Lewandowski K, Zhang X, Hayes M, Ferruzzi MG, Paton CM. Design and Nutrient Analysis of a Carotenoid-Rich Food Product to Address Vitamin A and Protein Deficiency.
Foods 2021;
10:1019. [PMID:
34067097 PMCID:
PMC8151009 DOI:
10.3390/foods10051019]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2021] [Revised: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Worldwide undernutrition affects over 820 million individuals and is the underlying cause of over 50% of all childhood deaths. Sweet potatoes have been promoted to address vitamin A (vitA) deficiency, with a single, orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) providing enough vitA, as β-carotene, to meet daily needs. However, the bioavailability of β-carotene is dependent on the presence of dietary fat, which is not provided by OFSP, and it lacks some essential amino acids. Therefore, in an attempt to create a food product that meets daily vitA requirements with adequate bioavailability and complete protein, we designed and assessed a sweet potato, peanut paste, and legume product. The final food product formulation, developed through computer modeling, resulted in a 65/5/35 (w/w/w) formulation in a 250 g serving and ~330 kcal. We then confirmed the nutrient content of macronutrients, and essential amino acids, zinc, and iron contents. Total β-carotene was assessed by HPLC and was lower than predicted through computer modeling, likely due to losses through thermal processing and/or degradation from storage. The results of this project indicate that the three ingredients can be combined into a single 250 g food product to provide >300 kcal energy, complete protein, and micronutrients in a more bioavailable form.
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