Browsing by Author "Omolo, Morrine"

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    Effects of chili pepper extracts on microbial viability and growth
    (2015-12) Omolo, Morrine
    Although there are hundreds of varieties of chili peppers, those of the Capsicum annuum are more readily available. However, the more promising varieties such as Capsicum Chinense have not been extensively investigated. This study, the capsaicin content of 29 chili peppers grown under the same conditions is determined. 24 of the samples belong to the Capsicum chinense species while the others belong to the C. annuum species. Several samples from similar pepper plants of the C. chinense species showed wide variation in capsaicin content. The methanol extracts of the 29 samples were then tested for antimicrobial effects against well-known foodborne pathogens and one commensal fungus. The resazurin assay tested for bactericidal properties while the growth inhibition assay tested for bacteriostatic properties. The samples high in capsaicin showed antimicrobial properties, while no effects of bacterial viability and growth was noted from the samples low in capsaicin, except for the Tobago Scotch Bonnet Red pepper.
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    Private and Public Value of Extension Food Safety Education: Perspectives from Minnesota
    (2020-08) Omolo, Morrine
    Educational programs offered by University of Minnesota Extension play an important role in helping learners understand and implement regulatory guidelines regarding food safety. The goal of the present study is to evaluate three such education endeavors (Cottage Food Producer training, Serve It Up Safely for food managers and the Food Safety Modernization Act - Produce Safety Rule), as a foundation for future programming. I hypothesize that the continued success of these programs in meeting private and public values is based on ongoing collaboration between Extension educators, learners and relevant regulatory agencies. The results of this study are based on post-training evaluation of learners. These studies highlight areas in the delivery of the programs and in the experiences of learners that can be the focus for further research and development. Discussion around the public value of the programs and future research considerations are also presented.