Development and acceptability testing of ready-to-use supplementary food made from locally available food ingredients in Bangladesh

Abstract

BackgroundInadequate energy and micronutrient intake during childhood is a major public health problem in developing countries. Ready-to-use supplementary food (RUSF) made of locally available food ingredients can improve micronutrient status and growth of children. The objective of this study was to develop RUSF using locally available food ingredients and test their acceptability.MethodsA checklist was prepared of food ingredients available and commonly consumed in Bangladesh that have the potential of being used for preparing RUSF. Linear programming was used to determine possible combinations of ingredients and micronutrient premix. To test the acceptability of the RUSF compared to Pushti packet (a cereal based food-supplement) in terms of amount taken by children, a clinical trial was conducted among 90 children aged 6–18 months in a slum of Dhaka city. The mothers were also asked to rate the color, flavor, mouth-feel, and overall liking of the RUSF by using a 7-point Hedonic Scale (1 = dislike extremely, 7 = like extremely).ResultsTwo RUSFs were developed, one based on rice-lentil and the other on chickpea. The total energy obtained from 50 g of rice-lentil, chickpea-based RUSF and Pushti packet were 264, 267 and 188 kcal respectively. Children were offered 50 g of RUSF and they consumed (mean ± SD) 23.8 ± 14 g rice-lentil RUSF, 28.4 ± 15 g chickpea based RUSF. Pushti packet was also offered 50 g but mothers were allowed to add water, and children consumed 17.1 ± 14 g. Mean feeding time for two RUSFs and Pushti packet was 20.9 minutes. Although the two RUSFs did not differ in the amount consumed, there was a significant difference in consumption between chickpea-based RUSF and Pushti packet (p = 0.012). Using the Hedonic Scale the two RUSFs were more liked by mothers compared to Pushti packet.ConclusionsRecipes of RUSF were developed using locally available food ingredients. The study results suggest that rice-lentil and chickpea-based RUSF are well accepted by children.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT01553877. Registered 24 January 2012.

Improving the health and welfare of people who live in slums

“…2 Table A3 ) yielding positive results concerning behavioural interventions to reduce obesity in women and children in Brazil 70,71 , childhood malnutrition in Peru, breast feeding in Kenya, and 'delinquent' ' behaviour in Uganda. 73 Providing fortified snack bars resulted in improved nutritional status in India 74 and Bangladesh 75 (arguably avoiding the harmful effects resulting from imbalance of competing elements, e.g. zinc and copper, with chemical formulations of micro-nutrients).…”

Child acceptability of a novel provitamin A carotenoid, iron and zinc-rich complementary food blend prepared from pumpkin and common bean in Uganda: A randomised control trial

“…Child acceptability was assessed by feeding the novel CF to the child, followed by measuring the amount of CF consumed, and duration taken to complete the CF (Guinard, 2001;Adu-Afarwuah et al, 2008;Aaron et al, 2011;Ahmed et al, 2014). The primary outcome of the study was to measure the amount of CF consumed by children.…”

“…Duration of feeding was measured as described elsewhere (Ahmed et al, 2014). Caregivers were asked to spoon feed their children the assigned CF until the child refused to eat.…”

“…The feeding episode took place under the direct supervision of a trained research assistant to ensure that feeding was not forced. Children were considered as refusing intake if they moved their head away from the food, cried, clamped the mouth shut or clenched the teeth, or became agitated, spat out the food or refused to swallow as done elsewhere (Ahmed et al, 2014).…”

“…However, caregiver acceptability of a CF does not guarantee child acceptability (Paul et al, 2008). It is worth noting that child acceptability can be assessed by feeding the novel CF to the child, followed by measuring the amount of CF consumed, and duration taken to complete the CF (Guinard, 2001;Adu-Afarwuah et al, 2008;Aaron et al, 2011;Ahmed et al, 2014). Since children 6 to 24 months old are the target consumers for CFs, this study assessed child acceptability (6 to 24 months old) of a novel PVAC, iron and zinc-rich homemade complementary food, BPB developed from locally available common bean and pumpkin in Uganda.…”