The use of nutrient‐optimizing/cost‐minimizing software to develop ready‐to‐use therapeutic foods for malnourished pregnant women in Mali

Abstract

Malnutrition affects people of all ages in many countries in the developing world. One treatment for malnutrition is the intervention involving ready-to-use therapeutic foods (RUTFs). This study developed RUTFs for pregnant women in Mali using formulation computer software and largely local, plant-based ingredients. Mali has the world's second highest birth rate and infant mortality rate. Nutrient profiles of possible ingredients and their prices from 2004 to 2009 were entered into the software. Computer-selected ingredients included peanuts, cowpeas, and millet as well as rice or barley koji (sources of α-amylase and ingredients). Components of the six selected formulations were milled, hydrolyzed with koji α-amylase, and heated at 121°C for 15 min. The contents of protein, fat, ash, fiber, carbohydrates, amino acid, and energy of dehydrated products were determined and compared with software-predicted values. Actual and predicted values were comparable: the protein content was 1.45–2.04% higher, and ash content was 0.60–0.89% higher than the predicted values, while the fat content was 0.18–0.88% lower, the lysine content was 0.17–0.25% lower, and fiber content was 0.16% lower to 2.06% higher than the predicted values. The difference in actual and predicted energy levels were 14.8–22.2%. The amount of RUTF needed to meet the requirement of most limiting nutrients, lysine and energy, ranged from 2620 to 3002 g. The costs for producing the RUTFs were substantially lower than importing commercial RUTFs even with increased ingredient prices in Mali from 2004 to 2009.

Study on the effect of pilot scale roasting conditions on the physicochemical and functional properties of maize flour (Cv.Bio 22027)

“…Roasting is a well‐known process of maize kernels for food applications. Roasted maize flour is a well‐known food ingredient to manufacture weaning, complementary, and therapeutic foods (Bechman, Phillips, & Chen, ). The temperature range from 150 to 250 °C and time range from 5 to 30 min were mostly used in lab scale roasting of grains (Srivastav, Das, & Prasad, ).…”

Charting the cost of nutritionally-adequate diets in Uganda, 2000-2011

“…Okubo et al [13] used an LP model to generate nutritionallyoptimal Japanese food intake patterns that would meet recommended Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs). Bechman, Phillips and Chen [14], for Mali, and Ryan et al [15], for Ethiopia, both used LP methods to develop ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) formulations. Darmon, Ferguson and Briend [16] used LP to identify nutritionallyadequate diets based on food recommendations for French women from different income groups living with different food budgets.…”

Tenebrio molitor L., entomophagy and processing into ready to use therapeutic ingredients: a review

“…The use of local food products to increase the acceptability of RUTFs as well as reduce costs is gaining popularity as an idea, although the predominantly distributed products are still mainly made of non-local vegetable proteins like soy, corn, and peanut with dairy, another non-local ingredient. 22,26 Often, the cheapest possible products that meet nutrient guidelines are unfamiliar and unappealing with high amounts of waste stream protein like whey isolate and oil source. 27 Existing RUTF formulations have had some success increasing acceptability for children with sugar content as high as 28%, but the success does not extend to adults suffering from MAM.…”