Making snacks, porridge from beans: The Story of George Nyombaire

George Nyombaire, a Rwandan PhD student at Michigan State University in the United States of America, recently invented a new food product using a machine called extruder. Nyombaire says that the product is extruded bean snacks and bean porridge. He got his patent from the World Intellectuals Property Organization headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. The patent number is WO/2008/057415. The patent was submitted on the 2nd of November 2006 and was published on the 15th of May 2008. Nyombaire says it is approximately one year working on his product. He said he used red kidney beans. The beans were cleaned and washed before they were dried and ground using a hammer mill to pass through 0.5mm sieve. He says that the bean flour was extruded using a low-cost extruder JS30A manufactured in China by Qitong Chemical Industry Equipment. He says that he was motivated to make this innovation because of the importance of dry beans as a source of proteins, carbohydrates, dietary fiber, certain minerals and vitamins in the human food supply. He adds that dry beans are cultivated and consumed in the greatest quantity especially in developing countries. “Some countries do not have enough firewood to cook beans as, they require long times to cook,” says Nyombaire. He explains that the traditional way of cooking which at times is Insufficient, may result in incomplete inactivation of “phytohemmaglutinins”, which may eventually result in food poisoning and can cause diarrhea and vomiting. In addition, Nyombaire adds that smoke from the cooking fire is a major health hazard in developing countries. Getting an education Nyombaire was born in Kahunge Refugee Settlement in western Uganda. He says that getting an education was not an easy thing as his family were all refugees. But through handwork and help from family and friends, he was able to go to school. He attended Rwengoro primary school. He later went on to study at Ibanda Secondary School in Ankole Uganda from where he joined the National University of Rwanda (NUR). From 1995-2000 Nyombaire pursued a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture, majoring in crop production. After graduation he worked as a teaching assistant at NUR in the Faculty of Agriculture. After three years, he won a USAID scholarship to do a Master of Science in Food Science and Technology at Michigan State University in 2004. In 2006 he completed his Master’s degree and embarked on a doctorate program in Food Science and Technology at the same University. Nyombaire says he will definitely return to Rwanda after completing his doctorate in a few years time. It was in 2005 that he embarked on the project to invent the extruded bean snacks and bean porridge. Nyombaire says that the invention was patented it in November 2006, with the World Intellectual Property Organization with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. Nyombaire says that most Rwandans feed on beans and this is one reason that inspired him to look for ways of adding value to beans and by producing bean snacks, biscuits and porridge. He says that he realized that there was a need for post harvest processing which would be a departure from the traditional way of consuming beans when they are not well processed. He says that research has shown that beans are more nutritious than many other foodstuffs. Nyombaire adds that the porridge made out of beans is a very important nutritious food for little kids and pregnant mothers. He says that there is ample evidence to suggest that many young children face a problem of malnutrition in the country. He believes that with this invention, he will help contribute to the eradication of malnutrition in the country. Nyombaire says that right from childhood, he had a passion for agriculture and he chose it as his first choice when it came to joining university. Nyombaire says that in the next few years, he sees himself in a position where he can make a positive contribution to Rwanda’s development. He hopes to use his knowledge to help Rwandans get out of poverty. He hopes to be in a position where he can share knowledge and skills with other Rwandans. Besides his busy schedule, Nyombayire sometimes finds time to engage in other activities like biking and watching movies. He however says that time is not always available as he spends most of his time in the lab doing experiments and other activities which are in line with his academic pursuits. Nyombaire says that living in the United States has shown him that there are some people who are very hard-working. He says that he has found many helping hands in the US where many of his colleagues and professors are so helpful and even treat you like a father would treat a son. In Addition, the people at Michigan State University are excited about his project. He however adds that there are a few challenges he has faced in the US. He says that Michigan is a very cold place and you also miss people at home and your country. Nyombaire is a member of many professional bodies which include the American Association of Cereal Chemists International (AACCI) and the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT). He has given more than eight presentations in the area Food Science and Technology related fields across the United States. He is also active in student affairs and is a representative of Master’s and PhD students on the department level at Michigan State University. He is also an active member of Food Science club at his University. He has also won a number of scholarships at Michigan State University. 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