Peer-reviewed article
Development and nutritional evaluation of an extruded grain amaranth-instant porridge as a supplementary food for children under five with moderate acute malnutrition
Amos Steven Mwikwabe, Haikael David Martin, Benson Kusirie Mushi, Dyness Dickson Kejo ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-sonnet-5This study developed a new type of instant porridge made mostly from grain amaranth to help treat moderate acute malnutrition in young children in Tanzania. The researchers wanted a cheaper, locally made alternative to imported fortified foods. They tested several recipes and picked two for further processing, then measured their protein, fat, mineral content and how well they resisted anti-nutrients like phytates. The best formulation had high protein and zinc content close to international nutrition standards, and taste tests showed people found it acceptable to eat. The findings suggest amaranth-based porridge could be a promising, locally sourced food for managing malnutrition in children under five.
Key points
- Protein content ranged from 18.14 to 20.53 g/100g across formulations, close to the WFP/UNICEF Super Cereal Plus standard of 400 kcal/100g
- Formulation 5 had the highest fat (11.95 g/100g) and zinc (8.98 mg/100g), meeting CSB++ specifications except for potassium
- Extrusion processing reduced anti-nutrients: tannins by 50.2%, oxalates by 64.9%, and phytate by 77.6%
- Sensory acceptability scores were good (6.2-6.9), with significant differences in aroma and flavor between formulations
- Grain amaranth food-to-food fortification at 40-45% produced an energy- and nutrient-dense porridge suitable as supplementary food
Limitations
The study describes laboratory development and sensory panel testing of the porridge but does not report an actual feeding trial or nutritional outcomes in malnourished children.
Abstract
Moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) among children under five remains a challenge in Tanzania, where the fortified blended foods used to manage it are almost entirely imported, expensive and inaccessible. This study developed and evaluated a grain amaranth-based extruded instant porridge as a locally sourced alternative. Five formulations were generated from grain amaranth, pro-vitamin A maize, soybean and sesame by two-stage linear programming using regional food composition data, with crude protein maximized subject to a technological fat ceiling of 11.0 g/100 g. Formulation 1, the least-cost solution, and Formulation 5, the most nutrient-dense within fat ceiling that is more economical than the non-compliant Formulation 3, were advanced to twin-screw extrusion. Proximate composition (AOAC 2005), mineral content (microwave plasma atomic emission spectrometry) and anti-nutritional factors (colorimetric methods) were determined; functional and sensory properties were evaluated; data were analyzed by ANOVA. Protein ranged from 18.14 g/100 g in Formulation 1 to 20.53 g/100 g in Formulation 5 reaching 98.0% of the WFP/UNICEF Super Cereal Plus (CSB++) minimum of 400 kcal/100 g. Formulation 5 showed the highest fat (11.95 g/100 g) and zinc (8.98 mg/100 g), all within CSB++ ranges, with only potassium below specification (37.1%). Extrusion significantly increased water absorption capacity ( p < 0.001), shifted the flour from the fair to good flowing category, and reduced tannins, oxalates and phytate by 50.2, 64.9 and 77.6% relative to raw grain amaranth. Sensory scores showed good overall acceptability (6.2–6.9), with significant differences for aroma ( p < 0.001) and flavor ( p = 0.002); SC(F5)-777 ranked highest among extruded samples. Food-to-food fortification using grain amaranth at 40–45% produced energy- and nutrient-dense instant porridge with improved mineral content, functional properties, and sensory characteristics, demonstrating strong potential for use as locally available supplementary food for managing MAM in children under five.