Development of Quality Cereal Based Composite Flour for Nutritionally Vulnerable Children Using Locally Available Raw Material

Quality protein maize (QPM) based composite flour for nutritionally vulnerable groups was developed using QPM, soybean and orange fleshed sweet potatoes (Caceapedo variety). Single flours of QPM was prepared by soaking the grains into cold water at ambient temperature for 24 hours, drained and then milled into flour using a conventional milling machine. Soybean flour was prepared by roasting the grains and milling them also using a conventional milling machine. Orange fleshed sweet potatoes (OFSP) were prepared by washing, peeling, cutting, soaking in sodium metabisulfite solution for three hours and milling. Single flours were mixed in different proportions. Prepared gruels using different composite flours with traditional methods were subjected to sensory evaluation by 15 testing panellists. Panellists scored the gruels made with 55 g of QPM, 35g of soybean and 10g of OFSP as the more testing than other nine tested gruels. The preferred composite flour and the red sorghum flour taken from Butare market were subjected to nutritional analysis using ISAR chemistry laboratory for comparison. Results showed that the protein concentrations were higher in the composite flour than in the sorghum flour normally used for gruels preparation for young children. The concentrations were as follows Protein: 18.32mg/100g of flour; ash: 3.62mg/100g in composite flour comparing to Protein: 6.25mg/100g and ash 1.85mg/100g sorghum flour. Background The term to wean means to accustom and it describes the process by which the infant gradually becomes accustomed to the full adult diet. During the weaning period the young child’s diet changes from milk alone to one based on the regular family meals. Milk should be given as a supplement to the child for as long as possible [1]. Weaning is a dangerous time for infants and young children. It is well known that there is higher rate of infection particularly of diarrhoeal diseases during the weaning than any other period in life [1]. This is because the diet changes from clean breast milk with certain anti-infective factors to foods which are often prepared stored and fed in very unhygienic ways. Malnutrition is more common during this transitional period than in the first six months of life because families may not be aware of the special needs of the infant, may not know how to prepare weaning foods from the foods that are available locally, or may be too poor to provide sufficient nutritious foods. Often, the weaning foods for infants are of poor nutritional value and unhygienically prepared and this often leads infection and malnutrition. Today traditional child feeding habits that were reasonably satisfactory can no longer be followed because of urbanization, new patterns of family structure higher prices of foods and changes in the pattern of women’s work [1]. The need for weaning food for some babies from six months to two years old is being met through commercially 344 produced weaning foods. These foods are normally excellent products and meet the nutritional requirements of the infant. However the products marketed are expensive for the target groups who need such product especially in poor communities in Rwanda. It is therefore necessary to develop less costly but equally nutritious weaning foods that may be within the reach of the target group. It is advised that the development of weaning foods should utilize raw material based on locally available staple grains such as maize and other cereals and legumes [2]. It is also advised that the technology for developing such foods should not be sophisticated and should be highly adaptable. From the point of view of children’s nutritional requirements, the weaning food mix should be nutritionally well balanced in carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and essential minerals. It should be precooked if possible so that it can be fed to babies as soft products by simple stirring in hot or boiling water. The fiber content in the material should be low within permitted limits. Traditional cereal foods play an important role in the African diet [3]. Attempts have been made to improve the protein quality of many cereal based foods including ogi in Nigeria, corn dough in Ghana, Kisra in Sudan and many others [3,4]. Supplementation of legumes is one way of improving the protein quality of cereals diets. Most of the protein enrichment of traditional foods has used soybean as source of protein. Another approach is to develop high protein foods with physical and organoleptic characteristics similar to those existing foods but based on readily available commodities and technology. The current study aims at developing a Quality Protein Maize based composite flour for nutritionally vulnerable groups. Hypothesis The QPM based weaning gruel is higher in nutrients density than the normal sorghum based gruel from the market and is organoleptiqually acceptable. Objectives 1. To develop a QPM based composite flour for weaning porridge enriched with either soybean or high Fe and Zn bean 2. To determine the nutrients content of the composites flours 3. To assess the acceptability of the QPM based weaning gruels