consumption of some
grams of a carot are enough to solve the problem.
As
well a distribution of iron tablets would be no good method to reduce
iron deficiency. Because as known from the iron therapy of anaemia, the
iron destroys insaturated fat acids, so that a deficiency of them
develops by giving iron. A better solution would be to teach the people
how to manage a balanced natural undenaturated nutrition; this will
solve any deficiency of whatever substances known and unknown but
essential, without resulting in new side-effects and new other
deficiencies. |
|
No
data about degeneration signs or healthy populations |
4.6. |
As ENI
reports, there are no data available on degeneration signs. Also there
are no data where actually the most healthy groups of population are
living, and which are their foodstuffs, and their processing, storing
and preparation methods. |
|
No
standard available to measure health or degeneration |
4.7. |
Also
there are no standards of measurement available to determine the health
status of the children and adults. |
|
Suggestions of ENI for a nationally coordinated program |
4.8. |
Suggestions of ENI for a nationally coordinated program providing
sufficient and healthy nutrition for the country are: The use of
conceptual framework and the process of assessment, analysis and action;
incorporation of household food security and nutrition goals in
development action; human resource development; promotion of community
level interventions; development of food and nutrition policies. |
|
Current status |
|
The
current status is, that the Genebank is having a very valuable germplasm
collection, knowledge and experience. But to improve utilization of it
for a sufficient and healthy nutrition of Ethiopian population, the
conceptual framework is not yet developed, the evaluations of health
values and analyses of contents of considerable 52,000 germplasm
varieties are not yet known, no standards are available to measure
health or degeneration, and no data are available about degeneration
signs or healthy populations.
So
nearly all work relevant to improve utilization of the Genebank's very
valuable germplasm collection for a sufficient and healthy nutrition of
Ethiopian population still has to be done.
back to Table
of Contents |
|
Part II
Projects
Outlines, Recommendations |
|
The
Terms of Reference of this study ask as well to determine current
status, as to develop project outlines.
The
current status in the fields of this study is reported and discussed in
Part I.
The
project outlines are developed and discussed in Part II.
Therefore, the topics of the study are now discussed under aspects of
project outlines. |
1. |
A project outline to
identify germplasm material possessing
special characteristics of nutritional and health value with particular
reference to indigenous landraces or primitive cultivars which
constitute the bulk of PGRC/E's germplasm collection |
|
Analyzing health-relevant contents of germplasm varieties |
|
To
utilize the Genebank's germplasm collection for improving a sufficient
and healthy nutrition of Ethiopian population, it is necessary to know
all health-relevant contents of all germplasm varieties available.
Without this knowledge, no practical recommendations can be given..
As an
example: Not knowing, which varieties of sorghum have higher contents of
the limiting amino-acid lysine, no recommendation can be given, which
variety should be cultivated more by the farmers.
It is
known, that even the contents of the same variety are different,
depending on the quality and humus content of the soil where it was
growing.
This
means, that each yield again has to be analyzed, and that the soil where
the yield has grown as well has to be analyzed.
Also
other, negative contents are important to decide about the health value
of food seeds and crops. Plant inhibitors and poisons, natural and
artificial pollutions.
The
data as well will be the raw material to give out recommendations, which
varieties should be increased in the next season, and which agricultural
methods should be applied to maintain permanent fertility of the soils
and high health and nutrition quality of the yields.
The
data monitoring system needed to manage the considerable amount of data
and allow the necessary conclusions, also should be able to process the
data which already now are collected in the Genebank: 52,000 varieties
with their dates and places of collection, the times how long they stay
germinable, automatical reminding system when which samples should be
checked, and when which samples should be regenerated by planting in
soil and collecting their seeds again. |
|
Laboratory for Analyses |
1.1. |
An
important precondition for the value of each recommendation based on
contents of food crop varieties is the reliability of the analyzing
methods and results.
If the
analyzing methods are not reliable, the contents found out could be
wrong, and the recommendations based on them as well would be wrong.
As the
recommendations based on the results of analyses are decisive for a
sufficient and health of a fast growing population of actually 56
million Ethiopians, who will be 74,5 million after only 10 years, it
needs a very effective, modern analyzing laboratory, producing very
precise, reliable data of all relevant contents of food crop varieties,
yields and soils.
This
means, to establish a first class modern analyzing laboratory at the
Plant Genetic Resources Centre of Ethiopia.
This
Ethiopian Institution, because of its high scientific world class level,
actually is becoming more and more important for all Africa, and
concerning protection from current genetic erosion, for the world. This
gives chance, to offer its services of a first class analyzing
laboratory on a payment basis to other Genebanks of Africa and the
world. By that, part of the maintenance costs of such a laboratory could
be financed by paid analyses.
back to Table
of Contents |
|
Which
content of what to analyze? |
1.1.1. |
Contents of food crop varieties |
|
The
contents of food crop varieties, important for maintenance of health and
therefore to analyze on their qualities and quantities, are: |
|
Total
protein and essential amino acids |
|
The
total protein content is important to know, but not enough to classify
the protein value for nutrition, which is limited in different food
crops by different essential amino-acids, e,g, lysine or methionine or
tryptophane. Also the recommendations how to combine different food
crops and seeds to optimize the protein value of the nutrition, depends
on detailed and reliable knowledge of the contents of each food crop
variety and of each yield of it. Because there are considerable
differences even in the same variety, depending on the soil and the
agricultural method used.
By
comparing the total protein content of a nutrition to its content of all
essential amino-acids, the biological value (the body-protein-composing
percentage) of the total protein can be determined.
Amino-acids in food - including the essential ones - are found as free
amino-acids, or connected to other components, or connected as a
component to peptides or proteins, Therefore the analyzing methods have
to take care that all contents are found, e.g. not only the content of
free amino-acids.
The
eleven essential amino acids are needed in different percentages to
built up human protein. As there are other, non-essential amino-acids as
well needed to built up human protein, a similar 'biological value' of
the food composition is the best, as it is found in the composition of
the human protein itself. The human body protein contains about 47%
exogen-essential amino-acids, and about 53% non-essential amino-acids.
The food should contain maximum about 45% exogen-essential amino-acids.
The
difference comes by needing supply with a 'half-essential' amino-acid,
which is glutamic acid, very important for the functioning and
performance of the brain. It's content in the total food protein should
be about 25%; only the other leftover 30% can be all other non-essential
amino-acids.
The
protein, half-exogen-essential and exogen-essential amino-acids to
analyze in the food crop varieties are:
Total protein content
|
Glutamic acid |
Methionine |
Arginine |
Thyreonine |
Histidine |
Leucine |
Lysine |
Isoleucine |
Tryptophane |
Valine |
Phenylalanine |
Cystine |
back to Table
of Contents |
|
Fat
acids |
|
Saturated fat acids (high contents in animal products) are responsible
for several diseases like cardiovascular diseases. One gram of saturated
fat needs one gram of protein to metabolize the fat. So the total need
of protein depends very much on the total consumption of saturated fat
acids.
Unsaturated and high unsaturated fat acids, high contents in the germs
of most seeds, are important for oxygen transport into the blood and
from the blood into the cells. As well they are important for the
perfect function of the membranes of the cells and the receptors in it,
and - together with other anti-oxidants like the vitamins C and E - for
the protection of the cells from production of dangerous and damaging
free radicals (which e.g. can be the reason for developing skin cancer
after exposure to ultraviolet light, or for the diseases connected with
AIDS).
So the
laboratory should be able to analyze quantities and qualities of -
native and oxidized -
Saturated fat acids
|
Unsaturated fat acids |
High-unsaturated fat
acids |
|
|
Carbohydrates |
|
Carbohydrates, when consumed in their natural composition of complete
food seeds and crops, are the most important, most efficient and most
healthy supply of energy. The food seeds and other food crops should be
analyzed on their contents of:
Complex undissolvable
carbohydrates (starches) |
Dissolvable carbohydrates = |
Disaccharides |
Monosaccharides |
|
|
Fibres
|
|
The
fibre content of nutrition is important for the functions of the
intestine, and for a balanced absorption of the nutrients. It protects
considerably from intestine cancer. Too much fibres on the other side
(for example eating or adding bran instead of eating the naturally
balanced wholemeal food, can block the total iron absorption in the
intestine, by adsorbing of the iron at the fibres). So there should be
analyzed the contents of:
Cellulose |
Lignine |
and other Fibres
|
back to Table
of Contents |
|
Vitamins |
|
Not
necessary to explain the general importance of analyzing the contents of
all vitamins, because well known in science and the public:
Vitamins |
A |
Retinole |
B1 |
Thiamine |
B2 Complex I |
Folic Acid |
B2 Complex II |
Niacine, Acid of
Nicotinic Acid |
B2 Complex III |
Pantothenic Acid |
B2 Complex IV |
Riboflavine |
B6 |
Pyridoxine |
B12 |
Cobalamine |
C |
Ascorbic Acid,
Dehydroascorbic Acid |
D |
Calciferole |
E |
Tocopherole |
K1 |
Phyllochinone,
Vitamins of Coagulation |
K2 |
Multiprenylemenachinone |
K3 |
Menadione |
H |
Biotine, Skinfactor
Coenzyme R |
P |
Citrine, Vitamin of
Permeability |
It is important to know, that not yet all vitamins
are analyzed. So the analyzing methods have to be planned flexible, to
adapt when additional vitamins are suspected.
as one example there are publications about a vitamin
of fertility; When there is deficiency, degenerations of the next two
generations are the consequences, ending up in infertility. When it is
available in sufficient quantities, the genetic reproduction normalizes
within two generations. When it is given in higher quantities, from the
third generation on the fertility is even increased. The vitamin is not
yet analyzed. |
|
Enzymes |
|
The
role of enzymes in a health-maintaining nutrition is not yet explored
much. But how important enzymes can be, is shown e.g. by the fact that
babies are not yet having themselves much enzymes to metabolize complex
carbohydrates.
Knowing this deficiency, the pediatric medicine up to now thinks it
necessary to give already dissolvable mono- and disaccharides (sugar) to
the babies. By that they are making them addicted to sweet taste, and by
the permanent sugar supply they put heavy damage on the minerals and
carbohydrate metabolism, with consequences like e.g.:
-
deficient mineralization and increased demineralization of the
teeth, leading to heavy tooth decay;
-
deficient
osteogenesis and -regeneration, leading to rachitis, osteogenesis
imperfecta and osteoporosis of adults;
-
shift of the carbohydrate metabolism from aerobic (oxidative), whose
end product is CO2 which is breathed out, to
an anaerobic, glycolytic metabolism;
-
by
that less utilization of the calories of carbohydrates, increased
production of liquid acids like lactic acid and pyruvic or
pyroacemic acid, which cannot be breathed out like CO2,
therefore accumulate in the organism;
-
by
that not only pains in the muscles already after little use of them,
but also shift to the anaerobic, glycolytic metabolism of the cancer
cells.
But
all the enzymes needed by the babies to digest the complex carbohydrates
are available in the seeds which contain the complex carbohydrates.
Because the seed itself needs them when germinating. Only, in the baby
food products up to now, they are not yet there, because either removed
(e.g. refined white wheat flour), or denaturated by heating procedure,
or oxidized by storage of flour.
There
are methods available to use these native enzymes for healthy baby food
preparations. Therefore it is important, to analyze the enzyme types and
quantities available in the germplasm varieties. It is important too, to
analyze in which stage of germination the enzymes contents are the
highest.
So,
there should be analyzed the contents of:
Deaminidizing enzymes
|
decarbolizing enzymes
|
coagulating enzymes
|
glycolytic enzymes
|
lipolytic enzymes
|
proteolytic enzymes
|
hydrolytic enzymes
|
oxidating enzymes
|
reducing enzymes
|
blocking enzymes
|
stimulating enzymes
|
respiratory enzymes
|
enzyme activators
(trace elements) |
back to
Table of Contents
|
|
Hormones |
|
Also
the contents of hormones of food crops are not yet analyzed, but
important. As one of the hints might serve the content of an
insulin-substituting hormone of Topinambur, which saved e.g. diabetic
patients during World War II in Germany. |
|
Aromatic substances |
|
Everybody understands easily that contents of aromatic substances are
important for coffee varieties. It is less known, that contents of
aromatic substances of the same variety can be different, depending on
the agricultural methods used.
Also
for a lot of other plants the contents of aromatic substances are
important, e.g. for tea, for herbs and spices, and e.g. for vanilla.
But
also for the food crops like carrots, tomatoes and fruits like banana,
ananas, apples, oranges and a lot of others, the aroma is an essential
part of its taste and digestability.
Aromatic substances influence the patability of the food preparations
and by that a good and complete digestion and assimilation of the food
substances in total. |
|
Minerals |
|
The
importance of minerals is known; but the mineral contents of seeds and
food crops are much less known and partially even not yet analyzed.
Besides, wrong ideas about the mineral supply exist and wrong advices
are given, which can produce heavy disadvantages for the total healthy
food supply of a population.
E.g.
the meaning, cow milk would be necessary for calcium supply, is wrong
and the advice to do so produces lower resistance to virus diseases, and
a loss of much agricultural land to feed cows, instead of using it for
growing food crops for direct human nutrition, so to feed much more
people from the same land.
Mineral elements which should be analyzed are:
Natrium |
Chloride |
Kalium |
Calcium |
Phosphor |
Magnesium |
Iron |
Iodine |
|
|
Trace
elements |
|
Probably nearly all existing elements are somehow important as trace
elements for the functioning of the human organism. Some are needed in
such low quantities, that even a complete lack of them only has
consequences from the third generation on; it can already be sufficient
for life, what the organism of the mother has given over to the embryo.
Without trace elements, most enzymes and most vitamins would not be
efficient; they need different trace elements as 'co-enzymes' to work.
Some
trace elements can be blocked by other substances. E.g. Selenium, which
is very important for the functioning of the immunity and defence of the
organism against virus and microbe infections, is blocked by Mercury,
the most common surce of which are the amalgam fillings, which most
dentists fill into the population's teeth, when those are damaged by
refined carbohydrates, especially by disaccharides and monosaccharides
(sugars).
Fluoride contents above a very low trace level are poisonous; one of the
indicators are 'mottled teeth' (impaired mineralization of the teeth).
The
following trace elements should be analyzed:
Zinc |
Tin |
Nickel |
Copper |
Mangane |
Chromium |
Cobalt |
Fluoride |
Molybdenum |
Selenium |
Vanadium |
Arsenic |
Boron |
Aluminium |
Cadmium |
|
|
Inhibitors |
|
Inhibitors in seeds or roots mostly are there to protect the seed or
root from too early start of the germinating process. Specially some
inhibitors of some beans or e.g. soybeans can damage human health,
interfering in human metabolism. E.g. trypsine inhibitors in soybeans
are the reason why it is difficult to use their high protein value for
human nutrition without destroying its total value as a 'side-effect' of
destroying the trypsin inhibitors. 'Stone-seeds' as those from plums are
using hydro-cyanic acid as inhibitor. The contents of hydro-cyanic acid
- different by the varieties - e.g. in Maniok and Ensete - could be one
reason for finding Leprosy in one area and in another not. Therefore
should be analyzed the contents of:
-
Trypsin inhibitors (e.g. beans varieties, soybeans),
-
Tannin (e.g. sorghum varieties),
-
and others.
back to Table
of Contents |
|
Toxins
|
|
Toxins
can develop by wrong harvesting and storage methods of seeds and other
food crops; and the contents of natural elements can become poisoning
when the percentage is too high. E.g. the plants absorb too much of
heavy metals if the soil's pH is low (= acid, sour) by wrong
agricultural methods (anaerobic fowling processes, e.g. by using raw,
uncomposted cow dung). The following groups of toxines should be
analyzed:
Organic poisons like |
Aflatoxins |
Hydrocyanic acid |
Anorganic poisons like |
Zinc |
Tin |
Nickel |
Copper |
Mangane |
Chromium |
Cobalt |
Fluoride |
Molybdenum |
Selenium |
Vanadium |
Arsenic |
Boron |
Aluminium |
Cadmium |
in unphysiological
concentrations. |
|
1.1.2. |
All
natural and artificial pollutions |
|
Ethiopia up to now is relatively free from artificial pollutions, what
is a very good condition to produce healthy food.
But
the geological young vulcanic ground of most parts of the country, there
could be regional higher concentration of elements which could damage
human health. One example already is known: There are areas with high
content of Fluorine, which dissolves in the water, producing not only a
damage of the enamel-producing cells and causing by that 'mottled
teeth', but also causing deformation and heavy pains of the bones of the
skeleton, and causing an acceleration of senilism and shortening life
expectance by nearly 50%. Very probably the food crops absorbing such
water and growing in such soils also absorb higher percentages of
Fluorine.
The
considerable morbidity of endemic goiter in several areas of Ethiopia
could be caused by accumulation of nitrate by animal breeding, causing a
relative deficiency of iodine.
so
there should be analyzed the contents of:
Nitrite |
Nitrate and other |
Chemical fertilizers |
Pestizides as |
Insectizides, |
Herbizides; |
Hormons |
Fluoride |
Mercury |
Cadmium |
Lead (Plumbum) |
back to
Table of Contents
|
1.1.3. |
Radioactivity and radioactive elements |
|
By
natural radioactivity and much more by atomic explosive experiments,
atomic power plants and their reactor accidents, their increasing
radioactive wastes, and use of radioactive substances in medical
experiments and treatments, the pollution of food resources of mankind
is increasing and becoming a property which can be decisif for utility
or danger for health of food crops and foodstuffs. Therefore an
integrated analyzing of food crops cannot exclude radioactivity and
contents of radioactive elements:
The
total radiation per kg baby food shouldn't exceed 100 Bequerel, per kg
food for adolescents and adults 300 Bequerel (Japanese limits).
European limits for Caesium 137, established 1987 after the Tschernobbyl
accident, were (compulsory - otherwise no more food at all available)
higher: 400 (later reduced to 370) Bequerel per kg baby food, 1000
(later reduced to 600) Bequerel per kg milk products, 1250 (later
reduced to 600) Bequerel per kg of other food products
Radioactive elements, contents of which in food and food crops should be
analyzed, are:
H 3 |
C 14 |
Ca 137 |
Pm 147 |
P 32 |
S 35 |
Cr 51 |
Co 60 |
Ga 67 |
Kr 85 |
Y 90 |
Mo 99 |
I 125 |
I 131 |
Xe 133 |
Yb 169 |
Ir 192 |
AU 198 |
Tl 201 |
Am 241 |
Pb 201 |
Hg 195 |
Hg 197 |
Cm 244 |
Cs 137 |
Po 210 |
Uranium |
Plutonium |
Thorium |
|
|
1.1.4. |
Analyses of composition and contents of the soils |
|
The
contents of food crops are not only depending on their genetic variety.
The contents of even the same variety depends very much on the
composition and contents of the soil where the variety is grown.
To
come to know the full variation range of the contents of each variety,
is an important precondition to know the real health and nutrition value
of each variety. Only then it is possible to compare the true different
health and nutrition values of all varieties.
The
real health and nutrition value of each variety can only be found out
by:
-
knowing the qualities of the different soils where the samples had
been grown;
-
finding out the optimal soil qualities for each variety on which it
produces its highest nutritional and health values;
-
comparing all varieties concerning their nutritional and health
values under the same conditions, means each growing on its special
optimal quality soil.
Only
to compare just accidentally produced contents of varieties, without
knowing the different compositions and contents of the soils where they
were grown, would produce wrong results and would not be proper
scientific work.
To
show by example the variation of contents of food crops depending on the
type of soil and agricultural method used: The biological protein of
wheat can vary between 20.7 and 48, depending on the agricultural method
used!
The
analyses of the soils, compared with the varying contents of the seeds
and food crops, will allow to optimize more and more the agricultural
methods, to get the most healthy and richest food production under
condition of maintenance and increasing a permanent natural fertility.
This
will be of existential importance not only for permanent health of the
Ethiopian population, but also of the populations of all Africa and of
all the world.
In
detail the soils should be analyzed on (by):
-
pH;
-
General composition of elements, minerals and trace elements;
-
Measuring the thickness of the humus layer;
-
Determining total amount of organic substance per square meter;
-
Analyzing the quantitative contents of amino acids, carbohydrates,
types of fat acids, vitamins, hormones and enzymes of the organic
part of the humus per square meter of the soils of plantation;
-
counting and classifying the aerobic and anaerobic soil bacteria per
cm³, and calculating their proportions;
-
counting and classifying the micro-fauna in the soil;
-
counting and classifying the insect population of the plantation
place;
-
analyzing the natural and artificial pollutions of the soils.
Most
of these analyses can be made by the laboratory equipments needed
already for analyzing the seeds and other food crops.
For part of it, good microscopic facilities are
needed.
To develop on the lifespan of seeds stored in
germinable status at the Genebank, and to develop storability of
germplasm material of plant types the seeds of which cannot be kept
long, like coffee seeds, by storing lyophilisized living plant cells,
the Genebank needs complete equipment for lyophilisation (vacuum
deepfreeze drying methods, used e.g. for long range storage of bull
sperms and for artificial insemination).
back to Table
of Contents |
1.2. |
Animal feeding laboratory
for control of health and nutrition values of food seeds and food
crop varieties and their soils |
|
For
evaluation of the long range health and nutrition value of food seeds
and crops, analyses are important, but not sufficient. Because not all
health-relevant substances are known and analyzed, and even the
synergetic effects of the known and analyzed ones are mostly unknown.
The
analyses can give some basic information to calculate and plan roughly a
balanced nutrition; but even this works only out, when the nutrition
composed after that is not composed by the refined known components, but
by the natural, unrefined, undenaturated, living original foodstuffs.
What
happens, when all known analyzed refined food substances including
vitamins, minerals and trace elements are given, was found out by
BERNASEK: The laboratory animals get sick, aggressive, eat partially
their own children and degenerate; at about the third generation they
become unfertile. The same type control animals, fed only by wheat
seeds and leafs of kohlrabi, stay completely healthy, with happy and
peaceful behaviour, and produce for unlimited generations healthy kids
(offspring).
To
control the long range health values of food compositions, food seeds
and food crops by controlling health status, morbidity and mortality of
a human population takes very long time, and the correcting measures
will be slow and late.
Most
ailments caused by malnutrition or pollution need at least 20 years of
silent, unremarkable incubation time, until a statistically relevant
increase can be identified. Among those ailments are the leading killer
diseases: Cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and cancer.
Shorter incubation times have dental caries and diseases of the gingiva
(6 months to about 10 years).
But
malposition of teeth as an important sign of degeneration can only be
remarked in the next generation, when already a heavy loss of
preconditions of health has occured; and the corrections need another
two generations to repair hte damage.
Certain short range conclusions can be made by measuring the growing
rates of babies and children; within 3-4 years different results under
different conditions can be obtained.
But
for a short range efficient control system biological data from animal
feeding experiments are indispensable.
The
most appropriate type are young growing laboratory rats, which are
breeded under certain conditions. Then they are taken into the
experiments from a weight of 50 grams on. Their growing rates and their
health status and morbidity allow conclusions on the health status and
morbidity which can be expected for the population under the same
nutrition.
As a
life span of a laboratory rat of 3 years is corresponding to a human
life span of about 80 years, in a short experimental time long range
conclusions for human health are possible.
Therefore, as a next step after establishing the analyses laboratory and
data monitoring system, an animal feeding laboratory should be
established, using the scientific experience and knowledge already
collected in this field during the last 70 years, mostly in Germany.
back to Table
of Contents |
1.3. |
Computer monitoring system
for control of the bulk of PGRC/E's germplasm collection and data
processing of its properties |
1.3.1 |
Introduction |
|
In
order to promote the goal of a sufficient and healthy nutrition for the
countrym a database containing relevant data about the accessions of the
Genebank should be established. A very careful design of this data base
is necessary, as it has to be flexible, with an open architecture,
adaptable to new requirements based on results of previous
investigations and experiments. The addition of new analyses must be
possible at any time, so new evaluation or simulation programs can be
added easily. The following paragraphs discuss some of the ideas on the
implementation and structure of such a database. |
1.3.2. |
Implementation strategy |
|
The
following estimate gives an indication that a carefully planned
implementation strategy is absolutely necessary in order to keep the
project realistic and with a well structured data base.
If for
instance, for all the species stored at the Genebank, all the analytical
measurements mentioned in 1.1. would be carried out every year,
approximately 15 million analytical results would be determined each
year, costing around 200 to 300 million US$. This is equivalent to a
workload of 50 to 100 typical medium-sized industrial chemistry
laboratories.
Therefore it is mandatory that a proper strategy is chosen considering
-
Selection of representative samples;
-
selection of most important analytical measurements;
-
sort out any dependencies which do not need measurements on many
samples /e.g. dependency of nutritional value of crop on
agricultural methods) as these can be determined in specific
research projects.
The
following classification should be used as a guideline to determine
which measurements should be carried out on which samples:
-
Qualities which should be determined for all samples (e.g.
germination capability);
-
Qualities which should be determined for species which are
cultivated in amounts relevant to the supply for the country (e.g.
amino-acids cibtebt);
-
Research results which may include many specific investigations on
only a few carefully selected samples (e.g. correlation between
agricultural methods and soil and food quality).
|
|
Suggestion for a time schedule |
|
In an
initial phase we recommend to determine some of the most important
results for the predominant species in the country (category B in
classification above). These then can be used to improve the health
quality of food in an early stage of the project. This could be done in
external laboratories before establishing equipment at the Genebank.
Based on the preliminary results, procurement of equipment for the
Genebank could be optimized. Furthermore, based on these results, the
data base structure could be adapted according th insights gained in the
first phase. |
|
How to
proceed
basically |
|
The
next step in the project should always give a useful result relevant to
the overall project goal (sufficient healthy nutrition for the country)
at minimum cost. Good examples for this are the development of
health-optimized enjera and healthy natural baby food in this report.
back to Table
of Contents |
1.3.3. |
Computer equipment |
|
Necessary is:
A multi-user system with
-
data base software,
-
statistical software,
and programs for the specific routine tasks, like
-
laboratory sample and results management,
-
data entry,
-
management of accessions,
-
work load planning for laboratory,
-
food synthesis by simulation.
A
highly important aspect is an easy to use query system for data base
access. In addition, statistical evaluations of information must be
supported in a user-friendly way.
Standard interfaces for data exchange with other programs are a
necessity, e.g. to
|
1.3.4. |
Data
bases |
|
The
list of the following databases is a preliminery suggestion for some
typical databases which might be useful for the project goal:
-
Overall parameters:
names of species,
identification,
characteristics of analytical results,
identification of soil types,
-
Storage and germination data on Genebank's accessions,
-
Analytical contents of most important germplasms,
-
Results of animal experiments for most important germplasms,
-
Results of biophoton activity determination of germplasm in relation
to analytical results and animal experiment results,
-
Health quality of food as a function of soil quality,
-
Soil quality dependency on agricultural methods,
-
Soil quality in selected areas,
-
Water quality in selected areas,
-
Pollution in selected areas,
-
Radioactivity data of selected areas.
For
detailed planning of needed hardware and software, a feasability study
should be done.
back to Table
of Contents |
1.4. |
Planning of Analyses and animal feeding laboratory, integration of the
computer monitoring system |
1.4.1. |
Planning of the Analyses Laboratory |
|
The
practical planning could be started by working over the list of
substances to to analyze. Perhaps some of them still are lacking, e.g.
some of the polluting chemical substances, or some natural substances
which are found to be important to know their contents in food crops or
in soil. The result would be a list I of substances to analyze.
Then a
list II of analyzing equipments could be made, covering all analytical
methods needed to analyze all substances of list I.
The
third measure could determine the quantities per year, month, week, day,
of the different analyses. By that the needed capacity of the different
equipments could be determined.
This information would allow to plan the totally
needed equipments, the laboratory rooms and the qualifications and
number of staff needed. |
1.4.2. |
Planning of the animal feeding laboratory |
|
To
begin with it should be determined the types of laboratory animals. Most
experiments can be done with laboratory rats of certain varieties, and
breed and pre-fed in certain determined conditions. For some, For some,
rabbits are the most appropriate (influence of conditions on the
development of the embryos).
The
next would be to determine, how many animals should be taken for one
experiment, to bring significant results under scientific biometrical
conditions.
Then
the average endurance of the experiments should be determined, taking
into consideration the life spans of the animal types, the generation
time, and the number of generations needed to find out long range
generations effects of determined experimental conditions.
Also
the methods of keeping the animals under determined conditions should be
documented, and the space needed per animal or family or group of
animals.
After
that the needed rooms, room conditions, number and qualification of
staff can be determined. |
1.4.3. |
Planning of integration of the computer monitoring system |
|
The
planning of the computer monitoring system depends on these other
plannings, because the observations and results of all analyses and
animal experiments should be documented in the monitoring system, and
also be processed. E.g. it should be possible to compare results, and
work out statistics, to find out significant trends and tendencies. Also
the control of the data of the complete germplasm bulk of the Genebank
should be possible, including results of germinating experiments, and an
automatical reminding system when seed samples stored should be
regenerated.
After
analyzing this, the total computer capacity as well as the places at
which laboratory and offices to put terminals of the computer monitoring
system can be planned, and also the number and qualifications of staff
needed.. Most of the terminals would stand in the laboratories, and the
laboratory staff would work with it; one head of computer department for
controlling them and for doing computer analyses, statistics and
organization of the programs should be planned.
back to Table
of Contents |
2. |
A
project outline to develop special food resources of importance in
Primary Health Care |
|
There
would be several important special food resources of importance in
Primary Health care, which should be developed. Here we concentrate on
two food resources, the biological qualities of which are important to
maintain health and prevent diseases and degeneration in Ethiopia: The
Ethiopian bread enjera, and the baby food.
In
Part I the doubtful biological qualities of both at present are
explained and commented. Now we will show how their biological qualities
can be improved and optimized. |
2.1.1. |
Develop health-improved enjera mixtures and preparations |
|
To
improve enjera mixtures and preparation methods can increase its health
values much. Enjera is eaten each day several times in considerable
quantities by all Ethiopians. It is the main foodstuff, by which cereals
are contributing to Ethiopian nutrition. The right use and preparation
of cereals is the most important part of a healthy nutrition.
These
are some of the reasons why improving health values of enjera will have
an important positive influence in Primary Health Care. |
|
Improve nutrition value of seed mixtures |
|
T'eff
is mostly used as the cereal to make enjera, so far it is available. But
as we have seen, t'eff is not the seed with the highest health value.
Its advantage is, that it is growing even under marginal climate and
soil conditions. Other seeds like e.g. barley are having higher values.
More health value and nutrition values than each single seed or cereals
can be obtained by mixtures of different seeds with different properties
and different limiting amino-acids.
One
effectful step to improve the nutrition and health value of enjera
therefore is to develop mixtures of seeds for enjera. The aspects for
experiments should be:
-
Availability of the cereals by Ethiopian production,
-
good biological value of the protein mixture,
-
balanced mixture of other relevant components,
-
agreable structure of the enjera for practical use,
-
good taste of the enjera,
-
appetizing appearance.
back to Table
of Contents |
|
Fresh
grinding promotion |
|
The
complete health and nutrition values of the cereals used to prepare
enjera are only available when the flour is freshly ground when
preparing the dough.
Therefore promotion of fresh grinding is another important part of
contribution to Primary Health Care, by improving the contents of health
maintaining properties of seeds in the enjera. |
|
Health-value maintaining enjera flour mixtures |
|
There
is no health value in normally produced and stored flours and flour
mixtures for enjera, because of fast oxidation and catabolic enzyme
reactions after grinding.
Only
by certain high-technological, sophisticated processing and storing
methods, ready-for-use enjera flour mixtures could be produced, stored,
sold, again stored in the house, and then be available without losses of
health value to prepare the enjera dough.
Basically it would be possible to develop an industrial production of
health value maintaining, optimized enjera flour mixtures. This would
improve the healthy and sufficient food supply in Ethiopia considerably,
and would create a number of working places for jobless young
Ethiopians. |
|
Health-modified fermentation process |
|
Even
when most health values of the seeds are protected up to the moment of
dough preparation, still most of it can get lost by the fermentation
process, which can destroy up to 75% of the original health values.
To
maintain the sour taste on one side, it is recommendable to ferment only
about 25% of the enjera flour for about 6-12 (maximum 24) hours. After
that, the other 75% of the - again freshly ground, therefore all health
values containing - flour and an appropriate quantity of water should be
added and mixed to the final dough. After only 1-2 hours fermentation
the enjera should be baked.
By
this procedure, the health value (e.g. the growing and cell regenerating
effect) of such enjera should be increase by about 300%, compared to the
procedure used now. |
|
Possible: Professionally produced,
packed, sterilized, storable high
health value enjera |
|
Basically it would be possible to develop - on a higher class bakery or
factory level - the professional production of enjera from high health
value cereal mixtures and by health value maintaining processing.
Immediately after baking and still at the baking heat it can be packed
in sterile way without loosing any of its health value or freshness
during several weeks.
For
realization it would be necessary to develop the industrial procedures
as well as the health value maintaining total processing and production
equipment, the packing and the marketing of the product.
Especially in the urban population such high quality ready-made enjera
could find - as a convenient product - a good market. |
|
Animal
feeding experiments for evaluation |
|
To
optimize the health values of the seed mixtures and the fermentation
process, animal feeding experiments are necessary.
The
experiments could be carried out at the Animal Feeding Laboratory for
Health and Nutrition Values, which is recommended to establish at the
Genebank.
back to Table
of Contents |
2.1.2 |
Immediate practical
result of this project: Health-improved enjera
processing principles |
|
When
staying in Ethiopia for the investigations of this project, Dr. Johann
Georg Schnitzer wanted to reach already one practical progress in this
important matter of enjera.
After
discussing this intention with Dr. Melaku Worede, Director of the
Genebank, he found out, that similar methods already were known in some
Amharic populations, who prepare such enjera for pregnant women and for
people having gastrite. So it was already known, that these methods are
better for health, even to cure diseases, and better for a normal
healthy development of the embryo. But this knowledge has been forgotten
by the bigger part of the population.
To
start a first practical experiment, Dr. Schnitzer and Mr. Regassa
Feyissa (Head, Conservation and Further Evaluation Department of
Genebank), contacted the ENI (Ethiopian Nutrition Institute), asking for
assistance. This but didn't work out, because of several different
difficulties there.
So
they decided to do the experiment by support of the staff of the
Genebank. Mrs. Almaz Negash (Research Officer of the Genebank) took it
over.
First
it was discussed, which mixture of cereals available in considerable
quantities in Ethiopia could give an optimized biological protein value.
The following was recommended as an optimal mixture:
Experimental enjera
cereal mixture |
Barley |
150 g |
Wheat |
100 g |
Sorghum |
100 g |
T'eff |
150 g |
25% of the mixture were ground freshly, mixed with the sourdough starter
(= a cup of enjera dough kept from last time making enjera; if not
available, yeast) and water and
left over night for fermentation.
The other morning, the other 75% of the mixture were
ground and added to the fermenting one. Body-warm water was used to mix
both and to make the dough ready for baking after another 1-2 hours.
The baked enjera was tested by several people in the
Genebank and various comments were given.
The comments given were:
-
'The enjera is very tasty as compared to the one
we are used to, which is totally fermented for more than three
days.'
-
'The "eyes" are not fully seen, so it requires
further fermentation.'
-
'The combinations are good but the proportion
needs to be adjusted because the taste is more of barley and as well
the flour needs to be sieved.'
-
'It might be difficult for the society to adapt
this recipes especially the urban dwellers who (most of them) only
eat t'eff enjera. But, on the other hand, in the rural areas where
all are used to eat barley alone, or barley mixed with wheat or
sorghum, t'eff mixed with sorghum or etc., it is simple to make it
practical.'
These
first practical results are already proofing that basically this
important health value improvement of the basic foodstuff enjera can be
realized.
The
'eyes', which were less in the experiment and which are the open bubbles
of the fermentation gas, are having a practical purpose: Like very
little 'spoons' they shall carry the liquid part of the 'wot' (sauce)
and other foods taken and brought into the mouth by the enjera.
By
further experiments those 'eyes' could be increased either by modified
processing - e.g. using the natural enjera sourdough starter instead of
yeast, controlling the temperatures during the fermenting process. Only
the fermenting times should not be expanded because of the loss of
health values.
The
flours used for the experiment were a bit coarse, because the mill used
was not optimal for the purpose. But to sieve the flour would not be
good, because of sieving out just the most health-important (more
coarse) parts like the germ embryo or the outer layers of the seeds
containing most of the minerals and trace elements. There are mills
grinding the complete cereals to very fine wholemeal flour; those should
be used for grinding the flours for enjera.
back to Table
of Contents |
2.1.3. |
Healthy enjera pamphlet with instructions, to distribute
to
print it click here:
pamphlet_nutrition_and_health.pdf
(print quality optimized for Adobe Reader) |
|
Already by the knowledge available at present and the practical
experiences made by the first experiment, the following pamphlet with
simple but effectful advices can be developed. It can be translated into
Amharic and the other Ethiopian languages, printed and distributed by
the Mother and Child Health Service stations.
The
text in English for this pamphlet:
Healthy Enjera for Healthy Family
For
health, optimal growth of children and cell regeneration of adults,
cereals and seeds are the most important foodstuffs. Enjera is the most
important cereal food in Ethiopian nutrition. Therefore it is important,
to avoid any unnecessary losses of health-, growth- and
regeneration-values of the original cereals used to prepare enjera. The
highest health value of enjera is reachted by following up these
advices:
-
Use only germinable, living cereals, preferably traditional
landraces, grown on natural soil without chemical fertilizers and
without fouling raw animal dung (aerobically rotted = composted under
access of air allowed). This means highest health values and lowest
pollution.
-
Use mixtures of seeds like t'eff, sorghum, barley, wheat, emmerwheat,
millet and others. The health value of any mixture is higher than
using one cereal alone.
-
Grind cereals always freshly yourself (on stones or stone grinder)
at the moment you need the flour. Also grind only the quantity you
need at that moment. Never keep or store flour. It would loose most
health values within some hours after grinding. Food made from
stored flour only 2 weeks old causes heavy degeneration of the next
two generations (children and grandchildren). Exception: Specially
health-value-maintaining processed and packed wholemeal flours and
flour mixtures, but which are not yet available in the market.
-
For fermenting (to give the usual sour taste and develop the enjera
'eyes'), first grind only one quarter (25%) of the cereal mixture
quantity you want to take in total, add water and the before from
last time stored fermenting enjera sourdough culture (starter), mix it
completely and make it fermenting over night at a warm place (dough
temperature 26-30° C).
-
To
make the final dough, grind freshly the other three quarters (75%)
of the cereal mixture, add lukewarm (30° C) water and the fresh
flour to the fermented dough, mix it thoroughly, let it ferment for
about another 1-2 hours and without any further delay bake the
enjera.
By
this two-step dough procedure, most of the original health value of the
cereals are saved into the enjera and can reach the human body, serving
as health-maintaining food for your family.
If the
complete dough would be fermented for only 24 hours, it would loose
three quarters (75%) of the health values even of the freshly ground
cereals. Diseases, reduced immunity to infections and degeneration of
the next two generations could be the consequences.
To
complete the biological health and protein value of this enjera, the
best wot is a fresh, uncooked, raw one, freshly made from germinated and
smashed lentils, chickpease, peas, smashed raw tomatoes and spiced by
some drops of lemon juice, salt, pepper and other spices.
---------------------------------------------- |
2.2.1 |
Develop health-improved baby food mixtures and preparations |
|
The
physical and mental performance capacities, the energy and intelligence
level, and last not least the health and beauty of the generations
during their full lifespan are decisive for their biological and
economical existance and success of a population.
To
reach this, requires in detail:
-
Optimal percentage of realization of the genetic information given
by the parents' sperm and ovo;
-
optimal general development and growth of the embryo and the child
until adult age;
-
pütomal health maintenance and cell regeneration during complete
lifespan of the adult.
To
reach this, requires the following conditions in detail:
-
A
balanced metabolism homeostasis,
-
availability of all needed biological substances and nutrients,
-
absence of drugs and poisons and of their damages,
-
given in the following human life periods:
-
of
both parents when fecundating the obo (that means practically at any
time when there is possibility that it could happen);
-
of
the mother during the complete pregnancy (most important the first
days and first weeks up to 3 months!);
-
of
the mother during breastfeeding period (quality of mother's milk
depending on it);
-
of
the child during complete growing period (up to adult age);
-
of
the adult human individual during all life to allow permanent cell
regeneration, health maintenance and reproduction of a next
generation of the same optimal biological qualities.
One of
the most decisive human periods is the time from birth until the child
can eat all what the adults eat. Latest from age of 4 months on, weaning
food (baby food) must be given regularly for a complete nutrition of the
baby.
If
during this period no good baby food is available, the baby cannot
develop properly. E.g. during the first 24 months a baby can grow about
28 cm, if the food quality and supply allows this. If not or not
sufficient, the missed centimeters of growth later cannot be
compensated; the later adult person will be shorter than the genetic
program would have allowed.
Also
the resistance against children's infectious diseases - and if infected
the response of the immune system to cure it and develop immunity - will
be lower, and by that children's mortality will be higher, when there is
deficiency of good weaning food.
These
are some of the reasons, why the availability of good and healthy
weaning food (baby food) is very important for health of population.
But
there are other periods in the development of a new human being, which
are of the same or even higher importance. Especially metabolic
conditions around the period of fecundation, to allow ovo and sperms to
develop perfectly without deficiencies and without influences of drugs,
alcohol or other poisons, and after fecundation the first 12 weeks with
its very dynamic development of the embryo, are decisive for all life of
the new human being, decisive e.g. for
-
the number of brain cells;
-
the number of muscle cells;
-
the proper construction of the skeleton:
-
the proper opto-geometric construction of the eyes system;
-
the proper geometric construction of the dentition and each tooth;
-
the proportional harmony of the complete body, what means for the
beauty of the new human individuum.
About
all that the decisions for life of a human being are already made during
the first 12 weeks of a pregnancy - a time, when the young mother
perhaps even not yet knows or not yet is sure to be pregnant, or when,
even tries to get rid of the baby by different experiments of abortion,
and in case of no success damaging heavily the development of the
embryo.
When
the young mothers realize fully to be pregnant, which happens mostly
after those decisive 12 weeks, it is already too late; most of the
decisions for life of a new human being are already made.
At
present, the weaning (baby) food situation in Ethiopia is not good,
because of the reasons mentioned in Part I.
To
improve the situation and reach an optimal supply of the Ethiopian
babies and children whith healthy baby food, the following steps are
recommended.
back to Table
of Contents |
|
Improve growth, protein and nutrition values of seed mixtures for baby
food |
|
Seeds
and cereals are the only foodstuffs containing the indispensable growth
factors needed for any growth, cell division and cell regeneration of
higher organisms including the human one. These growth factors are more
than only a matter of protein. But the availability of enough native,
undenaturated protein of sufficient biological value is one of the
growth factors.
The
best protein supply is not given by animal protein - this was an error
of science, not taking into consideration the high glutamic-acid need of
the brain, which can be better satisfied by plant protein combinations.
To
express it clearly: There is not any need for animal milk components in
baby food.
Animal
milk even has some disadvantages, like lower resistance of the babies
and children fed with it against virus and microbe infections and
against chronic lymphatic diseases, e.g. chronic swollen lymphatic nods,
chronic tonsillitis, and chronic rhinorrhea. All these symptoms can be
found very common in Ethiopian babies and children, in rural areas as
well as in urban ones!
To
reach a high biological protein value of plant protein mixtures, the
following is necessary to know:
Most
of the cereal proteins are limited by low content of the amino-acid
lysine.
On the
other side most legumes (like lentils, chickpeas, peas) (appropriate for baby food e.g. chickpeas,
peas, lentils, mung beans) are limited by low content of the amino-acid
tryptophane. But most cereals are rich just in tryptophane.
So,
already any roughly composed mixture of any cereals with any legumes
are having a biological protein value similar to the one of cow milk,
but without the disadvantages of cow milk and with the big advantage of
a higher supply of the brain functions and development with glutamic
acid.
Such
mixtures of cereals with legumes (like lentils, chickpeas, peas) can be optimized by calculations of
their combined biological protein value, when knowing their genetically
programmed and actual yields contents of each of the essential
amino-acids. The calculations can be supported by special computer
programs.
To
refute in advance the last old leftover counter-argument, used to defend
the 'need of animal food theory', which claims that the vitamin B12 (cobolamine)
would only be in animal food products: Meanwhile the vitamin B12 could
be found in seeds and other plant parts; e.g. parsley is even rich in
B12; and the best: Most of the vitamin B12 is produced by a healthy
intestine bacteria flora (saprophytes) inside the human intestinal
tract.
This
explains e.g., why in 'vegans' never a deficiency of vitamin B12 could
be found, but at the same time a considerably better health, fitness and
vitality, and less cardiovascular diseases and less cancer, than in
people eating both, animal and plant food products.
'Vegans' are people who are not eating any animal food products, as
distinguished from 'vegetariens', who are only not eating products from
killed animals, but eat products from living animals like milk, eggs,
cheese, butter etc.
back to Table
of Contents |
|
Fresh grinding and germinating promotion |
|
The
important growth factors and biological values of the seeds are only
preserved in the living, germinable seed. As soon as a seed is ground, a
fast oxidation and other catalytic processes develop under normal
conditions.
These
are the reasons, why fresh grinding of any seeds and cereals and only of
the quantity needed at the moment for a fresh preparation has to be
promoted intensively. This also makes sure that the enzymes of the
seeds, which the baby needs to metabolize complex carbohydrates, are
preserved in the baby food mixtures (except when after grinding
destroyed by boiling, which should be avoided).
For
the legumes (like lentils, chickpeas, peas) - and even for a part of the cereal components - the
best preparation is the germinating process. The best germination os
obtained by humidity, so that the seeds are getting as well water as air
and oxygen. (Not so good would be a common Ethiopian method to put the
seeds for more than 3-5 first hours under water; this would produce lack
of oxygen for the fast developing seeds and an unwanted start of
anaerobic fermentation processes in this water). The best and most
simple method is described in the information pamphlet.
The
germination process increases the contents of enzymes much. This makes
the baby food preparation more easy to digest and assimilate for the
baby.
At the
same time, the germination inhibitors become deactivated by the
germinating process.
Even
it is known, that the trypsin inhibitors of the soybeans are deactivated
by germination (so the heat process used in the FAFFA production, which
destroys all growth and cell regenerating factors, could be avoided).
But,
until the special inhibitor problems of the different varieties of beans
are more cleared up by scientific studies, we recommend not to use beans
(except in already proven ways), although their protein value is high.
To
clarify this, is one special research task for the proposed Genebank's
analyses laboratory, with high importance for improved evaluation and
utilization of the Genebank's germplasm collection.
Some
research in this special field of beans and its inhibitors has been made
several years ago by the Egyptian Nutrition Institute. Also it is known,
that in the population of Egypt more people are having deficiency of a
certain enzyme, which allows the human organism to deactivate the
inhibitors. By that deficiency, in Egypt more people can be affected by
the inhibitors of beans than e.g. in the European population. Even in
the old Egypt, thousands of years ago, beans were considered to be
plants of death; priests were not allowed to look at them, the always
had to turn their back to bean plants.
As it
already has been found out by the Genebank, germinating seeds have a
certain maximum of enzyme content during the germinating process. This
knowledge should be extended by detailed laboratory analyses and animal
feeding experiments, and be used to optimize the recommendations for
healthy nutrition.
back to Table
of Content |
|
Modified healthy fresh uncooked preparation process |
|
All
these carefully done preparations would be without any use, if now the
baby food made from would be boiled. The enzymes, which help the
baby to digest and metabolize, would be destroyed. The native protein,
needed to built up the protein of the fast growing body of the child,
would be denatured by the heat. The growth factors, allowing a normal
growth of the child, would be reduced to about half of the original
content.
Only
the fresh, raw, uncooked preparation preserves all original biological
values of the seeds. It is clear, that clean water, clean plates and
spoons and clean working and preparation process are preconditions; but
this would be the same when using the conventional denatured baby food
types.
In
practical, the first step is to wash the legumes (like lentils,
chickpeas, peas) and those cereals
which shall be germinated in cold fresh water, and after that to put
them to germinate.. This can be done in every covered bowl or glass.
Cold fresh water is given to the seeds for some minutes and then poured
out, covering the bowl or glass. After every 3-5 hours the process is
repeated. The longer pause during the night doesn't matter. Depending on
the temperature and climate, the optimal germination status - length of
the germs about 3-5 mm - is reached.
Those
who own a refrigerator, can keep (in about 4° C) the germinating seeds
nearly at this same optimal status for one week, washing them once per
day by cold water, taking the quantity needed and putting the others -
in the covered bowl or glass - back into the refrigerator.
Who
doesn't have a refrigerator, should each day prepare a small new portion of
seeds to germinate.
When
germinated seeds are available, the fresh baby food can be prepared:
About
a handful of cereals are freshly ground to fine flour, mixed with some
water, added some drops of lemon juice to protect the growth factors
from oxidation.
Another handful of germinated seeds is taken and smashed in a mortar.
Immediately both mixtures are put together and mixed.
Now,,
basically there are two different possibilities of preparation: A 'salty
taste' one and a 'sweet taste' one. Important to know, that babies'
sense of taste is much more sensitive than in adults. So the taste of
the food must be much less 'salty' or 'sweet'. For 'salty taste'
it is enough to add the small amount of salt which can be kept between
two fingers. For 'sweet taste' always the sweetness of natural fresh
fruits is sufficient; never sugar and even no honey honey should be
used, not to make the child addicted to sugar (danger of diseases and
tooth decay).
'Salty-taste' healthy baby food: Part of a fresh carrot is taken and
ground or smashed fine and immediately mixed, before it oxidizes, with
the basic mixture of freshly ground cereals, freshly smashed germinated
seeds, some drops of lemon juice and water. Immediately after
preparation, the food is given to the baby by a clean spoon. Leftover
shall not be kept; it can be given to other children or adults.
'Sweet taste' healthy baby food: Half of a banana is smashed and
immediately (before it oxidizes) mixed with the basic mixture of freshly
ground cereals, freshly smashed germinated seeds, some drops of lemon
juice and water. Immediately after preparation, the food is given to the
baby by a clean spoon. Leftover shall not be kept; it can be given to
other children or adults.
The
quantities and frequencies to give such foods to the baby depend on
appetite, age, contribution of breastfeeding and other healthy food
eaten.
Basically not only babies, but each human being of any age group should
at least once per day get such a healthy meal, to allow growth and/or
cell regeneration, to stay healthy and strong, and to protect from
diseases and degeneration.
back to Table
of Contents |
2.2.2. |
Immediate practical result of this project:
Health-improved baby food
processing principles |
|
During
the investigations for this project in Ethiopia, Dr. Johann Georg
Schnitzer wanted to reach another practical progress by improving the
health value of baby food, in addition to the first step health
improvement of enjera.
To
start a practical experiment, Dr. Schnitzer and Mr. Regassa Feyissa
(Head of Conservation and Further Evaluation Department of Genebank)
asked the ENI (Ethiopian Nutrition Institute) for assistance. This but
didn't work out, because of several different difficulties there.
So
they decided to do this experiment also, like before the enjera
experiment, by support of the staff of the Genebank. Again Mrs. Almaz
Negash (Research Officer of the Genebank) took it over, now supported by
Mrs Beyenech Wossene, Laboratory Assistant at the Genebank.
First
it was discussed, which mixture of cereals and legumes (like lentils,
chickpeas, peas), availlable in considerable quantities in Ethiopia,
could give an optimized biological protein and growth value. These
recommended components of mixture came out:
Components to prepare
healthy baby food mixtures |
Seeds to germinate.
|
Chickpeas,
lentils
peas
naked barley
wheat |
Non-germinated cereals
to grind: |
naked barley
wheat
naked oats
sorghum |
Vegetables and fruits: |
carrot
banana
lemon (some drops) |
Dr. Melaku Worede (Director of the Genebank)
remarked, that without any doubt the health and nutritious value of the
preparations must be extraordinarily high; the only question left over
would be, if the babies would accept and eat it.
The two fresh sample mixtures were taken to the home
of Mrs. Beyenesch Wossene, to her 7 months old child Daniel Agize. He
was chosen as the first testing baby for the new healthy type of baby
food.
For
testing, first the 'salty-taste' type of recipe was given (prepared with
smashed carrot and a very small pinch of salt).
The child, fed by the mother as usual, was accepting
it from the first spoon on without any second of hesitating or surprise
reactions - as if already used to it, and never would have had before
anything else or anything better.
Changing to the other, #sweet-taste' type of preparation with banana,
the same result: The child was again accepting it from the first spoon
on, without any second of hesitating or surprise reaction.
The
child didn't stop to eat even after a considerable total quantity of
both types.
The
samples then also were given to five other children with ages ranging
from four to seven years.
Their
comments - given with smiles from one ear to the other - all were
saying, that both types are tasty: as a matter of preference they
preferred the one with the banana.
The
hours and days after the experiment, everything with the baby Daniel,
including his wellbeing and his intestine functions, was completely
normal.
This
first practical experiment already gives a general orientation, that
such optimal healthy natural baby food is accepted and digested without
any difficulty, and that a change to it can be done without any delay.
back to Table
of Contents |
2.2.3. |
Healthy baby food pamphlet with instructions to distribute
to
print it click here:
pamphlet_nutrition_and_health.pdf
(print quality optimized for Adobe Reader) |
|
Similar to the health improvement of enjera, already by the knowledge
available at present and the practical experiences made by the first
experiment, the following pamphlet with simple but very effective
advices could be developed. It can be translated into Amharic and the
other local languages, printed and distributed by the Mother and Child
Health Service stations.
Healthy Baby Food for Healthy Children
Healthy Genetic Reproduction and Cell Regeneration Food
For Healthy Family
After
birth, mother's breast milk is the best for the baby. If the mother gets
a natural, non-denatured, man-appropriate nutrition, she will have
sufficient milk for many months. Breastfeeding also is important to
built up the baby's immune system, and especially important is the first
breast milk after birth (colostrum). From about 4 months age on, the
baby needs in addition good natural weaning food for an optimal growth
and development.
For
healthy growth of the baby and child it needs all indispensable natural
nutrients including the growth and cell regenerating factors. But
already before birth, from the moment of fecundation on, the embryo can
only grow and develop properly in the mother, if all it needs (including
also oxygen) is available and no toxins hinder its development. Even the
biological quality of the mother's ovo and of the father's sperms depend
on the same conditions, which allow cell regeneration and health in
adults of any age. Therefore, the food preparation principles explained
here are of general importance.
Only seeds and their germs contain sufficient
quantities and qualities of the essential growth and cell regenerating
factors. They only serve fully for growth, health and regeneration, if
they are native, from living raw material, non-denatured, non-oxidized,
non-heat-treated, uncooked. Cereals on one side and legumes (like
lentils, chickpeas, peas) on the other side improve each other's
biological protein value considerably. So there is no any animal protein
needed, also no cow milk, which only would impair the baby's immunity
against infections and lymphatic diseases.
Before
starting the preparation, hands should be washed carefully, and clean
water, clean bowl and mortar and clean spoon should be used. Also the
seeds before and after germinating and fruits should be washed by cold
(not hot) water, to preserve the vitality.
The
highest health value of all food preparations is obtained by following
these recommendations:
-
Use only germinable (living, viable) seeds, cereals and legumes,
preferably traditional landraces, grown on natural soil without
chemical fertilizers, without pesticides and without fouling raw
animal dung (aerobically rotted compost allowed). This means highest
health values at lowest pollution and lowest costs.
-
Use at least 2-3 different cereal together like barley, sorghum,
oats, millet, wheat, emmerwheat, t'eff etc. and combine it with at
least 2-3 legumes like lentils, chickpeas, peas, mungbeans. Other
bean varieties only use when known by tradition or science that the<
can be eaten germinated raw. The biological protein value of any
combination of any combination is higher than using any one alone.
-
All the legumes and half of the cereals are used germinated. For
that, a mixture of e.g. two hands full of legumes and one hand full
of cereals are put in a bowl, washed with clean cold water (which
after that is poured out), and covered with a plate. After 3-5 hours
again cold water is added and after only some minutes poured out.
Over night, the pause can be 8-9 hours. This procedure is repeated,
until the length of the germs coming out is about 3-5 mm. If a
refrigerator is available, now the covered bowl can be put there, to
preserve this germinating status for nearly one week. Each day once
the germs have to be flooded with cold water, which immediately can
be poured off to put the covered bowl back into the refrigerator. If
no refrigerator is available, each day again a new portion of the
seed mixture must be put for germinating.
-
The actual meal preparation starts with taking one hand full of
cereal mixture to grind it freshly to fine flour, and then mix the
flour immediately with water and some 3-5 drops of lemon juice, to
protect the mixture from oxidation.
-
As
a next step, one hand full of the germinated mixture of legumes and
cereals is taken, washed in cold water and smashed (adding 3.5 drops
of lemon juice) to fine puree in a (non-metal) mortar.
-
Immediately both mixtures are mixed together, to continue the fresh
preparation:
-
a)
'Salty-taste' type: A small piece of carrot (size similar to half
banana) is taken, smashed to fine puree and immediately mixed in,
adding one pinch of salt. Small quantities of other smashed roots,
tomatoes and smashed leafy salads could be added. The carrot base is
important because of its vitamin A. Immediately after this
preparation it should be fed to the baby by a clean spoon, in case
of bigger children or adults eaten; any delay would cause oxidation
and loss of health values.
b)
'Sweet-taste' type: Half a banana is smashed and immediately mixed
in. Add 3-5 drops of lemon juice. Small quantities of other washed
and then smashed fruits could be added or taken instead of the
banana. (Never add any sugar - it destroys teeth and health, and as
well don't add honey). Immediately after this preparation it should
be fed to the baby by a clean spoon, in case of bigger children or
adults eaten; any delay would cause oxidation and loss of health
values.
-
For bigger children and adults, the carrot, other roots tomatoes and
leafy salads or the fruits can be added in bigger pieces, e.g. cut
in fine stripes. Also the germinated seeds can be left unsmashed.
This allows to use the teeth for chewing, and ba that to keep them
clean.
All raw, uncooked food keeps the teeth very clean, white and
shining; all heated food causes the Ethiopian teeth problem No. 1:
Tartar (because of precipitating the minerals from saliva).
By
this procedures of preparation, all of the original health values of the
cereals, legumes and other natural components are saved ontu the meal
and can reach the human body, serving for healthy growth of the juvenile
and maintaining health of the adult human organism.
The
following scheme may contribute to understand the principles of
preparation.
![](nutrition_babyfood_scheme7.jpg)
To print it click here:
pamphlet_nutrition_and_health.pdf
(print quality optimized for Adobe Reader) |
3. |
A
project outline for a
nationally coordinated nutrition program
providing sufficient and healthy nutrition program for the country,
involving the Ministry of Health (MOH) and an institution collaborating
with both MOH and PGRC/E |
|
It is
not an easy, but challenging task to develop and carry out a nationally
coordinated program,, providing sufficient and healthy nutrition for the
country.
As a
first step, some clear definitions (including the goal) should be made,
and the actual situation should be investigated and dommented:
-
Which type of health should be maintained or restored by the
sufficient and healthy nutrition?
-
Which qualities and quantities should a sufficient and healthy
nutrition for the country have?
-
Which is the actual health status, morbidity, mortality, age pyramid
of the population?
-
Which are the health qualities and quantities of the actual food
supply in the country?
-
Which are the quality and quantity deficiencies?
-
What has ti be changed (increased, improved, reduced) to fill up the
gaps and optimize health qualities of the nutrition?
-
What are the reasons and obstacles, why up to now - in a population
90% of them are farmers! - the quantities and health qualities of
food supply are not sufficient?
-
In
which time a sufficient and healthy nutrition of the country should
be reached, taking into calculation the population growth of 2.9%
per year during this time?
-
Which conditions (e.g. legal, economical, financial, informational,
organizational, institutional ones) have to be improved, which
others established new, to reach the goal of production and
consumption of sufficient and healthy nutrition in the country
within the given time?
After
these questions are answered, a project planning and a strategy can be
developed, how to come from the present unsatisfactory 'current reality'
(probably 45% gap of total food supply, insufficient health maintaining
food qualities) to the realization of the 'vision' of sufficient and
healthy nutrition for the country.
We are
sure that this goal can be reached. On the way to it, experiences will
be made which are important not only for the country, but also for the
world population. Probably also, as some of the 'side effects', endemic
diseases like leprosy (presently about 180.000 leprosy patients in
Ethiopia) and other health deficiencies like hypertension, diabetes,
chronic gastritis will vanish from the country.
To
succeed, it needs:
-
High integrated scientific knowledge,
-
effective coordination and management,
-
highly developed information and data collecting, processing,
documentation and control system,
-
self-optimizing control structure of actions, evaluation of its
effectiveness, next actions as consequences and again their
evaluations etc. ...,
-
to
have a clear vision, how the country, the environment, the
population and their health should be in future, and which should be
the main bases of economic success and prosperity.
The
institutions who could realize such project for Ethiopia by cooperation
and integration of theor knowledge, experience and structure are:
-
The Plant Genetic Resources Centre of Ethiopia - because of its
experience, its knowledge, its committed management and staff, and
its germplasm collection of about 52.000 varieties;
-
The Ministry of Health of Ethiopia - because of its health-oriented
(not diseases-oriented) health policy, its health-animating training
system and its natural responsibility for health in the country.
The
first step of realization should be a feasibility study of the project,
carried out by these institutions.
The
project outline added as appendix could be helpful to develop a
nationally coordinated nutrition program providing sufficient and
healthy nutrition for the country.
back to Table
of Contents |
|
Summary |
|
In
this report the current status of evaluation and utilization of the
Genebank's germplasm collection and expertise is documented.
Also
information about the current quantitative and qualitative status of
Ethiopian national food supply in general and concerning special food
resources of importance in Primary Health Care are documented and
commented.
A list
of problems in Ethiopia, where Genevank's collection and expertise could
be valuable (e.g. baby food) is elaborated.
Project outlines are developed for
-
a
project to identify germplasm material possessing special
characteristics of nutritional and health value with particular
reference to indigenous landraces or primitive cultivars which
constitute the bulk of PGRCE's germplasm collection;
-
two projects to develop special food resources of importance in
Primary Health Care are:
health-improved enjera mixtures and preparations;
health-improved baby food mixtures and preparations;
-
a
project for a nationally coordinated nutrition program providing
sufficient and healthy nutrition for the country, involving the
Ministry of Health and an experts collaborating with both MOH and
PGRC/E.
In
addition, two major improvements of the preparation principles and
concrete and detailed recipes for two special food resources being most
important in Primary Health Care were already developed and tested with
positive results.
Instruction pamphlets for the population about both - the preparation of
health-improved enjera as well as of health-improved baby food - made
from traditional food crop landraces of Ethiopia - are worked out
including their layouts for printing (2 pages Din A3, to fold on Din
A4).
Now it
is the task of the involved institutions, to work out a priority list of
the outlined projects and to realize them one after the other.
We
propose to start with the translation of the information pamphlet into
Amharic and the other Ethiopian languages, to print it in all languages
including English, and distribute them all over the country.
Überlingen am Bodensee (Germany), June 18, 1992
Dr.
Johann Georg Schnitzer
The present (2013) address and contact data are:
Dr. Johann Georg Schnitzer
Zeppelinstr. 88,
D-88045 Friedrichshafen,
Deutschland/Germany
Fax +49-(0)7541-398561
mailto:Dr.Schnitzer@t-online.de
E-Mail
http://www.dr-schnitzer.de
D+E Site (German and English)
http://www.dr-schnitzer-buecher.de
books (German and English)
http://www.dr-schnitzer.de/intrasearch.html
Search (German and English)
http://www.dr-schnitzer.de/schnitzerreport-index.htm
Experiences (German)
http://www.dr-schnitzer.de/emailnachrichten.html
News (German)
http://www.dr-schnitzer.de/forum-documentation.html
(German)
____________________________________________________
back to Table
of Contents |
4. |
Appendix I
to project outline |
4.1. |
Initial phase of a project |
4.1.1 |
Collect information on current status |
4.1.2. |
Project planning |
4.1.2.1. |
detailed resources and time plan |
4.1.2.2 |
planning of animal experiments |
4.1.2.3. |
planning of data acquisition nutrition/health |
4.1.2.4. |
project plan nutritional values of plants |
4.1.2.5. |
project plan crop area determination |
4.1.3. |
First
steps |
4.1.3.1. |
develop suggestions for crop area specialization based on current
knowledge |
4.1.3.2. |
hiring
of people |
4.1.3.3. |
preparation of animal experiments |
4.1.3.4. |
installation of vomputer hardware and standard software |
4.1.3.5. |
development of application programs for sub-projects |
4.1.3.6. |
training for project members |
4.1.3.7. |
establishment of project infrastructure |
4.2. |
Investigation phase of the project |
4.2.1. |
Nutritional status |
4.2.1.1. |
field
data acquisition in selected urban/rural areas of population's
nutritional status |
4.2.1.1.1. |
eating
habits |
4.2.1.1.2. |
composition of major food |
4.2.1.2. |
preliminary analysis of results |
4.2.1.2.1. |
construction of database |
4.2.1.2.2. |
statistical evaluation |
4.2.1.2.3. |
improvement of data acquisition procedure |
4.2.1.3. |
field
data acquisition in whole country |
4.2.1.4. |
analysis of results |
4.2.2. |
Health
status |
4.2.2.1. |
design
and construction of data acquisition equipment |
4.2.2.2. |
field
data acquisition in selected rural/urban areas of population's health
status |
4.2.2.3. |
preliminary analysis of results |
4.2.2.3.1. |
construction of database |
4.2.2.3.2. |
statistical evaluation |
4.2.2.3.3. |
improvement of data acquisition procedure |
4.2.2.4. |
field
data acquisition in whold country |
4.2.2.5 |
analysis of results |
4.2.3. |
Nutritional value of plants |
4.2.3.1. |
construction of a database with corrent knowledge about nutritional
value of plants |
4.2.3.2. |
enhancement of database by results of analytical measurements |
4.2.3.3. |
animal
experiments |
4.2.3.3.1. |
food
quality determination by animal experiments |
4.2.3.3.2 |
integrate results in database of nutritional value of plants (growth and
regenerating factor) |
4.2.3.4. |
biophoton activity as indicator of food quality |
4.2.3.5. |
find
geographical variations in contents of plants |
4.2.3.6. |
agricultural methods |
4.2.3.6.1. |
dependency of plant quality on soil |
4.2.3.6.2. |
dependency of soil quality on agricultural methods used |
4.2.3.7. |
influence of storage methods on plant quality |
4.2.3.8. |
use
results of 3.6 amd 3.7 for starting a seperate project in agricultural
training |
4.2.4. |
Current crop area specialization |
4.2.4.1. |
construction of a database on crop areas as a basis for future planning,
using existing knowledge, especially on landraces |
4.2.4.2. |
construction of a database on food production |
4.2.4.3. |
construction of a database on the flow of crops from growing to consumer |
4.2.4.4. |
monitor crop yield by satellite data |
4.2.4.4.1. |
current status |
4.2.4.4.2. |
yield
production |
4.2.4.4.3. |
planning for next year |
4.2.5. |
Environmental data |
4.2.5.1. |
water
quality |
4.2.5.2. |
soil
pollution |
4.2.6.3. |
radioactivity |
4.3. |
Evaluation, simulation and product development phase of the project
|
4.3.1. |
Nutrition and Health |
4.3.1.1. |
documentation of requirements for healthy nutrition, definition of
metrics |
4.3.1.2. |
determination of health value of consumed nutrition (see 4.2.:1.) |
4.3.1.3. |
health
and nutrition |
4.3.1.3.1. |
correlation between consumed food and health status of the population
|
4.3.1.3.2. |
find
correlation between consumed food and specific diseases (e.g. lepra)
|
4.3.1.3.3. |
find
healthiest nutrition currently consumed in Ethiopia |
4.3.2. |
Development of nutrition |
4.3.2.1. |
develöpment of healthy baby food |
4.3.2.1.1. |
start
with suggestion in this report |
4.3.2.1.2. |
plan
research program for determining baby development with this food |
4.3.2.1.3. |
set up
production, delivery and monitoring system |
4.3.2.1.4. |
monitor baby growth and development |
4.3.2.1.5. |
improve baby food based on research results |
4.3.2.1.6. |
distribution of information to population |
4.3.2.2. |
development of basic healthy nutrition: Enjera and wot |
4.3.2.2.1. |
start
with results of this report |
4.3.2.2.2. |
improve enjera and develop healthy wot |
4.3.2.2.3. |
evaluate enjera and wot; tests of taste, analytical data, animal
experiments |
4.3.2.2.4. |
improve food based on research results |
4.3.2.3. |
distribution of information to population |
4.3.2.4. |
computer simulation of different scenarios using input from '4.2.
investigation phase' |
4.3.2.4.1. |
find
effect of crop area planning on nutrition and health |
4.3.2.4.2. |
sensitivity analysis: How critical is crop area planning for sufficient
and healthy nutrition? |
4.3.2.5. |
building of an information system giving nutritional recommendations to
the population about food preparation based on the availability of crops
|
4.3.2.6. |
development of diets for curing diseases |
4.3.3. |
Agriculture |
4.3.3.1. |
planning of crop area specialization to support the goal of a sufficient
and healthy nutrition |
4.3.3.2. |
development of training program in optimal agricultural techniques
back to Table
of Contents |
4.4. |
Appendix II to project outline
Computer assisted analysis of satellite data and actualized statistics
of crop production yields of varieties, humidity situation and health
status of the food plants in the country
An
effective medium to provide data on crop growth and crop yield prognosis
is through satellite data processing. In the past, this required
expensive resources, today this is possible with programs for digital
picture processing of satellite data available for personal computers.
Satellite pictures allow a highly differentiated analysis of the
following information:
-
Varieties which are planted in an area;
-
health/vitality status of plants;
-
development of growth;
-
number of plants per m² ;
-
humidity conditions (water supply):
-
climatological data.
Based
on these data, the following information can be derived:
-
crop yield estimation (approximately two months before harvest) by
using the information mentioned above;
-
optimum distribution of crop in the country;
-
recommendations for healthy food preparation based on availability;
-
planning of next year's crops.
|
|
Integrated computer monitoring and control system |
|
Below
a data flow diagram is shown, which was already developed as a
supplement, worked out by Dr. Kurt Gruber, for the working paper 'Health
and nutrition in Ethiopia', written by Dr. Johann Georg Schnitzer on
request of the Ethiopian Ministry of Health from February 5, 1989.
This
data flow diagram 'Health System in Ethiopia' is as well appropriate for
the 'Nationally Coordinated Nutrition Program Providing Sufficient and
Healthy Nutrition for the Country'.
As the
following is part of an other former study, the Copyright of which is
with Dr. Johann Georg Schnitzer, it is by his permission, that a copy
could be added as an additional information to this study. |
|
![](health_system_scheme02.jpg) |
|
Health System for Ethiopia
(to
study the following dictionary, the image above 'Health System in
Ethiopia' could be printed) |
|
Data Dictionary: PROCESS
|
|
AGENT
Government organizations which set goals for the
coujntry's health status and receive feedback from the HEALTH MONITOR
AND CONTROL SYSTEM to determine and initiate actions to influence the
health status.
GET DATA
Data acquisition system which provides accurate and
up-to-date health and environmental information.
HEALTH MONITOR AND CONTROL
This
system provides feedback for AGENTS based on POPULATION AND ENVIRONMENT
STATUS (current reality) and OBJECTIVES (vision) using criteria in the
KNOWLEDGE data store for evaluation of the situation.
RESEARCH
RESEARCH supports the HEALTH MONITOR AND CONTROL SYSTEM to evaluate
correctly the current situation by providing the KNOWLEDGE data store.
It determines which data should be collected by GET DATA.
|
|
Data Dictionary: DATA STORE
|
|
POPULATION AND ENVIRONMENT STATUS
Health
status (population statistics), eating habits, lifestyle, food supply
(e.g. agricultural data), environmental data (incl. water quality),
industrial data, medical treatment, economical data..
KNOWLEDGE
Foodstuff: contents, qualities, medical effects. Food requirements,
health indicators, environmental requirements, models, expert knowledge,
mutual dependencies, medical/dental treatments. Documentation: Health,
nutrition, environment, criteria to evaluate current situation.
OBJECTIVES
Goals
concerning health, environment, economy.
EXTERNAL DATA AND RESEARCH RESULTS
Literature, external databases (nutrition, medicine, environment),
experimental data, experiment planning. |
|
Data Dictionary: DATA FLOW
|
|
action
Plans/directives: Agricultural, environment, medical treatment,
education, economy recommendations, distribute information (different
media).
feedback
recommendation for actions, background information, trend analysis,
statistical data.
goals
see
data store OBJEDTIVES.
knowledge
see
data store KNOWLEDGE. |
|
Specifications
|
|
General functional specifications
-
Health monitoring and control system: Trough comparison of the
current health status of the population and the health goals of the
country, recommendations leading to health improving actions are
derived; a knowledge data base on different topics (health,
environment, medical treatment) and dependencies between them
support the process of establishing recommendations.
Technical functional specifications
-
Support for storage and retrieval of data, text graphics; contents
of data base are defined in the data flow diagram;
-
support of graphics output;
-
support of statistical methods;
-
support of knowledge engineering methods (expert systems);
-
support for literature search.
Attributes of system
-
Ease of use by professionals without special EDP knowledge;
-
easy to learn to use;
-
scalability: Should run on equipment of different size;
-
ubified user view for whole system;
-
adaptability; A new type of information may be added to the data
base without affecting existing program:
-
open achritecture: no restriction on growth path;
-
ad
hoc queries are easy to do;
-
language adaptability
back to Table
of Contents |
|
Suggestions
|
|
Solution ideas
-
'Teach the teacher': Train support people within organizations
involved;
-
use existing knowledge data base to start with, find useful data in
nutritional databases, include data from the Plant Genetic Resources
Centre;
-
suggestion for pilot project: find correlation between health and
nutrition (/environment/lifestyle) and recommend appropriate
agricultural planning;
-
advanced 4th generation central or distributed data base system;
-
access to database through communications network, unified access.
Planning suggestions
-
built a project team (with people from different organizations and
levels in government) with the following goals:
-
methods:
-
structural consulting (establish reality and
vision)
-
'Technologies for Creating' (learn how to
create)
-
design by objectives (establish clear,
measurable goals): Document inspection (alignment of goals on
different levels), evolutionary delivery, metrics allowing
evaluation of results
-
design and document the whole system on an abstract level: Goals -->
functions, attributes;
-
decide on and get resources for next steps;
-
evolutionary delivery: principle: create results in small steps,
evaluate each step and adjust further actions
-
choose a first project to implement on basis
of high value/cost ratio: in a relatively short time frame (6-9
months) the first effects of this system (first recommendations
to government) must be visible;
-
use results for check of whole system and
design of next step, etc.
-
TFC at community level.
|
|
Pamphlet to print
http://www.dr-schnitzer.de/pamphlet_nutrition_and_health.pdf
(print quality optimized for Adobe Reader)
4 pages of information: 'Healthy Enjera fir Healthy Family' and 'Healthy Baby
Food for Healthy Children, Health Genetic Reproduction Food - Healthy
Cell Regeneration Food for Healthy Family'.
Formats possible to print on:
-
both sides of a sheet A3, fold to A4;
-
both sides of two sheets A4, clip together:
-
one side of four sheets A4, clip together.
|
|
|
|
|
© Copyright 1989-1992-2013 by Dr. J. G. Schnitzer, D-88045 Friedrichshafen, Germany
Dr. Johann Georg Schnitzer,
Zeppelinstr. 88,
D-88045 Friedrichshafen,
Deutschland/Germany
Fax +49-(0)7541-398561
mailto:Dr.Schnitzer@t-online.de
E-Mail
http://www.dr-schnitzer.de
D+E Site (German and English)
http://www.dr-schnitzer-buecher.de
books (German and English)
http://www.dr-schnitzer.de/intrasearch.html
Search (German and English)
http://www.dr-schnitzer.de/schnitzerreport-index.htm
Experiences (German)
http://www.dr-schnitzer.de/emailnachrichten.html
News (German) http://www.dr-schnitzer.de/forum-documentation.html
(German)
back to Table of
Contents |