Formulation of Adequate Complementary Food for Children 6–24 Months Using Local Staple Foods in the South-west Region of Cameroon

Background: Malnutrition is still among the leading causes of death in children <5 years, contributing to about 50% of infant deaths in Sub-Saharan Africa. Undernutrition is the more common form of malnutrition in developing countries, and results from insufficient intake of protein and/or energy, and may sometimes result from poor breastfeeding and/or complementary feeding practices. WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of the baby’s life, followed by gradual introduction of complementary foods, with continuous breastfeeding till baby is at least two years. Most babies are not exclusively breastfed for six months, and even more not breastfed till 24 months. Most complementary foods in developing countries are homemade, with plant-based ingredients, using improper processing techniques, making them low in nutrient content.

Aims: This work aimed at formulating Complementary foods from ten different proportions of local staples; yellow maize, rice, potatoes, egg whites, soybeans, pawpaw, watermelon, pineapple and oranges, using standard processing techniques.

Methodology: The blends (A to J) were formulated and were evaluated for colour, taste, flavor and consistency using nine scaled hedonic point, and the preferred five were evaluated for proximate composition, some vitamins and minerals, functional properties, and for microbes using standard Association of Analytical Chemists (AOAC) methods. The results were statistically analysed using Microsoft excel, SPSS and Graphpad Instat softwares.

Results: Results from sensory analysis showed that the preferred formulas were B, H, A, C, G, respectively. Moisture contents ranged from 4.6 - 10.5%, ash content ranged from 2.65 - 3.70%, fibre content ranged from 6.43 - 9.27%, protein content ranged from 17.72 - 37.72%, fat content ranged from 9.5 - 14%, carbohydrate content ranged from 38.74 - 63.58%, and energy content ranged from 394.9Kcal - 433.2Kcal. Micronutrient analysis revealed that all the formulas had no vitamin C, while they had vitamin A contents ranging from 95.85 - 2340IU. Calcium content ranged from 378 - 632mg/100g, iron content ranged from 4.73 - 8.59mg/100g, phosphorous ranged from 109.04 - 136.49mg/100g, and Zinc content ranged from 1.47 - 2.35mg/100g. Magnesium content ranged from 53.32 - 85.19mg/100g, sodium ranged from 2.42 - 189.41mg/100g, while potassium ranged from 319.2 - 728.82mg/100g. For functional properties, water absorption and oil absorption capacities ranged from 1.5 - 4.4 and 1.5 - 1.95 respectively, Loose and packaged bulk densities ranged from 0.51 - 0.54 and 0.78 - 0.92 respectively. The swelling index ranged from 1.03 - 1.11, foaming capacity and foam stability ranged from 2.0 - 18.0 and 0.0 - 0.7 respectively, while the dispersibilities ranged from 52.5 - 92.5%. Microbial analysis revealed that none of the formulas contained yeast, C had no coliform while formula B had highest coliform (620 CFUs), while C had highest TBC (31000CFUs).

Conclusion: Formula C, with sweet potatoes as main starch source, looked most promising as a complementary food.