Child acceptability of a novel provitamin A carotenoid, iron and zinc-rich complementary food blend prepared from pumpkin and common bean in Uganda: a randomised control trial

Abstract

Background: Ugandan children are fed homemade complementary foods (CFs) which are usually deficient in vitamin A, iron and zinc. Novel homemade CFs rich in vitamin A, iron and zinc need to be developed, and assessed for their acceptability among target children. Objective: Homemade provitamin A carotenoids (PVACs), iron and zinc-rich complementary food (CF), common bean pumpkin blend (BPB) formulated from pumpkin (Sweet cream) and common bean (Obwelu) and PVAC-rich pumpkin blend (PB) from Sweet cream were prepared by expert peer mothers. This study compared child acceptability of BPB and PB (control). Methods: The crossover acceptability study randomly assigned Ugandan children 6 to 24 months old to either receive 100 g of BPB (n = 35) or 100 g of PB (n = 35) on day one. After a washout period of one day, children crossed over to receive either BPB (n = 35) or PB (n = 35). The amount of CF consumed, duration of consumption, and micronutrient intake were assessed. The CF was acceptable if children consumed ≥50 g (50%) of served food (100 g). A paired t-test was used to determine the mean differences within participants between BPB and PB. The level of statistical significant difference was set at a probability value of 5% (p = 0.05).

Potential of pumpkin to combat vitamin A deficiency during complementary feeding in low and middle income countries: variety, provitamin A carotenoid content and retention, and dietary reference intakes

“…Moreover, over 100% PVAC retention was also observed after boiling or steaming provitamin A biofortified pumpkin (Carvalho et al 2015). Studies by Carvalho et al (2014) and Carvalho et al (2015) are consistent with several other studies that showed that PVAC retention was over 100% in pumpkin puree prepared from either boiled or steamed pumpkin (Bulatova et al 2018;Buzigi, Pillay, and Siwela 2020a;Maier et al 2008;Provesi, Dias, and Amante 2011). The higher retention of b-carotene content observed in cooked pumpkin may be due to the cis-b-carotene isomers that increase on heating PVAC rich foods (Azizah et al 2009;Bechoff et al 2017;Bengtsson et al 2008;De Moura, Miloff, and Boy 2015;Mugode et al 2014).…”

“…This may indicate that the cereal, "instant dhokla" diluted the b-carotene content in pumpkin powder on mixing pumpkin powder and the cereal to form "instant dhokla-pumpkin powder mix". Such a reduction in PVAC content in pumpkin was also observed by Buzigi, Pillay, and Siwela (2020a), after mixing pumpkin with common bean to form common bean pumpkin blend (BPB). It is likely that common bean diluted the PVAC content of pumpkin on blending pumpkin to form BPB (Buzigi, Pillay, and Siwela 2020a).…”

“…It is likely that common bean diluted the PVAC content of pumpkin on blending pumpkin to form BPB (Buzigi, Pillay, and Siwela 2020a). Studies by Ravi, Menon, and Anupama (2010) and Buzigi, Pillay, and Siwela (2020a) may inform food scientists and nutritionists to consider the possible dilution of PVACs in pumpkin on blending pumpkin with other foods deficient in PVACs, when formulating food mixtures enriched with PVACs.…”

Lactating mothers' perceptions and sensory acceptability of a provitamin A carotenoid–iron‐rich composite dish prepared from iron‐biofortified common bean and orange‐fleshed sweet potato in rural western Uganda

“…The lactating mothers' suggestion is plausible because 6‐ to 23‐month‐old children in low‐income countries such as Uganda are at a higher risk of developing ID and VAD since they are predominantly fed CFs that are low in iron and vitamin A (Amaral et al., 2018 ; Ekesa et al., 2019 ; Uganda Bureau of Statistics & Inner City Fund, 2018 ). Moreover, developing and testing child acceptability of PVA carotenoid–iron‐rich CFs and testing its acceptability among children in the age range of complementary feeding is feasible (Buzigi et al., 2020b ).…”