Abstract
This study aimed to test the nutritional quality of white haricot bean-maize porridge, a potential complementary food made using household food processing. Focus group discussions were conducted with mothers and revealed that traditional processing practices were soaking, germination and roasting. Although few used pulses in complementary foods (only maize), they expressed preference for white haricot bean to incorporate as a pulse in food for infants and young children. Germination (for 48 or 72 h) and roasting methods of household processing and preparation methods were used during preparation of white haricot bean flour, and soaking and roasting were selected in preparation of maize flour. Proximate nutrient analysis was done on processed and unprocessed flours using standard methods. There were no significant differences in iron (p=0.114), and zinc (p= 0.326) between 48 and 72 h germinated white haricot bean. However, processed products showed significant reduction of phytate (p= 0.001). Community acceptability test was undertaken with 36 mother-child pairs. There were no significant mean differences among porridge samples for sensory attributes. This study shows that processing such as germination of pulse is necessary for improved bioavailability of iron and zinc, and that pulse-cereal porridge is suitable as a complementary food. Key words: Phytate, iron, zinc, porridge, maize flour, haricot bean flour, germination, roasting, soaking.
Highlights
Appropriate infant and child feeding, including complementary feeding, is critical for child growth, development and survival (WHO and UNICEF, 2008)
Young children are in the rapid growth phase where requirements for nutrients are increased, yet in Ethiopia, it is common to find their diet is mainly cereal based which is low in iron and zinc, and high in phytate content (Kebebu et al, 2013)
While most participants agreed they ate red haricot bean during the coffee ceremony, at which time it was boiled and roasted after soaking; they mentioned that red haricot bean is considered a “poor person’s diet”
Summary
Appropriate infant and child feeding, including complementary feeding, is critical for child growth, development and survival (WHO and UNICEF, 2008). Poor households subsist on monotonous staple-based diets and intakes of animal-source foods are low (Gibson et al, 2008). Lack of diversity in the diet is strongly associated with inadequate intake and risks of deficiencies of essential micronutrients such as vitamin A, iron and zinc in young children (Hawkes and Ruel, 2011). The main source of zinc is animal source foods such as meat which is lacking in many rural poor households. Young children are in the rapid growth phase where requirements for nutrients are increased, yet in Ethiopia, it is common to find their diet is mainly cereal based which is low in iron and zinc, and high in phytate content (Kebebu et al., 2013)
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