title: Nutrient content of complementary foods based on processed and fermented sorghum, groundnut, spinach, and mango.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Many African mothers use gruels made of maize and sorghum as complementary foods for their infants because they cannot afford the cost of nutritionally superior commercial weaning foods.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To improve the nutritional quality of traditional sorghum gruels used as complementary foods for children between six months and five years in the northern part of Cameroon.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sorghum grains were processed by dehulling, sprouting, dehulling and cooking, and sprouting and cooking, then fermented using Saccharomyces cerevisae and tested for nutritional quality. The processed samples were analyzed for their nutrient composition and the digestibility of proteins and carbohydrates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The resulting products showed a significant reduction in antinutritional factors (e.g., phenolic compounds and phytates). In addition, germination improved the in vitro digestibility of proteins and carbohydrates. These effects were enhanced by fermentation of the resulting sorghum flour, regardless of how grains were pretreated, although the protein and mineral content remained low. Use of a composite flour made from pretreated sorghum, groundnut, spinach, and mango improved the protein, mineral, and vitamin A and C content of the gruels. Fermentation of composite flours resulted in an improvement in the protein content.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study, conducted under local conditions and using local technology, describes an opportunity for improving the quality of complementary foods using local ingredients.
authors.affiliation: University of Ngaoundéré, Ngaoundéré, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Habiba
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Oumarou
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ejoh
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ndjouenkeu
authors.forename: Agatha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tanya
mesh_terms: D010367:Arachis; D002163:Cameroon; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis; D004063:Digestion; D005260:Female; D005285:Fermentation; D005433:Flour / Q000032:analysis / Q000592:standards; D005504:Food Analysis; D005511:Food Handling / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007225:Infant Food / Q000032:analysis* / Q000592:standards*; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D008297:Male; D031022:Mangifera; D009753:Nutritive Value; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000378:metabolism; D045868:Sorghum; D018724:Spinacia oleracea; D014886:Weaning
chemical_list: D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004044:Dietary Proteins