Development of nutrient rich plant based f-75 and f-100 for management of severe acute malnutrition and the effect of extrusion on the nutrients

Abstract

An estimated 20 million children suffer from severe acute malnutrition (SAM), which is a major cause of deaths in children under the age of five. In order to regulate SAM, WHO suggests using commercial milk-based formulas with 75 kcal/100 ml (F-75) and F-100. Commercial milk-based formulas are pricey, though, and the health care system is dependent on donors, which affects supply reliability and access across a large geographic area. Additionally, milk-based formulas are linked to an increase in diarrhea episodes, as well as its consequences, delayed healing, and deaths among SAM patients. The goal of this study was to develop a product that would substitute for dairy milk in the F-75 and F-100 formulations using plants such soy, amaranth, plantain, maize, and rice. The creation of plant-based modified therapeutic foods was intended to produce goods with high quality standards that the local populace could easily acquire. In order to reduce the need for complex mixing and heating compared to traditional commercial formulae, the plant-based F-75 and F-100 proposed therapeutic solutions were developed with the attribute of being quick and ready-to-use. This was accomplished through extrusion, a quick process in which input material is heated up by pressure, moisture, mechanical shear, and temperature before being driven through a die. Crude fat and crude protein nutrition characteristics for the formulations 75 and 100 were evaluated in relation to extrusion parameters including barrel temperature (13, 116, 100°C), feed moisture content (15%, 13%, and 12%). Following extrusion, the formulations' protein content fell while their fat content marginally increased.