PREPARATION AND EVALUATION OF COMPLENTRAY DIETS FROM GERMINATED WHEAT AND LENTIL FOR BANGLADESHI CHILDERN

Abstract

During the complementary feeding period, children require a nutrient-dense diet to
meet their high nutritional requirements. International interest exists in the promotion of affordable,
nutritionally adequate complementary feeding diets based on locally available foods. The objective of
this study was to develop a low cost complementary food for children in Bangladesh by using locally
available resources. For attaining these five complementary formulations (F1-F5) based on germinated
wheat flour (GWF), lentil flour (GWF) sugar and milk powder (MP) were appropriately processed and
evaluated. The germinated wheat and lentil seed flour were prepared soaking the seed in water for
12hours at 30oC, germinated for 60hours at 33.5oC in a seed germinator, dried at 60oC for 8hours,
dehulled, roasted at 100oC for 2 mints, and milled, after this complementary food formulation samples
were developed by mixing the ingredients. Samples of the prepared formulations were investigated for
proximate composition, functional properties (bulk density, water and oil absorption capacities,
swelling power and water soluble index) and sensory evaluation. The proximate composition results
indicated that the moisture for complementary food ranged from 5.11-5.22, protein 18.32-27.62, ash
2.67-3.05 crude fiber 1.36-1.81, fat content 1.20-1.28 and carbohydrate 70.73-61.24 were significantly
different (p>0.05) from each other. Calculated values for total energy provided by the blends ranged
from 375.03-377.39 kcal/100g of dry matter. The overall acceptability score was highest (7.55) in F3
complementary food followed by F4 (7.23) ranging from „like slightly‟ to „like moderately”. The F3
complementary food was satisfactorily acceptable. The composition and functional properties of F3 and
F2 formulations had a good potential for use as complementary foods.