Canned complementary porridges for infants and young children (6–23 months) based on African indigenous crops; nutritional content, consistency, sensory, and affordability compared to traditional porridges based on maize and finger millet

• Published in: Maternal and child nutrition p. e13752
• Main Authors: Løvdal, Trond, Skaret, Josefine, Drobac, Gorana, Okole, Blessed, Sone, Izumi, Rosa‐Sibakov, Natalia, Varela, Paula
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 05-11-2024
• ISSN: 1740-8695; 1740-8709; 1740-8709
• DOI: 10.1111/mcn.13752

Child malnutrition is a major health problem in Sub‐Saharan Africa. Complementary foods made from African indigenous and locally available raw materials are often low in protein and nutrients. It is, therefore, important to supply complementary foods that are nutritious and affordable, and with an acceptable consistency and taste. The objective of this study was to develop, on a pilot scale, food‐to‐food fortified, convenient, canned complementary porridges based on blends of African indigenous crops, i.e., orange fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) flour, and leguminous (i.e., cowpea, and Bambara groundnut) and cereal flours (i.e., teff, finger millet, maize, and amaranth), and milk powder. Plant‐based, African complementary foods are often lacking in vitamin A, zinc, iron, and energy. Porridge with OFSP on a 32% dry weight (dw) basis achieved recommended levels of vitamin A (530 µg per 100 g dw). Satisfactory energy (431 Kcal per 100 g dw) was obtained by supplementation of vegetable oil. A nutritious, low‐cost porridge (costing 0.15 € per 100 g can) that fulfills consistency constraints was obtained by including supplements of zinc and iron salts as ingredients. The solids content and thus protein/energy could be significantly increased using protein fractionated or germinated cowpea flours without compromising on viscosity. The sensory profile was characterised by more intense vegetable, leguminous, and malty flavours as compared to traditional reference porridges.
In developing countries, complementary foods are often plant‐based, which may lead to deficiencies of e.g., vitamin A, zinc, and iron, and does not support sufficient energy. This study shows that vitamin A content can be increased by use of Orange Fleshed Sweet Potato (OFSP) flour as an ingredient in complementary porridges. Mineral‐rich foods are expensive, and with only local crops available, a minimum cost is hardly achieved without supplementation with cost‐limiting nutrients zinc and iron salts. Fat content may be improved by whole milk powder and vegetable oils, also leading to more energy. Solids content, and hence energy and protein, may be increased by the use of protein fractionated and germinated legume flour, ‐ without compromising on viscosity. The present study shows that low‐cost complementary nutritious porridges that fulfills the consistency constraints can be developed based on indigenous African crops by including supplements of zinc and iron salts.