Abstract
Child malnutrition remains persistently high in Rwanda. Complementary foods play a key role in young child nutrition. This study explores the quality and safety of complementary food products available in the Rwandan market. Ten of the most consumed porridge‐type complementary food products in Rwanda have been analysed. Mean values of macronutrient and micronutrient contents were compared against three international standards and evaluated against label claims. Mean mycotoxin, microbiological, and pesticide contamination were compared with maximum tolerable limits. Mean energy density (385 kcal/100 g) and total fat content (7.9 g/100 g) were lower than all three international benchmarks. The mean fibre content of 8.5 g/100 g was above the maximum recommended amount of Codex Alimentarius and more than double the amount claimed on labels. Mean levels of vitamin A (retinyl palmitate, 0.54 mg/100 g) and vitamin E (α‐tocopherol, 3.7 mg/100 g) fell significantly short of all three standards, whereas calcium and zinc requirements were only partially met. Average iron content was 12.1 mg/100 g. The analysis revealed a mean aflatoxin contamination of 61 μg/kg, and high mold and yeast infestation. Escherichia coli and pesticide residues were found, whereas no heavy metals could be quantitated. Overall, complementary food products in Rwanda show inadequate nutrient contents and high aflatoxin and microbial contamination levels. Improved regulation and monitoring of both local and imported products are needed to improve the quality and safety of complementary foods in Rwanda.
Highlights
Complementary foods (CFs) play a key role in child nutrition and linear growth in the 6‐ to 24‐month critical window of child development (World Health Organization, 2018)
CFs are commonly considered as nutritious and safe, comprehensive quantitative data on nutrients and contaminants especially from products available in low‐ income countries (LICs), where these foods play a pivotal role in older infant and young child nutrition, are rare and mostly focused on micronutrient contents (Gibbs et al, 2011; Gibson, Bailey, Gibbs, & Ferguson, 2010)
None of the products reached the Lutter and Dewey (L&D) target of 12.7 g total fat per 100 g, and 10 samples contained less than 9‐g total fat, the minimum required by Codex Alimentarius (CA) and Super Cereal Plus (SCP)
Summary
Complementary foods (CFs) play a key role in child nutrition and linear growth in the 6‐ to 24‐month critical window of child development (World Health Organization, 2018). For the first 6 months, infants should be exclusively breastfed to promote optimal growth, development, and health (World Health Organization, 2013) After this phase, nutritionally adequate and safe CFs should be provided in addition to continued breast feeding up to the age of 2 years to meet their evolving nutritional requirements. Fortified CFs, such as porridge mixes, with their higher nutrient density and digestibility, are a convenient source that complements breastmilk in supplying necessary nutrients at adequate levels to the growing child (Masters, Nene, & Bell, 2017). This is especially relevant for Rwanda, and in general, sub‐Saharan Africa, where malnutrition poses a serious problem (Bhutta & Salam, 2012). A recent study (Masters et al, 2017) assessing 108 different CF products from 22 Asian, African, and European countries found significant discrepancies between label claims and actual nutrient content, as well as serious inadequacies with regard to meeting nutrient needs at 6, 9, 12, and 24 months of age, with only 22% of the products meeting requirements for iron and 21% for zinc
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