 NUTRIENT COMPOSITION, FUNCTIONAL AND ORGANOLEPTIC PROPERTIES OF COMPLEMENTARY FOODS FROM SORGHUM, ROASTED AFRICAN YAM BEAN AND CRAYFISH
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
In developing countries like Nigeria, complementary foods are mainly based on starch tubers like cocoyam, sweet potato or on cereals like maize, millet and sorghum. Children are normally given these staples in the form of gruels that is either mixed with boiled water (Igyor et al., 2011).
Sorghum is an important food crop grown on a subsistence level by farmers in the semi arid tropics of Africa and Asia. It is the principal food crop grown in Northern Nigeria (Zakari and Inyang, 2008). Sorghum like other cereals is predominantly starchy and remains a principal source of energy, protein, vitamins and minerals. Sorghum grows in harsh environments where other crops do not grow well, just like other staple foods, such as cassava, that are common in impoverished regions of the world. It is usually grown without application of any fertilizers or other inputs by a multitude of small _holder farmers in many countries FAO (1999).
African yam bean (Sphenostylis stenocarpa) is an underutilized legume crop that is predominantly cultivated in Western Africa. It produces nutritious pods, highly portentous seeds and capable of growth in marginal areas where other pulses fail to thrive (Enwere, 1998). It has the potential to meet the ever increasing protein demands of the people in this region.
Crayfish, also known as crawfish, freshwater lobsters, to which they are related; taxonomically, they are members of the super families Astacoidea and parastacoidea (Hart 1994). The greatest diversity of crayfish species is found in Southeastern North America, with over 330 species in nine genera, all in the family Cambraridae (Tennessee Aquatic Nuisance 2007). A further genus of astacid crayfish is found in the Pacific Northwest and the headwaters of some rivers east of the continental Divide. Many crayfish are found in lowland areas where the water is abundant in calcium, and oxygen rises from underground springs (Thompson et al., 2007).
Since many African mothers use gruels made from sorghum as complementary foods, for their infants, due to their inability to afford the cost of nutritional superior commercial meaning foods, this work was conducted to evaluate the nutrient composition, functional and organoleptic properties of complementary foods from sorghum, roasted African yam bean and crayfish locally formulated into flour blends.
AIM AND OBJECTIVE
To determine the nutrient composition, functional and organoleptic properties of complementary foods from sorghum, roasted African yam bean and crayfish.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
COMPLEMENTARY FOODS
Complementary foods are foods other than breast milk or infant formula (liquids, semisolids, and solids) introduced to an infant to provide nutrients. Recommendations on the introduction of complementary foods provided to caregivers of infants should take into account:
- The infant’s developmental stage and nutritional status;
- Coexisting medical conditions;
- Social factors;
- Cultural, ethic, and religious food preferences of the family;
- Financial considerations; and
- Other pertinent factors discovered through the nutrition assessment process.
The ideal time to introduce complementary foods in the diets of infants is difficult to pinpoint. Complementary foods introduced too early are of little benefit to the infant and may even be harmful due to the possibility of breast milk or infant formula. Introducing complementary foods too late may cause an infant to develop nutritional readiness. Consequently, the infant may have difficulties learning to eat complementary foods when they are introduced later. When complementary foods are introduced appropriate to the developmental stage of the infant, nutritional requirements can be met and eating and self_ feeding skills can develop properly. Pediatric nutrition authorities agree that complementary foods should not be introduced to infants before they are developmentally ready for them; this readiness occurs in most infants between 4 and 6 months of age.
‘There is no evidence for harm when safe nutritious complementary foods are introduced after 4 months when the infant is developmentally ready. Similarly, very few studies show significant benefit for delaying complementary foods until 6 months’ (Complementary Feeding 2004). The timing of introduction of complementary foods for an individual infant may differ from this recommendation. There is some disagreement among authorities on the need for additional sources of nutrients of nutrients besides breast milk in the first 6 months. However, there is agreement that infants need a good dietary source of iron and zinc by about 6 months of age, which cannot be met by breast milk alone.
Older babies and young children need foods other than breast milk for two reasons: firstly for nutrition to grow and develop healthy; secondly to accustom them to the eating habits of the family and community. These two goals do not always harmonize. However, in some societies, the shamed family meal may not deliver appropriate nutrients to the young child and she may miss out nutritionally if parents and caregivers are unaware of the importance at active feeding and do not know which foods are the most appropriate.
The use of an age based cut-off for the introduction of complementary foods is unphysiological and is a clumsy (though necessary) public health tool. As Gill Raphey has pointed out so cogently, children do not crawl, walk, cut their teeth or talk at an exact age so why are they all expected to need complementary feeding at the same age (Raphey G, 2006).
Contaminated complementary foods are the major route of transmission of diarrhea among infants (Black et al., 1999). For this reason, the higher incidence of diarrhea in the second semester of life coincides with the increase in the intake of these foods (Martinez et al., 1992). Proper material practices regarding the management, preparation, administration and storage of complementary foods may reduce their contamination (Feachem et al., 1993).
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