MICRO-COMRADES

During the last week of 2014 I had the pleasure of staying in one of the public universities. While there, I had my first encounter with bed bugs (Cimex lectularius and Cimex hemipterus) Obviously the Kenyan student community doesn't  know these nasty little critters by their scientific names but they are known as “micro-comrades”

I talked to various people and I found out that bed bug infestations are not limited to only public universities but to also private institutions, homes, apartments, hospitals, dormitories and hotel rooms. In fact, bed bug infestations are a worldwide problem since bed bugs are found in both temperate and tropical climates.

Adult bugs are easily identifiable. These are oval shaped, flat, wingless and approximately 5 mm long. Adults are reddish brown (chestnut) in colour, whereas immatures are smaller and may be light yellow. They have a pyramid-shaped head with prominent compound eyes, slender antennae and a long proboscis tucked underneath the head and thorax.

 Bed bugs are ectoparasites that feed exclusively on blood (obligate hematophagous) and can live for 12 months without feeding and up to 1.5-2 years in colder environments.

In addition to being able to live for long periods without food these critters excel in hiding during the day, and feeding at night. Hiding places are usually within 1 to 2 metres of suitable host and include seams of mattresses, backside of headboards and even behind hanging wall pictures and in cracks in the wall.

For those lucky enough to have shared a bed with these bugs then they will understand how irritating the bites are. The bite causes an itchy maculopapular wheal. A raised bump in the skin area. In severe cases, urticarial reactions and anaphylaxis (allergy) can also occur. There is no known literature showing that bed bugs are transmitters of pathogens so we should be able to rest easy at night. The main problem caused by bed bugs is that they cause irritation when they bite and as a result disturb sleep.

  

I once tried to crush a bed bug but I couldn't. Their flat bodies make them hard to squash with the power of a slipper. So control of these bugs is by fumigation and use of pesticides. Special attention is paid to the mattresses but it is necessary to consider other hiding places so as to effectively get rid of infestations.

After my week had ended and I got back home, none of my bags went into the house. Bed bugs are easily transmitted through movement of luggage and furniture so I made sure that my luggage was properly washed and disinfected before reintroduction back into the house.

I am sure that after the holidays the "micro-comrades" will be happy with the return of the student community. I am hoping that our paths will never cross again with these "micro-comrades."

NO NEED FOR ALL THAT MEAT

I love meat. Being a vegetarian scares me. That is how much I love meat.

One of my professors could not stress enough the fact that the human body has no way to store excess dietary proteins. In essence, the human body has no way to store the element nitrogen which is the main component of proteins. Proteins are unique because they contain nitrogen.

The human body stores excess carbohydrates as glycogen in the liver and when that store is full, it is converted to fat and stored. Fat is stored in the adipose tissue which has infinite storage. Proteins are used where there is need and the excess is excreted.

Nitrogen the main component of proteins is removed by a process called deamination and is excreted in humans as urea via urine as the main route. The remaining backbone resembles carbohydrates and has lost its function as a protein.

Proteins are used to build and repair tissue and perform other cellular functions and the excess is excreted as soon as possible.

For this reason, it is foolhardy to eat a whole kg of meat as it will all end up being wasted. A normal person requires only a few grams of meat to meet their daily requirement. As a biochemist I know this, but as a meat lover I ignore it especially around the holidays. It is time to eat meat.

FOOD SAFETY THIS FESTIVE SEASON

Self experimentation is an archaic method that the science community left. 21st Century scientist boost of no longer using such "stupid" methods; unless you are me.

I decided to eat food that had been reheated and left covered all day in the microwave.

Your asking yourself  "Why did I do it?" I don't know. It is pretty obvious the end result.

Maybe I hate seeing food going to waste so I decided to eat it. Needless to say it is the reason for this post.

I pride myself in having a strong stomach, so after 4 hours, at 1:30 AM on Sunday morning my troubles began. I did not require hospitalization but it interrupted my sweet sleep.

Never again. But I know myself. I cannot resist experiments. That same day I carried out a control and at food that was reheated properly. I was okay. My troubles were over.

Safety tips 

Reheat food only once. Once food is cooked it should be reheated only once. It doesn't matter if it is using the microwave or the stove. Only once.

Freezing and refrigeration. Low temperatures SLOW growth of microorganisms but it DOES NOT STOP growth of microorganisms. This means that as soon as you raise the temperatures the microorganisms start to grow. Also you cannot store food indefinitely in the freezer.

Heat. This is the only sure way of killing microorganisms and at the same time leaving the food palatable. Talk about having your cake and eating it too.
I am yet to see other methods such as disinfectant and UV light employed without risks involved.
To be sure that all microorganisms are killed, heat food to temp above 70 degrees Celsius for about 10 minutes, i.e. at simmering point.

Eat cold food. Before the invention of the microwave we ate cold food if you didn't have the time to use the stove. Some food lose their flavour, nutrients and texture when reheated. For example fish dishes and some vegetable  are rarely reheated to prevent them from becoming flaky and overcooked.

Danger Zone

This is where microrganism growth is favoured and food spoilage is accelerated. 

Food left covered at room temperature (20⁰C – 27⁰C) or maintained at lukewarm temperature for a long time is a hazard. Results from my self experiment show that even reheating in the microwave for long periods (more than 5 minutes) does nothing to stop the inevitable.

Lastly, during this festive season stay safe and make sure you watch what you eat. If food has a strange taste/flavour that you associate with spoiled food then leave it. It is better to stay hungry and waste food rather than make the loo your best friend: best case scenario.

Wishing you a happy festive season

The Kenyan Food Biochemist

Brian Kibue

WHO IS A BIOCHEMIST

To all those pursuing a degree in Bsc. Biochemistry 

Biochemistry is not a new field in science. In fact it has been around since the late 19th Century. Well this is not a history lesson so I will not get into the details. The field has grown into its own prominence and colour and has become intertwined with other major disciplines as evidenced by the fact that Biochemistry is an essential contributor to modern medicine.    

"Who is a Biochemist?" This is a question that is frequently posed to all biochemists. People seem not to understand the definition. I did not do biology and chemistry. No!! Its not that simple. What I did for the past 3 years in university was study the living aspect of chemistry.

A biochemist is someone who studies the chemistry of life. Biochemistry is the study of the chemical composition of the living matter and the biochemical processes that underlie life activities during growth and maintenance.

Biochemist study the basic unit of life: the cell. All the chemical processes that take place in the cell are under the domain of Biochemistry. This involves chemical energy conversions (metabolism), formation and integration of biomolecules and chemical signalling pathways.

Another aspect which evolved quite recently is the integration of molecular biology with biochemistry. Molecular biology involves the study of nucleic acid which is central to the knowledge of life. Inevitably, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology integrated and this field holds the keys to unlocking the mysteries of DNA and of life as a whole.

Kenya is developing into an industrialized nation, Industries need scientist and so Biochemist will be needed. This may happen tomorrow or in 50 years, I have no way of predicting. But one thing is for sure, there is a wide field waiting in Kenya for the biochemists to conquer.

Finally,

To the graduating class (2014) Bsc Biochemistry.

Congratulations!!

The big day is here. GRADUATION DAY.

Let us not forget the past 3 long years of hard work, stress, early mornings, late nights, fun at times, meeting new friends and so much more. We have generally grown in both stature, emotion and knowledge.

Some of us lost our afros and baggy jeans. Others became talkative even though it was during the last year. We made permanent friends who we will keep for the rest of our lives and our kids will know them as auntie and uncles. The stories are endless and am limited by my memory.

It was tough and we need to take a day off from all the worries and celebrate. On the 5th December live in the moment. Enjoy the showers of praise from family and friends. You deserve it. It is only for a day so take it easy.

For people like me, all we have known to do all our lives is to go to school, read and pass exams. Am confused by all the change that is happening around me and in my life. As it is said "change is the only constant in life." I am now willing to embrace the future no matter how uncertain it looks.

After all, we have been equipped with knowledge and surrounded with people who support us and above all our God is great. He has taken care of us before so let us continue to trust in Him.

For those who have found their footing in this mucky and turbulent world of our, you are the lucky ones. We will be with you shortly.

Above all, am hoping that EVERYONE  will find something to do that they love. It doesn't have to be Biochemistry but at least let it be legal. May you all find joy in working and making money and in changing our world for the better. Notice that I did not say Kenya but the world. Do not be limited by your environment and pursue to change the world.

One of the greatest life lessons I have learnt came from a Japanese cartoon called Hunter x Hunter episode 148. As we strive to achieve what we want, do not forget to enjoy the journey. Form relationships everywhere you go. You should enjoy the little detours to the fullest because that is where you will find the things that are more important than what you want.

Personally I want to say this to all of you. "I see something in all of you, but I don't know what it is" 

In conclusion,

LET US ALL MEET IN THE HIGHEST ECHELON OF BUSINESS, SCIENCE AND POWER!!


Regards
Brian Kibue
The Kenyan Food Biochemist.

SOY SAUCE

Soy sauce is one of the world's oldest condiment and was initially developed in China but development into the modern soy sauce that is used world wide took place in Japan. (History of Soy sauce)

As a condiment, soy sauce is a flavour enhancer and is used extensively in Asian cuisines. Its use is not limited to Asian cuisines as soy sauce has found wide use in Western cuisines and is requested in dishes like pasta, soups and stews.It is the reason that the condiment is stacked in shelves of shops all over the world.

Personally, I use it when making tomato sauce based pasta, stews such as ndengu (green grams), kidney beans, soya chunks and in meat such as fish, chicken and beef. I use dark soy sauce, it is strong so a little goes a long way.

Of importance to note is that soy sauce contains a lot of salt in form of sodium. This is because soy sauce is made from fermentation of soy beans (soya beans) and wheat in brine, and using microorganisms such as Aspergillus soyae, Lactobacillus and yeast that aid in fermentation. (Making soy sauce).

Nutritional information of the soy sauce I use

From the nutritional information obtained, 1 tbsp (15 ml) has 1301 mg of sodium in this particular product. The upper safe limit of  daily sodium intake is at less than 2300 mg. Special groups such as those with hypertension may require less sodium intake. (less than 1500 mg per day)

As a rule, when using soy sauce to enhance flavour in dishes, reduce the table salt content that one normally use by half to compensate for the excess sodium. Over salting food is a common problem when using soy sauce so watch out when using soy sauce.

Enjoy the richness that soy sauce impacts in dishes from the rich colour, flavour and aroma.

KIENYEJI CHICKEN

Kienyeji (from mwenyeji) translates to local or native. Kienyeji chicken is the local breed of chicken found in Kenya. It is also known as road runner chicken and there are various breeds of the kienyeji chicken.

 As expected this bird is very sweet but has very tough meat. The meat is so tough that the only way I would recommended cooking this bird is by boiling and nothing less. Do not roast in the oven and certainly do not grill over charcoal. I have tried both methods with disastrous results.

When boiling there is a trick to it, do not stop boiling until part of the meat has come off the bone. The drumstick is the marker I use to check if this chicken is ready. The lower end will come off the bone and the bone will be left bare as the meat peels away and shrinks. By this time the meat will be tender enough for the urban young ones.

There are two ways of achieving the perfect kienyeji chicken; if you have time then slow-cooking will do but if you are impatient then boiling under the highest heat available also works.

A common mistake is to reduce the heat and stop boiling early because of fear that the chicken will disintegrate. The kienyeji chicken is not as tender as the exotic breeds so it will not disintegrate under high heat. In fact, it remains intact and  I have managed to boil the chicken for about 2 hours. This also means that the chicken requires little supervision as boiling takes hours.

Recipe: Easy road runner

Ingredients

• 1 road runner chicken
• 2 red onions
• 1 stalk of leek
• 3 spring onions
• Black pepper and salt (seasoning)
• Chili peppers (optional) 

Method

1. Prepare the chicken, leek, red onions and spring onions by chopping and dicing.
2. In a big saucepan put the diced chicken, onions and leek. There is no need for oil/fat.
3. (Optional) Add 1 or 2 whole chili peppers depending on the heat level preference. Cut open the chili to infuse more heat.
4. Add a little cold water and boil under medium to high heat until the meat comes off the bone. Adjust the water level to obtain the preferred thickness and quantity of soup.
5. Season.
6. Serve and enjoy.

HUMANS DID NOT EVOLVE FROM MONKEYS

One of the most popular points used to discredit the theory of evolution is that humans evolved from monkeys. However, that is not true. Humans and monkeys shared a common ancestor before they diverged into their different lineages and into their present form observed in modern day.

Previously used methods of determining evolutionary relationships were based on morphology (physical), behavioral and palaeontological data but biochemical methods have gained prominence in recent times and biochemistry is being used to study evolutionary relationships.

Based on evidences from these 4 sources, it is has been shown that chimpanzees, gorillas and humans share common ancestry, and that the Asiatic apes (gibbons and orangutans) diverged much earlier from our common ancestor. The man-chimpanzee-gorilla lineage separation may have taken place at around 4-6 million years ago.

Abbreviations: CC=Common Chimpanzee; PC=Pygmy chimpanzee; 
GO=Gorilla; HO=man; OR=Orangutan; GB=Gibbon;
 OWM=Old World Monkeys

From the table above, humans are a "pure line." and so are gorillas and chimpanzees. Humans did not evolve from monkeys but humans do share a common ancestor with the monkeys i.e chimpanzees and gorillas. As a result, humans have a lot in common with chimpanzees and gorillas who are our closest relatives.

REFERENCES

Hixson, E. J., & Brown , M. W. (1986). A comparison of small ribosomal RNA genes from the mitochondrial DNA of the great apes and humans: Sequence, structure, evolution and phylogenetic implications. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 3(1), 1-18.

Zihlman, A. L., Cronin, J. E., Cramer , D. L., & Sarich, V. M. (1978). Pygmy chimpanzee as a possible prototype for the common ancestor of humans, chimpanzees and gorillas. Nature, 275(5682), 744-746.

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