Journal of Nutrition & Food Sciences
Open Access

Abstract

Development of the Process for a Drinkable Plant-Based Infant Food

Deborah Nabuuma, Dorothy Nakimbugwe, Yusuf B Byaruhanga, Firibu Kwesi Saalia, Robert Dixon Phillips and Jinru Chen

Provision of nutritionally adequate foods is crucial for the prevention and management of malnutrition. In order to meet the nutrient requirements of infants and young children using locally available cereals and legumes, foods need to be of low viscosity, of high caloric content and nutrient density and easily digestible. This study developed a processing protocol for three plant food formulations to yield nutrient dense, easily digestible and safe therapeutic foods for malnourished children. Pre-digestion of the milled ingredients at 40°C for 4 hours with grain amaranth that was malted for 48 hours and 1% Bromelain achieved 70-84% starch hydrolysis and 55-61% protein hydrolysis. Sterilization of the therapeutic food in glass jars in an autoclave at 121°C, 15 PSI for 20 minutesgave non- detectable total plate and yeast and mold counts. The final products had viscosities of 2745-2913 Cps. These results show that pre-digestion can improve the nutrition quality of infant foods made from plant sources.