Nutritional Quality and Vitamin Composition of Complementary Foods Formulated from Traditionally Processed Food Ingredients

Abstract

Malnutrition continues to be a serious public health concern in Nigeria, particularly among newborns and children, emphasizing the need for affordable, nutrient-dense diets made from locally available ingredients. This study evaluated the nutritional quality and vitamin composition of complementary foods formulated from traditionally processed maize, millet and sorghum. The grains were subjected to roasting, fermentation or left unprocessed (control), then blended with soybean, groundnut, pumpkin seed, watermelon seed and tomato in a fixed ratio (35:21:11:10:2:3:2:3:13), producing nine formulations: roasted maize (RMZ), roasted millet (RM), roasted guinea corn (RGC), fermented maize (FMZ), fermented millet (FM), fermented guinea corn (FGC), unprocessed maize (UMZ), unprocessed millet (UM) and unprocessed guinea corn (UGC). Proximate composition was determined using standard AOAC methods, while vitamins A, E and C were quantified spectrophotometrically. Protein content ranged from 0.15% (UGC) to 10.76% (FM), while crude fat ranged from 2.48% (FMZ) to 6.24% (RGC). Carbohydrate content ranged from 70.07% (UM) to 86.68% (RMZ), with RMZ also recording the highest energy value (406.72 kcal). Vitamin A ranged from 0.72 mg/100 g (RMZ) to 1.77 mg/100 g (RM); vitamin E from 14.27 mg/100 g (RMZ) to 31.71 mg/100 g (UM); and vitamin C from 16.24 mg/100 g (RGC) to 52.87 mg/100 g (RM). Overall, roasted millet (RM) emerged as the most nutritionally balanced formulation, reaching or exceeding baby Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs). The findings demonstrate the potential of affordable, locally sourced and traditionally processed cereal-legume complementary foods as practical interventions for reducing infant undernutrition and improving child nutritional outcomes in resource-limited settings.