Nutrient composition and mycotoxin contamination of commercially sold premixed cereals for complementary feeding of infants in Malawi: Test results for 94 samples of 8 brands (P11-079-19)

High quality fortified premixed cereals can help caregivers meet infants’ nutrient needs after 6 months of exclusive breastfeeding, as complementary foods alongside breastmilk especially where family foods have low nutrient density. Such cereals are widely used in nutrition assistance programs, but...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Gilbert, Rachel, Subedi, Binita, Wallingford, Jessica, Wilson, Norbert, Masters, William A.
Formato: Resumen
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: Oxford University Press 2019
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/145486
Descripción
Sumario:High quality fortified premixed cereals can help caregivers meet infants’ nutrient needs after 6 months of exclusive breastfeeding, as complementary foods alongside breastmilk especially where family foods have low nutrient density. Such cereals are widely used in nutrition assistance programs, but commercially-sold brands are rarely subject to quality assurance using international standards for composition and labeling. Previous work found low and variable nutrients and high mycotoxin levels in a few samples. This study aimed to provide the first combined test for nutrient and mycotoxins in multiple samples of all premixed cereal brands for sale in a country, using Malawi as an example of a country with high burdens of child malnutrition and an active market for commercial premixed cereals.