BIOLOGICAL AND PHYSICO-CHEMICAL EVALUATION OF SOME FUNCTIONAL FOODS PREPARED FOR CHILDREN

Abstract

Malnutrition and diarrhea are two major pediatric problems in developing countries. This study was aimed to prepare of some functional foods for treatment of protein energy malnutrition and diarrhea in children. Sensory, phisco-chemical and biological evaluations of the prepared foods were also aimed. According to these aims, the present work was divided into two main parts (i) production and evaluation of protein-rich biscuit for treatment of protein malnutrition in children. (ii) production and evaluation of some probiotic and prebiotic food products for treatment of diarrhea in children. For production of legume protein-rich biscuit, the flours (15, 20 and 25%), and protein concentrate (9, 12 and 15%) of soybean, chickpea and mung bean were selected as sources for supplementation with the vegetative protein (protein flour). According to the sensory and physic-chemical properties of the produced protein-rich biscuits, the best supplementation percentages were: 25% soybean (SF) and mung bean (MF) flours; 20% chickpea flour (CF); 15% soybean (SPC) and mungbean (MPC) protein concentrates; 12% chickpea protein concentrate (CPC). After that, 10% skim milk (SM) powder was selected as additional fortification source to raise the protein quality and quantity of prepared biscuits. The highest essential amino acid index (EAAI) was 2.73 for the biscuits supplemented with 15% SPC + 10% SM, whereas, it was only 0.088 for the wheat flour biscuit (control). The determined values of PER, CPER, NPR and BV of the biscuits supplemented with 15% SPC +10% SM, and 12% CPC+ 10 SM were higher than that of the basal diet contained casein (control group). Due to fortification with 10% SM powder, the recommended amount of LF- and LPC-supplemented biscuits that cover the minimium requirement of protein quantity were ranged from 105-149g and 97-129 g, respectively, compared with 298g of WF-biscuit (control). These amounts cover 18-25%, 23-26% and 9% from the daily requirements for preschool children from EAAs, respectively. Four probiotic fermented soymilk were prepared by inoculating Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, and Bifidobacterium longum, and mixture of them (1:1:1 v/v) to obtained a final levels of 107-8 CFU/ml. All tested treatments led to enhancement of the sensory properties of soymilk especially the taste attribute. Carob, doum and carrot powders were selected to prepare prebiotic food products. Five prebiotic pudding formulations were prepared; I (60% starch +40% carob), II (60% starch +40% doum), III (60% starch +40% carrot), IV (60% starch +20% carob + 20% doum), V (60% starch +15% carob + 15% doum + 10% carrot). The treatment III, IV and V had the highest sensory scores comparing with the other treatments. Four prebiotic beverages were also prepared by water extraction of; I (100 % carob), II (100 % doum), III (100% carrot), IV (50% carob + 50% doum), and V (40% carob + 40% doum + 20% carrot). The treatment III, IV and V were significantly accepted in the sensory evaluation comparing with the other treatments. From the biological evaluation of the prepared prebiotic and probiotic products using young rats (3-4 weeks), the best treatment which led to accelerate the recovery from diarrhea was the probiotic soymilk fermented with the tested mixed culture. In general, the rats administrated with the probiotic soymilk were recovered from diarrhea (on 3rd -4th day) faster than other groups followed by those subjected with prebiotic beverages (on 4th-5th day) and then prebiotic pudding (5th day).