Low-cost local ingredients as protein source to produce rusf biscuit for malnourished children (under 5) in Sub-Saharan Africa

Motivation, problem statement and aim Malnutrition is one of the major health problems in Low Income Countries. The risk of death, for a malnourished child, is 11 times higher than for a well-nourished child. It is universally known that malnutrition compromises not only physical development, but also the mental development, essential for the integral development of any human being. In Africa the number of children under 5 that suffer of stunting and wasting are respectively 61.4 and 12.1 millions, and to manage situations like these, emergency food products like RUTF and RUSF (Ready-to-Use Therapeutic/Supplementary Food) are very useful. The aim of the study is to develop a RUSF biscuit using the low-cost food resources usually present in Sub-Saharan Africa (namely Burundi and DRCongo), conducting chemical characterization, nutritional evaluation, and a stability trial simulating usual storage conditions in rural context. Methodology Two prototypes were prepared, one control recipe with wheat flour, the other without (high price ingredient in DRCongo). For both, the protein sources were eggs, peanut, soy and Vigna unguiculata flours; lipid sources were palm oil besides soy and peanut flour. For chemical characterization, analysis were macronutrients, protein digestibility and urease activity. For nutritional evaluation a professional software for dieticians was used. Stability trial (in plastic bags) was conducted at a constant temperature of 30°C, with evaluation of moisture, peroxides, and texture after 0–7–14–21–28–35 days. Results Nutritional evaluation showed that less than 50 g of the two prototypes is needed to cover the 30% of daily protein requirement in children (age range 3-5 years). Protein and fat content (respectively 17.81-16.77 % and 19.69-20.06 % on wet matter) was higher than the minimum level defined for high energy products used in malnutrition care. Protein digestibility was over 90% and urease activity was well under the limits for both the biscuits. Stability trial showed that the products have a good stability under usual storage conditions in rural context of Sub-Saharan Africa. Conclusion These outcomes showed that the two prototypes were very similar for fat and protein content. Similar results were obtained also for stability trial, protein digestibility and urease activity. Moreover, absence of wheat flour in one prototype permitted cost reduction by 6%. RUSF like these can be very useful in children malnutrition care, but obviously they cannot be the ultimate solution: micronutrients integration, and nutrition education for the care holders of these children are also essential.