Nutritional evaluation of complementary porridge formulated from orange-fleshed sweet potato, amaranth grain, pumpkin seed, and soybean flours
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Date
2021
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Abstract
Supplementing breastmilk with poor energy and nutrient-dense complementary
foodstuffs for young children and infants has resulted in malnutrition, poor growth,
and retardation of infant development in many sub-Saharan African countries.
Ensuring nutrient adequacy for infants because of their lower consumption requires
energy and nutrient-dense food. In this context, the nutritional composition of
porridge from complementary flour blends of locally available foodstuffs (orange-
fleshed sweet potato, pumpkin seeds, amaranth grains, and soybeans) was carried
out. Complementary flours formulated from flour blends of pumpkin seeds, extru-
sion cooked soybean, and orange-fleshed sweet potato, as well as germinated and
extrusion cooked amaranth grains, resulted in varieties of complementary porridges
(SAPO1–SAPO5). From these, proximate composition, mineral content (sodium, iron,
magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, and zinc), vitamin contents (A and C), and nutri-
ent density of the formulated complementary porridge were determined. Results
showed that all the formulated complementary porridge were able to meet the stipu-
lated standards of energy and nutrient (zinc, iron, vitamin A, and protein) densities.
Flour blend ratio, germination process, and extrusion cooking significantly (p < .05)
influenced the targeted nutrients of interest, as well as the nutrient and energy densi-
ties of the formulated complementary porridge. Specifically, the formulated comple-
mentary porridge with 40% amaranth grain, 25% orange-fleshed sweet potato, 20%
soybean, and 15% pumpkin seed composite mixture had 76.92% compliance level
with recommended standards, which assure adequate nutrient complementation to
breastfeeding. The present study provides a valuable insight that complementary
foods from locally obtainable foodstuffs are potential solutions for mitigating child-
hood malnutrition and adequate complementation to breastfeeding by proffering the
needed energy and nutrient densities required for the immunity, well-being, growth,
and development of young children and infants, without fortification.
Description
Food Sci Nutr. 2022;10: PP. 536–553.
Keywords
Complementary feeding, Iron availability, Limiting nutrients, Malnutrition, Micronutrient density, Zinc availability