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energy and nutrient requirement
of infants and the amount obtained
from breastfeeding. A variety of
weaning flours are commercially
available with high nutritive value,
which is directly used for instant
preparation of gruels. However, in
many developing countries, these
products are beyond the economic
means of the majority of families, so
traditionally cereals based weaning
foods made from locally available
staples are more popular.

later use. When the powdered meal is are hygroscopic and become soggy References:
added to milk or water and cooked, a when exposed to the atmosphere.
paste is obtained which can be given Hence, they must be stored in Sajilata, G., Singhal, R. S., & Kulkarni,
as weaning food to infants. closed tins. Because it is difficult P. R. (2002). Weaning foods: a review
to bran popped grains or to pop the of the Indian experience. Food and
Vermicelli-based weaning foods dehusked grains, the fibre content of nutrition bulletin, 23(2), 208-226.
– Generally, vermicelli is prepared popped cereal-based formulations is
from wheat, rice, jowar, maize, or generally high. Wu, F., & Xu, X. (2019). Sprouted
millet flours. Dough prepared from grains-based fermented products. In
the mixture of flours is extruded PROCESSED WEAnInG FOODS Sprouted Grains (pp. 143-173). AACC
through a perforated die of a hand- A variety of processed weaning International Press.
operated press. The strands thus foods are available in the market.
obtained are called vermicelli which For example Farex, Nestum, Cerelac. Abeshu, M. A., Lelisa, A., & Geleta,
is then steamed and dried. The dried The role of these processed foods B. (2016). Complementary feeding:
vermicelli is powdered and stored will vary in different circumstances. review of recommendations,
for the preparation of weaning food. The rural population, they have little feeding practices, and adequacy
It mixes well with water or milk and relevance, but in urban areas, they of homemade complementary
becomes a soft mass. are widely used by the high-income food preparations in developing
as well as middle-income families, countries–lessons from Ethiopia.
Rice flakes–based weaning food – especially by the working mothers. Frontiers in nutrition, 3, 41.
Rice flakes (poha or beaten rice) are These foods are convenient and easy
cleaned and toasted mildly to lower to prepare but generally higher in World Health Organization.
their moisture content and increase cost. Complementary feeding of young
their crispiness, and then powdered. children in developing countries—a
The flour can be used as such or COnCLuSIOn review of current scientific
mixed with toasted green gram Breast milk is adequate to meet the knowledge. WHO/NUT/98.1. Geneva:
flour and puffed chickpea flour to energy and nutrient requirements World Health Organization, 1998.
make the weaning food. The food is of an infant up to four to six months
then cooked in milk or water before of age, thereafter it needs to be http://www.fao.org/3/x3996e/
feeding. complemented with appropriate x3996e17.htm
energy-dense foods that can ensure
Popped cereal-based weaning food satisfactory growth and development
– Popped or puffed products from of the children, such as weaning * Author is Professor, Department of Foods
cereal grains such as popcorn, puffed foods. These foods are specially & Nutrition, College of Home Science,
rice, popped jowar and popped ragi designed to meet the particular G.B.P.U.A.&T., Pantnagar
flour can be used as a base material nutritional or physiological needs
for weaning food formulations. of infants and are expected to **Author is Ph.D. Scholar
Popped cereal-based weaning foods address the gaps between the daily

Food Marketing & Technology 15 December 2020