SMALL-SCALE PRODUCTION OF WEANING FOOD

Malnutrition, mainly affecting children under five years of age, is a common problem in many developing Countries. It is caused by different factors, such as:

• Lack of food and low quality of the food;
• Lack of time to take care of children by parents and/or caretakers;
• Lack of knowledge;
• Poverty;
• Lack of good quality health care resulting in the occurrence of many disease;

In many Countries, young children are given porridge from rice or maize and water. This porridge often lacks the proper nutrients and energy for the growing child. Often, the person caring for the child lacks the time, money and know-how to prepare better infant food.

The small-scale production of weaning foods by itself is not the answer to the world wide problem of malnutrition. The combination of setting up other activities, such as health and nutrition education, poverty alleviation with the production and sale of small-scale produced weaning foods could help to improve the situation regarding food and nutrition of young children.

This article is to give a helping hand or guideline to groups or individuals who wish to produce weaning foods on a small-scale base, with locally available ingredients or to persons who will guide others to do so.


COMMERCIALLY PRODUCED SUPPLIMENTARY FOODS

Commercially produced weaning foods are manufactured in factories in large quantities mainly consist of various kinds of milk powder. They are often advertised and this is why people frequently think that it is the best food that a child could have. The quality of weaning food from small-scale production, however, is just as good, and under the prevailing circumstances in many developing countries, it has many advantages.


THE PRODUCTION PROCESS AND THE PREPARATION OF WEANING FOODS

The production process of weaning foods consists of five (5) steps:

1. Storage of ingredients/raw materials.
2. Cleaning.
3. Roasting.
4. Grinding and mixing.
5. Packaging.

SAMPLE RECIPES OF WEANING FOODS

Many Countries have had a lot of experience with the small-scale production of weaning food. Below are popular recipes that have proven to be successful.

NUTRIMIX (Ghana)
Ingredients Quantity (grams)
• Roasted Maize 750
• Roasted and peeled Soya beans 150
• Roasted Peanuts (Groundnuts) 100


WEANIMIX (Ghana)
Ingredients Quantity (grams)
• Roasted cereals(maize, millet or sorghum) 800
• Roasted peanuts (Groundnuts) 100
• Roasted beans 100


VITALMIX (Ghana)
Ingredients Quantity (grams)
• Roasted cereals (maize or sorghum) 800
• Roasted chickpeas 100
• Roasted peanuts 100


TOTOMIX (Tanzania)
Ingredients Quantity (grams)
• Roasted maize 800
• Roasted lentils 100
• Roasted peanuts 100
FORTIMIX (for severely malnourished children) (Tanzania)
100 g FORTIMIX is made of:
Ingredients Quantity (grams)
• Totomix 56
• Sugar 19
• Oil 10
• Dry skimmed milk 15
Composition per 100 g is approximately:
Energy 415 kcal
Protein 046 kcal
Fat 135 kcal
Carbohydrate 232 kcal


SOY-OGI (Nigeria)
Ingredients Quantity (grams)
• Roasted maize 700
• Roasted soya beans 300
• Vitamin/Mineral mix.
Composition per 100 g is approximately:
Energy 400 Kcal (1.7 kj)
Protein 20 g
Protein-energy % 20 %
Fat-energy % 14 %
Vitamin/Mineral mix:
The addition of a vitamin/mineral mix as above increases the vitamin and mineral composition. However, it makes the weaning food unnecessarily expensive, because the vitamin and mineral consumption can be increased by giving the infant mashed fruits.


AK-1000 (Haity)
Ingredients Quantity (grams)
• Cereals (maize, rice or sorghum) 700
• Pulses (Black, white or red beans or peas) 300
Composition per 100 g (dependent on the type of cereal and pulses used) is approximately:
Energy 350 kcal (1.5 kj)
Protein 11.5 - 14.8 g
Protein-energy % 13.0 – 17.0 %
Fat-energy % 2.0 – 9.0 %


FARINE DE BEBE DE BENIN (Benin)
Ingredients Quantity (grams)
• Roasted Maize 275
• Roasted Sorghum 275
• Roasted Beans 205
• Roasted Peanuts (Groundnuts) 140
• Sugar 105

Composition per 100 g is approximately:
Energy 393 kcal (1.6 kj)
Protein 15 g
Protein-energy % 15 %
Fat-energy % 20 %


THE PREPARATION OF BABY FOOD AT HOME

To prepare the porridge, three cups of water and one cup of weaning are necessary. Bring the water to boil and as the water boils stir in the weaning food. Continue stirring until the mixture becomes smooth and then let it cook for a further 15 – 20 minutes. This porridge now contains sufficient energy and nutrients for supplementing feeding. Although not essential, sugar or oil may be added at this stage.