Abstract
Growing evidence exists for the benefits of adequate infant and young children feeding (IYCF) practices at the weaning stage (≥ 6 months), including optimal growth, building the immune system, cognitive development, healthy food preferences, and reduced mortality and morbidity rates. However, these outcomes are not universally experienced. To ensure that a developing country such as Malawi, where recent studies have shown high rates of food insecurity and malnutrition benefits from adequate IYCF, five nutrient-dense complementary foods (Recipes 1 to 5) were developed. Standardized food processing techniques were used in the preparation and combination of Malawian indigenous food samples. The developed food recipes were assessed for nutrient density and cultural acceptability through sensory evaluations. Recipe 5 emerged as the winning weaning food (WWF), with an overall acceptability rate of 65% (mean score of 5.82 ± 0.87). Unlike theoretical analysis with the ESHA Food Processor, statistical analysis did not show that Recipe 5 met the Codex Alimentarius recommendations for macro- and micronutrients. However, it showed that the micronutrient recommendations for iron (p = 0.0001; 95%CI) and zinc (p = 1.00; 95%CI) were partially met, but not those for calcium and vitamins A and D. The prototype and outcome of this pilot study will be invaluable for interventions aimed at combating food insecurity and malnutrition in Malawi.
Highlights
Food insecurity continues to be a major global challenge confronting humanity and there are currently no adequate measures to address the situation
The nutrient density of the complementary food measured per 100 g (3.5 ounces) dry matter comprised a minimum of 410 kcal of energy or 4 kcal per gram weight on a dry basis with energy from protein being
A previous study in Malawi documented the high cost of animal-source foods (ASF), leading to its rare consumption [8], the present study addresses this issue. (iii) Cultural acceptability of the developed recipe, which was set at 60% for the sensory evaluation rating since this study served as a pilot study. (iv) Safety of food for human consumption, which was ascertained from a preliminary study involving the drying of food samples, a literature study, and a shelf life study
Summary
Despite the considerable progress that has been made in the past 25 years at increasing global food production, about 821 million people worldwide remain food-insecure according to a recent report on the State of Food Insecurity (SOFI) in the world [1]. This might be attributable to the fact that food insecurity is a complex phenomenon that affects food availability, affordability, the cultural norms that dictate acceptable means of acquiring food, and individual food utilization [2]. The FAO’s Africa Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition report of 2018 revealed that food insecurity rose from 20.8% to 23.2% for sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) between 2015 and 2017, making SSA the only region across the globe that has been consistently undernourished [3]
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