Developing a weaning food with rice and soya as basic mix

Abstract

A study entitled "Developing a weaning food with rice and soya as basic mix" was conducted to develop a nutritionally adequate weaning food intended for feeding infants of six to nine months of age. The amino acid score and chemical score of seven proportions of basic mix containing varying proportions of rice and defatted soya flour were worked out and the best proportion having the highest score was selected to formulate a multi mix incorporating amaranth and skim milk powder. Twelve variations of the multi mix were formulated varying the nature of incorporation of the aforesaid ingredients. Recipes (porridge) were prepared from the multi mixes. The recipes prepared were subjected to preference test and based on the preference test and nutritive value, two of the multi mixes were selected which were further evaluated for their protein quality, physical and organoleptic qualities, storage stability and cost. Based on the above the multi mix containing raw rice, defatted soy

I Flour, skim milk powder, with dried and powdered form of amaranth was identified as the best multi mix. The selected multi mix was found to be nutritionally adequate to meet "the requirement of a young

infant. The developed product was also found to meet the requirements specified by IS (1659-1969) for majority of the characteristics tested and hence could be proclaimed as a nutritious weaning food for the infants of Kerala, being indigenous, low cost and easy to prepare and feed.