Nutritional quality of low-cost supplementary foods for supporting growth and rehabilitation of undernourished populations in Tanzania
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Date
2004
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Publisher
Michigan State University
Abstract
Severe undemutrition during childhood remains a common health problem in many parts
of the world and contributes immensely to childhood morbidity and mortality. According
to WHO/UNICEF, producing low-cost, ready-to-feed, nutritious foods from locally
produced ingredients by using low-to-medium level technologies in local settings can
considerably help mitigate child undemutriton through increased access to food. The aim
of this study was to formulate, process, and evaluate the quality of processed, ready-to-
feed bean-based composite supplementary foods for pre-school age children in low-
income populations in Tanzania.
Supplementary foods based on cereal-bean-sardine mixtures were formulated
from ingredients produced locally in Tanzania. The products were formulated to
maximize the amino acid score as recommended by the FAO/WHO/UNU for pre-school
age children and to provide the desired amount of energy and fat as stated by the
FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius guidelines (CAC/GL 08-1991) for supplementary foods
for older infants and young children. Red beans {Phaseolus vulgaris), com/maize {Zea
mays), rice {Oryza sativa), sardines {Sardinops melanosticta) and red palm oil {Elaeis
guineensis) were formulated into single/multi-mix diets and processed into ready-to-feed
powders by extrusion, drum-processing and conventional cooking. The processed products were evaluated for true protein digestibility, net protein retention ratio, protein
digestibility-corrected amino acid scores (PDCAAS), amino acid profile, residual
phytohemagglutinins, trypsin, chymotrypsin, and a-amylase inhibitors. Foods were also
evaluated for potential to support normal growth and for rehabilitation of undernourished
children using a weanling rat model. Furthermore, the products were evaluated for
storage stability at 38°C.
The studies showed that com-bean-sardine, sorghum-bean-sardine and rice-bean
sardine products had superior nutritional value compared to individual cereals or cereal +
bean blends. The composite products had high true protein digestibility, ranging from 82
- 93%, high ratio of net protein retention ranging from 0.86 - 0.92 and PDCAAS ranging
from 77 - 89%. The composite products also showed a good potential to support growth
and rehabilitation of undernourished animals. Extrusion and drum-processing thoroughly
cooked the foods as characterized by high gelatinization rate (95 - 100%) and low
residual urease activity levels (< 0.05 units per 100 g food). They were also effective in
inactivating the phytohemagglutinins (91 - 97%) and the anti-nutritional factors - trypsin,
chymotrypsin and a-amylase inhibitors. Extrusion and drum-processing also resulted in
products that had high protein digestibility and PDCAAS. During storage at 38°C, the
food pH and total acids did not change significantly (p > 0.05). The products were shelf
stable for at least 16 weeks.
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Thesis
Keywords
Nutrition, Supplementary foods, Tanzania, Undernutrition