Authors : Pallavi Tupkar, Sabiha A. Vali
Page Nos : 149-157
Description :
Protein calorie malnutrition among infant are prevalent in many parts of India and is mainly due to inappropriate and inadequate feeding practice and ignorance of mother. Low-income population in our country cannot afford to use commercial infant food products due to financial constraints, or lack of knowledge. The most commonly used complementary food used is cow/buffalo milk followed by homemade semi-solids. Hence formulation and development of nutritious weaning foods from local and readily available raw materials has received considerable attention in many developing countries. Various texts in Ayurveda give formulas and foods for the development of the child. Ayurvedic herbs can be therefore be incorporated in weaning food formulas. The present study aimed to develop weaning food based on Ayurvedic Herbs (AH). The composition of the product formulated included Popped rice, Priyal seeds (Buchanania lanzan Spreng), Yashtimadhu (Glycyrrhiza glabra), Elaichi (Elettaria cardamomum), Shunthi (Zingiber officinale Roscoe), sugar in specific proportions. The formulated mixture was standardized to ascertain the correct proportion of ingredients and the resultant product was subjected to sensory analysis. Proximate composition, pH, density and viscosity of the product was assessed by standard methods Results of the study reflect that Ayurvedic based infant food not only satisfies the palatability aspect but also seems to be nutrient dense which makes it a good choice for weaning food.
