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Periodical article Periodical article Leiden University catalogue Leiden University catalogue WorldCat catalogue WorldCat
Title:Improving the quality of complementary food for young children in Africa
Author:Van Camp, JohnISNI
Year:2008
Periodical:Bulletin des séances = Mededelingen der zittingen
Volume:54
Issue:2
Pages:159-168
Language:English
Geographic terms:Africa
Tanzania
Subjects:baby food
child nutrition
nutritive value
Abstract:Protein energy malnutrition (PEM) and micronutrient deficiencies are major nutritional problems that occur during the transitional phase from breast milk to solid complementary foods (CF) in infants in African communities. Most often vegetable products like cereals and legumes are used in CF that result in porridges with low energy density and low micronutrient bioavailability. Locally available technologies, such as germination and fermentation, have been used to increase the energy density and the micronutrient bioavailability of CF. Next to nutritional quality, attention should also be paid to the safety of CF. Both microbial contamination and the presence of mycotoxins may be potential sources of diseases. A baseline and intervention study with 6-12 month-old children in Tanzania is presented in which a processed CF composed of finger millet, kidney beans, peanuts and mango puree, was evaluated relative to a control product containing the same ingredients, but without processing. Although the processed product had a threefold increase in energy density and an improved iron solubility compared to the control product, no significant difference either in weight gain, longitudinal growth, or iron status was noticed between the two groups at the end of the trial. Further optimization of local processing is needed, and more appropriate biomarkers to evaluate iron bioavailability have to be used. Bibliogr., sum. in English, French and Dutch. [Journal abstract]
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