Abstract
Background: Complementary foods are foods intended for consumption by infants and young children to supplement then replace their milk diet. Compliance with labeling and nutritional composition standards conditions their nutritional quality. Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the compliance level of Cereal-based Complementary Foods (CCFs) marketed in the city of Yaounde to related standards. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 125 mothers in 2 hospitals of Yaounde using probabilistic cluster sampling. The labelings and nutritional compositions of the most consumed CCFs coded as “ASC O”, “ASC I”, “ASC E” and “ASC A”, were compared to Codex Alimentarius standards at an acceptability threshold of 80%. Results: The labeling standards were 95.24%, 93.48%, 89.68% and 59.34% compliant for “ASC O”, “ASC I”, “ASC E” and “ASC A” respectively, 52.5%, 73.75%, 83. 75% and 35% for nutritional composition standards. 90% of these CCFs complied with labeling standards, while only 26% with nutritional composition standards. Conclusion: CCFs in Yaounde have as main defects: incomplete labels, labels with errors and falsities, protein and mineral deficiencies. Their producers, controllers, and buyers should respectively improve, control and seek their good quality for the well-being and good health of infants and young children.
Highlights
Malnutrition remains a major public health problem in the world in general, and in sub-Saharan Africa in particular
Cereal-based Complementary Foods (CCFs) in Yaounde have as main defects: incomplete labels, labels with errors and falsities, protein and mineral deficiencies
The main CCFs consumed in the city of Yaounde were: Phosphatine - Blédine - Cérelac – Tanty
Summary
Malnutrition remains a major public health problem in the world in general, and in sub-Saharan Africa in particular. It mainly affects pregnant or breastfeeding women and children aged under 5 years old [1]. To overcome this problem, the WHO advocates early breastfeeding within an hour of birth, exclusive breastfeeding up to six months and, from six months the introduction of healthy Complementary Foods (CF) with good nutritional quality, while continuing breastfeeding up to 2 years and above [2]. The nutritional quality of complementary foods is, one of the assets of the overall strategy to combat child malnutrition which is more related to the quality of food offered to infants and young children than to its quantity or availability [4]. Compliance with labeling and nutritional composition standards conditions their nutritional quality
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