Malnutrition, including deficiencies in micronutrients, stunting, wasting and
underweight, is a public health concern among children under-five years in developing
countries. Inadequate complementary feeding consisting of giving monotonous, low-energy
and low-micronutrients dense cereal porridge is a common cause of malnutrition.
The objective of this study was to identify and to assess the nutritional quality and the
energy content of infant and young child homemade blended flours in the rural settings
of Southwest Burkina Faso in order to promote blended flour recipes whose composition
would be suitable as complementary foods for breastfed infants and young children in
Burkina Faso. Cereal-based local blended flours were recorded through a survey in 10
villages. Five (5) recipes that contained at least one protein source (like beans or animal
product) were selected for improvement and nutrient content analysis. Sensory
evaluation of the porridge made from the blended flours was conducted using the infants,
young children and mothers. The feasibility (cost and workload involved) have been also
assessed among mothers. The energy content of analyzed blended flours ranged from
430 to 454 kcal/100g, with 11.5 to 14 g of protein. Flours were well accepted by children.
The time required to prepare a blended flour recipe was estimated at 2 hours per week
for one child, and all women interviewed found it acceptable. Flours recipes that used
sugar were found costly and unaffordable by 40 to 50% of women according to the
blended flour. Taking into account the cost, two blended flours recipes were preferred:
Flour recipe A: Pearl millet (48%), beans (7%), peanuts (23%),
sumbala (fermented seed
of
Parkia biglobosa
) (7%), and monkey bread (15%). Flour recipe B: Pearl millet (48%),
beans (7%), peanuts (26%), small fish powder (4%), and monkey bread (15%). All the
five blended flours met the minimum recommended energy density for complementary
food of 400 kcal/100g. However, except for vitamin C, the micronutrients contents were
insufficient. To address micronutrients deficiencies in this rural setting of Burkina Faso,
additional sources of micronutrients should be given to children.
