Quality Evaluation and Comparative Nutritional Assessment of Six Instant Weaning Foods Formulated from Selected Staple Foods and Protein Supplements

Abstract

Inadequate and poor weaning practices in addition to malnutrition remains a serious public health challenge among the under-five in developing countries, Nigeria inclusive, since the commercial weaning foods are not quite affordable and to some extent not available to the common man. Hence this study is aimed at evaluating the Quality and comparatively assessing nutritional composition of six instant weaning foods formulated from selected staple foods and protein supplements. Six weaning foods formulated: three rice-lentil based (A-C) and three sweet potato-soybeans based (D-F) at the respective ratios of 70:10, 60:20 and 50:30 blended with groundnut, crayfish and smoked fish in varying quantity to make up the 100g. These blends were compared with a reference weaning diet (NutrendMaize-soybean blend). The nutritional composition, sensory acceptability and microbial count of the diets were investigated using standard methods. The results of the investigation showed that fat content of experimental diets ranged between 3.00_+ 0.01% to 7.51+_0.01%, moisture contents 6.58+0.09% to 8.02+0.04%, the protein contents between 9.12+0.07% to 17.73 + 0.02%. The proximate compositions of the experimental diets were within standard range except for diet E when compared with the reference diet. The same trend was observed with carbohydrates contents except for diet A. The assessment showed low fat to high carbohydrate and protein contents. The mineral contents were significantly higher than that of the reference except for phosphorus and potassium contents which were lower for the rice blends while the sweet potato blends were higher making them more fit in comparison to the reference especially diet F. Sensory evaluation panelists generally scored the sweet potato blends higher however, blend F was most preferred as compared to others scoring second to the reference. The microbial screening of the diets shows that all the blends A-F were fungi free even after 28 days of shelf life and it competed favourably with the reference. The study however revealed that the sweet potato – soybean based formulated weaning food may serve as a good substitute for commercial weaning foods for infants in developing countries. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLEDGE ISSN 2321 – 919X www.theijst.com 134 Vol 8 Issue 5 DOI No.: 10.24940/theijst/2020/v8/i5/ST2005-028 May, 2020 with the complete cessation of breast-feeding [7]. When a baby reaches 4 to 6 months of age, breast milk alone is no longer sufficient to meet the nutritional requirements [8]. As a result, many brands of preparatory weaning foods have been developed and marketed in most countries including Nigeria [9]. In Nigeria, many attempts to produce weaning food which are quite rich in protein and other nutrients by combination of cereals and various sources of rich protein from animals, legumes and oilseeds has been reported [10]. The major risk factors associated with infants and early childhood mortality and morbidity are poor infant feeding practices, production hygiene as well as childhood and maternal body health under nutrition [11]. Malnutrition is a major health problem in developing countries such as Nigeria and contributes to infant mortality, poor physical and intellectual development of infants as well as lowered resistance to diseases and consequently retarded development. This has become a persistent problem for children in developing countries [12]. In developing countries, 70% of weaning foods are supplied by cereals, which are relatively poor source of protein [13]. Formulating and development of nutritious weaning foods from locally and readily available raw materials have received a lot of attention in many developing countries [14]. Apart from protein and energy in infant diet need, calcium, iron, and trace elements can be obtained by combining local staple. Unfortunately, the traditional methods also used in the preparation of these food are accompanied by severe nutrient lose which affect the nutrient quality of the diet then leading to a vicious circle of malnutrition and infection possibly leading to death, resulting to high mortality and morbidity amongst weaning age children [15].The Protein Advisory Group guidelines for weaning foods should be 20% of Protein, Fat level of up to 10%, Moisture Content 5% to 10% and Total Ash Content not more than 5% [16]. Several studies have reported that most of the weaning foods consumed by children in many parts of developing countries are deficient in essential macronutrients and micronutrients [17]. The commercial weaning foods such as Cerelac, Nutrend and Phosphatine are expensive and out of reach to low income earners in developing countries. This unavailability of nutritious food and high cost of commercial weaning foods and animal protein are major causes of PEM in children [13]. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a nutrient-dense, safe, affordable, and accessible complementary food from locally produced ingredients using household or small to medium scale production technologies as a vital and sustainable approach to address the problem of malnutrition. This has been ongoing for over 15-20 years now using different food class blend [18]. 2. Materials and Methods 2.1. Sample Collection, Preparation, Processing and Formulation 2.1.1. Sample Collection 2.1.1.1. The Collection of the Six Selected Food Crops Rice (Oryza sativa), Lentils (Lens culinans), Soy-beans (Glycine max), Crayfish ( Astacus fluviatilis), Dried smoked Cat-fish, Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) and Sweet Potatoes (Ipomoea batataslight purple species) were all purchase from Osse Market Onitsha, Anambra State, Nigeria. 2.1.2. Sample Preparation and Processing  Soybean: The 2kg soybean was weighed, sorted, washed and soaked for 3hours. Thereafter it was de-shelled and parboiled in boiling water for 30minutes after which it was de-shelled again before sun drying for 24 hours and oven dried at 70oC for 24 hours also making 48 hours of drying. This was then blended and sieved; this was then packaged and stored in a freezer for use as demand arises.  Rice: The 2 kg rice was weighed, sorted, washed and parboiled in boiling for 25 minutes. Thereafter it was sun dried for 48 hours and oven dried at 70oC for 24 hours totaling 72 hours. After which it was blended and sieved then packaged.  Sweet Potato: Exactly, 8 kg sweet potatoes was weighed, washed and then de-shelled. It was then cut to smaller pieces weighed again of which it now weighed after which it was washed and cooked for 25 minutes in boiling water. It was then removed and sun dried for 48 hours and oven dried at 70oC for 24 hours. After which it was now blended, sieved and packaged.  Lentils; Exactly, 1 kg lentils were weighed, then rinsed and parboiled in boiling water for 25 minutes and sun dried for 24 hours and oven dried at 70oC for 24 hours totaling 48 hours. It was blended, sieved and packaged. (The type used is a mixture of green and black coloured shades)  Crayfish: Exactly, 300g crayfish was weighed, then sorted and sun dried for 48hours after which it was blended, sieved and packaged  Groundnut: A weight of 510g of groundnut was sorted and soaked for 30minutes in slightly salty water, thereafter sun dried for 48 hours. After which it was blended and packaged.  The Fish Meal: The smoked fishes weighing 380g was broken open, the head and some unwanted parts removed. It was the pounded bit to piece in a mortar using the pestle and sun dried for 48 hours, after which both flesh and bones were blended and packaged to make the fishmeal THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLEDGE ISSN 2321 – 919X www.theijst.com 135 Vol 8 Issue 5 DOI No.: 10.24940/theijst/2020/v8/i5/ST2005-028 May, 2020 Figure 1: Flow Chart on Preparation of the Various Foods 2.1.2.1. Blends Formulation BLEND RICE LENTILS S.POTATO S.BEAN G/NUT C/FISH F/MEAL REMARK