By Jund Rian A.
Doringo
FNRI-DOST S&T Media Service
Healthy diet and
proper nutrition are necessary for a child to grow and learn. Kids who are well-nourished have enough
energy to engage in productive physical activities and are able to actively
participate in school.
According to the
World Health Organization (WHO), it is well recognized that the period from
birth to two years of age is the “critical window” for the promotion of good
growth, health, and behavioral development. Therefore, optimal infant and young
child feeding is crucial during this period.
Furthermore,
adequate complementary feeding
of children from six months to two years of age is particularly important for
growth and development and the prevention of undernutrition.
However, childhood
undernutrition remains a major health problem in resource-poor settings all
over the world.
In the
Philippines, the 2008 National Nutrition Survey (NNS) conducted by the Food and
Nutrition Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology
(FNRI-DOST) revealed that one out of five preschool children is underweight and
one out of twenty-five preschool children is severely underweight.
Although the
prevalence of undernutrition has been decreasing among preschool children from
1989 to 2011, the Philippines must achieve a 6.6 percentage point reduction in
2015 to meet the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) target of reducing in half
the proportion of undernourished preschool children to 13.6 percent.
Guided by its
mandate of diffusing knowledge and technologies in food and nutrition, and
providing S&T services to relevant stakeholders, the FNRI-DOST developed
two nutritious complementary food blends that would help address
undernutrition.
The ready-to-cook
rice-mongo-sesame baby food blend and the rice-mongo instant baby food blend
can be easily prepared by pouring boiling water to the blend and mixing them
together until the desired consistency is reached.
The
rice-mongo-sesame complementary food provides 130 kilocalories of energy, 19
grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of protein, 4 grams of fat, and 8 milligrams
(mg) of calcium per 30 grams. The rice-mongo complementary food provides 120
kcal of energy, 24 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of protein, and 7 mg of
calcium per 30 grams.
A 30-gram serving
each of plain rice-mongo-sesame and plain rice-mongo meets 18% calories and 29%
protein, and 17% calories and 29% protein of the recommended energy and
nutrient intakes of six to less than 12-month children, respectively.
Moreover, a
30-gram serving of plain rice-mongo-sesame and plain rice-mongo meets 12%
calories and 14% protein, and 11% calories and 14% protein of the recommended
energy and nutrient intakes of one to three-year-old children, respectively.
The technology
behind these food blends is suited for mass production in a small-scale level
and is perfected in an efficient and continuous manner with an assurance of a
uniform, acceptable, and safe final product. The technology transfer strategy
involves tapping small and medium entrepreneurs or local government units and
non-government organizations for feeding programs. Recently, Long Live Pharma,
a local manufacturer, adopted the technology.
With the
commercialization and availability of these food blends in the market and in
various feeding programs, it is not impossible for Filipino children to become
well-nourished in the near future.
For more information on food and nutrition, please
contact: Dr. Mario V. Capanzana, Director, Food and Nutrition Research
Institute, Department of Science and Technology, Bicutan, Taguig City;
trunkline: 837 2071 local 2296 or 2287; telephone/fax no.: 837 3164, email:
mvc@fnri.dost.gov.ph or mar_v_c@yahoo.com; website: http://www.fnri.dost.gov.ph
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