Comparative Analysis of Nutrient and Anti-Nutrient Profiles in Complementary Foods formulated from Yellow Maize, Sorghum, Millet, and Soybeans fortified with Walnuts, Pumpkin Seeds, and Date Palm Fruits

Abstract

The study evaluates and compares the nutrient and anti-nutrient profiles of complementary foods formulated from yellow maize, sorghum, millet, and soybeans, fortified with walnuts, pumpkin seeds, and date palm fruits. The raw materials underwent fermentation, sprouting, boiling, blanching, and toasting before formulation. Nutrisurvey 2007 software was used to optimize the food formulations, and a cost analysis was performed. Cerelac, a commercial complementary food, served as the control. The three complementary food formulations (CFF1, CFF2, and CFF3) were analyzed for proximate, mineral, vitamin, and anti-nutritional content using standard analytical methods and compared against the World Health Organization (WHO) and Codex Alimentarius standards. The results revealed significant (p<0.05) differences in nutrient composition between Cerelac and CFF. Protein content in CFF ranged from 10.30% (CFF1) to 11.80% (CFF3), closely matching Cerelac's 11.90% and aligning with WHO’s recommendation of 10–15% for optimal growth. Both Cerelac and CFF provide essential minerals and CFF formulations, particularly CFF2 and CFF3, demonstrate superior content in key minerals like calcium, magnesium, and iron, contributing to enhanced dietary adequacy. For example, iron content was significantly (p<0.05) higher in CFF2 (11.70 mg/100 g) compared to Cerelac (6.62 mg/100 g), meeting WHO’s daily requirement of 3.9 to 11.6 mg/100g. Vitamin B12 levels in CFF2 (4.69 µg/100 g) and CFF3 (4.43 µg/100 g) significantly (p<0.05) exceeded those in Cerelac (1.05 µg/100 g), surpassing the Recommended Nutrient Intake (RNI) of 0.9 µg/day. Phytate levels in Cerelac (4.78 mg/g) and CFF (3.45–4.36 mg/g) in CFF2 and CFF3 remained below the Codex Alimentarius threshold of 5 mg/g. These findings demonstrate that the complementary foods formulated from locally available raw materials are nutrient-dense, affordable, and meet key international nutritional standards, offering a viable alternative for addressing malnutrition in resource-limited settings.