Nutritional and Sensory Properties of High Energy/Nutrient Dense Composite Flour Porridges from Germinated Maize and Roasted Beans for Child-Weaning in Developing Countries: A Case for Uganda

Abstract

The study aimed at increasing the energy and nutrient density of traditional weaning porridges from germinated maize and decorticated bean flours. Proximate analysis showed that the porridge from the composite flour had a higher protein and energy density than typical weaning porridges made from maize alone. For a breastfed infant, the blend could meet 75% of the remaining required energy, compared to 52% provided by the porridge from maize alone. Untrained sensory evaluation panelists scored the porridge from the blend as acceptable. This blend therefore has great potential as a weaning food in resource-poor and technologically under-developed countries.

Keywords:

• weaning/complementary foods
• developing countries
• maize
• germination
• East Africa

Notes

¹ungerminated maize.

²Germinated maize.

¹Blend of 4 parts germinated maize flour and 1 part roasted beans flour.

²Blend of 3.5 parts germinated maize flour and 1.5 part roasted beans flour.

¹ungerminated maize porridge.

²germinated maize porridge.

³Porridge from blend of 4 parts germinated maize flour to 1 part of bean flour (4:1).

⁴Porridge from blend of 3.5 parts germinated maize flour to 1.5 parts bean flour (3.5:1.5).

Uganda Demographic and Health Survey (UDHS) (2000/2001). Entebbe: Uganda Bureau of Statistics and Maryland: Macro International, Inc.

Uganda Demographic and Health Survey (UDHS) (1995). Kampala: Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning and Maryland: Macro International, Inc.