Formulation of a drinkable peanut-based therapeutic food for malnourished children using plant sources

• Published in: International journal of food sciences and nutrition Vol. 64; no. 4; pp. 467 - 475
• Main Authors: Nabuuma, Deborah, Nakimbugwe, Dorothy, Byaruhanga, Yusuf B., Saalia, Firibu Kwesi, Phillips, Robert Dixon, Chen, Jinru
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Informa Healthcare 01.06.2013; Taylor & Francis; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Adult; Arachis; Beverages; Child; Child Nutrition Disorders; Children & youth; computer formulation software; Consumer Behavior; Costs and Cost Analysis; Dietary Fats; Dietary Proteins; Edible Grain; Energy Intake; F100; Fabaceae; Food science; Food, Formulated; Food, Fortified; Humans; Ingredients; least cost formulation; Malnutrition; Malnutrition - diet therapy; Mothers; Nutritive Value; Nuts; Peanuts; Proteins; Seeds
• ISSN: 0963-7486; 1465-3478
• DOI: 10.3109/09637486.2012.746289

High ingredient costs continue to hamper local production of therapeutic foods (TFs). Development of formulations without milk, the most expensive ingredient, is one way of reducing cost. This study formulated a ready-to-drink peanut-based TF that matched the nutrient composition of F100 using plant sources. Three least cost formulations namely, A, B and C were designed using computer formulation software with peanuts, beans, sesame, cowpeas and grain amaranth as ingredients. A 100 g portion of the TF provided 101-111 kcal, 5 g protein and 5.3-6.5 g fat. Consumer acceptability hedonic tests showed that the products were liked (extremely and moderately) by 62-65% of mothers. These results suggest that nutrient dense TFs formulated from only plant sources have the potential to be used in the rehabilitation phase of the management of malnourished children after clinical testing.