The food multimix concept: potential of an innovative food based approach on nutritional status in pregnant women in resource-poor communities

Amuna, Paul and Zotor, Francis B. (2009) The food multimix concept: potential of an innovative food based approach on nutritional status in pregnant women in resource-poor communities. Annals of Nutrition & Metabolism, 55 (S1). p. 247. ISSN 0250-6807

Abstract

RATIONALE & OBJECTIVES: The food multimix (FFM)concept states that limited food resources can be combined using scientific knowledge to meet nutrient needs of vulnerable
groups at low cost utilizing the ‘nutrient strengths’ of individual or candidate foods in composite recipes within a cultural context.

METHODS: The method employed the food-to-food approach
for recipe development using traditional food ingredients.
Recipes were subjected to proximate and micronutrient analysis and optimized to meet at tleast 40% of recommended
daily intakes. End products including breads, porridge and soup were developed.

RESULTS: FMM products were employed in a feeding trial
among 120 healthy pregnant women in Gauteng, South Africa
resulting in improvements in serum iron levels from baseline
values of 14.59 (=/-7.67) umol/L and 14.02 (=/-8.13) umol/L for control and intervention groups (p=0.71), to 16.03 (=/-5.67) umol/L and 18.66 (=/-9.41) umol/L (p=0.19). The increases from baseline to post-intervention were however statistically significant within groups. Similarly Mean Cell Volume values improved from baseline as well as serum ferritin and transferritin levels.

CONCLUSION: The FMM concept has potential value in
feeding programs for vulnerable groups including pregnant and lactating mothers.

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