Production of Baby Food from Some Local Products as an Alternative to Some Imported Baby Meals for Rural Areas around Kosti City

Abstract

            This study was conducted at the University of El Imam El Mhadi, White Nile State, and Kosti, Sudan. The objectives of this study is to prepare baby food or meal from some local products (Wheat, Sesame, Date and milk) and use these locally prepared foods as a an alternative to some imported baby food or meals. These are Cereals, Cerelac and Ridielac, to make use of some available local products and use the cost of the imported baby meals in hard currency for others necessary imported items. Some chemical analysis were done to show the nutritive values of these local products, also sensory evaluation was done to show the acceptability of these meals by adults and children. The results show that, the amount of protein in 100 gram for each of these local products were found to be (13.70%, 5.25%, 21%and 3.55%)  for wheat , date,  sesame and milk respectively, while the amount of carbohydrates were found to be (59.58%, 49.69% , 4.76% and 4.81% )  for wheat, dates  ,sesame and milk respectively ,fat was found to be (2.99%, 0.55% , 53.06%and 4.25 %) for wheat, dates, sesame and milk respectively. The moisture content was found to be 11%, 33.05%, 6.91% and86.24% for wheat, dates, sesame and milk respectively. Ash content was found to be 1.78%, 9.47%, 4.75% and 1.15% for wheat, dates, sesame and milk respectively. The result of sensory evaluation done by adults, show that, there is a significant difference (p? 0.05) in color, smell, taste, texture and general acceptability for this local baby food as compared with these imported baby food or meals, but the majority of these panelist said that, the local meal is better than the three imported meals.16 out of 20 children accepted this meal and didn’t refuse it. On the other hand feeding of 20 children with this meal show no signs or symptoms of allergy, vomiting or diarrhea as the effect of this meal. The price of 100 gram of locally prepared meal is far less than the price of each 100 gram of the three imported meals individually. The difference between local meal and Cereals was found to be 32.4 Sudanese Pounds and the difference between local meal and Cerelac was found to be 46.15 Sudanese Pounds while the difference between local meal and Redielac was found to be 39.9 Sudanese Pounds.