Formulation of Complementary Foods Developed from Plants Polypeptide (Parkia Biglobosa), Soy Bean and Maize

Abstract

Researchers have shown that Locust bean (parkia biglobosa) is of Health Benefits and inevitable family needs. Locust bean is good for eyesight while the older ones need it for curing hypertension and its other related conditions like stroke and diabetes. Medically, it is employed in wound healing and serves as one of the ingredients that are used for treatment of leprosy. The purpose of this paper is to determine the nutritional efficacy of maize soybean, locust bean blends incorporating into com- plementary food. Maize, locust bean and soy bean were the sole energy and plants polypeptide sources, respectively. Diet 1 (Basal) diet 2(Control) diet 3(Locust bean: soy bean: Maize 10 10:80); diet 4 (locust bean: soy bean: Maize 10:5:85); diet 5 (locust bean: soy bean: Maize: 5: 10: 85) diet 6 (locust bean: Maize: 15: 100) diet 7 (locust bean: Maize: 20: 100). The formulated complementary diets were fed to 70 albino rats. A commercial product (Cerelac) manufactured by nestle plc was obtained at a local supermarket, Ile-Ife, Nigeria and was used as standard diet Results -- The results showed the growth rate for non-protein diet decreased from 45.57-43.43(1), protein diets increased from 45.57-97.77(2), 45.17-48.26(3), decreased from 45.60-38.90 (4), increased from 45.30- 67.23(5), decreased from 45.52- 40(6), 45.54-36.10 (7). The average nitrogen retained in various organs of experimental animals, such as liver, kidney and muscle was found higher in diets 5. The formulation was comparable to control, was found similar in terms of growth rate, PER, NPR and ensure optimum nitrogen content in the liver, kidney and tissues in diet 5. Conclusions -- The results showed that the complementary food formulation showed more efficacy in diet 5, which are not expensive, locally available, affordable, could be blended from locust bean, soy bean and maize, hence may be suitable to improve childhood nutrition, mental performance and eradicate protein energy malnutrition (PEM).