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Title: Developing food supplements for moderately malnourished children: Lessons learned from ready-to-use therapeutic foods

Author
item BRIEND, ANDRE - University Of Copenhagen
item AKOMO, PETER - Valid International
item BAHWERE, PALUKU - Valid International
item DE PEE, SASKIA - World Food Programme
item DIBARI, FILIPPO - World Food Programme
item GOLDEN, MICHAEL - University Of Aberdeen
item MANARY, MARK - Children'S Nutrition Research Center (CNRC)
item RYAN, KELSEY - Washington University School Of Medicine

Submitted to: Food and Nutrition Bulletin
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/1/2015
Publication Date: 3/1/2015
Citation: Briend, A., Akomo, P., Bahwere, P., De Pee, S., Dibari, F., Golden, M.H., Manary, M., Ryan, K. 2015. Developing food supplements for moderately malnourished children: Lessons learned from ready-to-use therapeutic foods. Food and Nutrition Bulletin. 36(1 Suppl):S53-S58.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Ready-to-use therapeutic foods (RUTFs) are solid foods that were developed by changing the formulation of the existing liquid diet, F-100, recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) for the rapid catch-up phase of the treatment of children suffering from severe acute malnutrition (SAM). The resulting products proved highly effective in promoting weight gain in both severely and moderately wasted children and adults, including those infected with HIV. The formulation of the existing RUTFs, however, has never been optimized to maximize linear growth, vitamin and mineral status, and functional outcomes. The high milk content of RUTFs makes it an expensive product, and using lower quantities of milk seems desirable. However, the formulation of alternative, less expensive but more effective versions of RUTF faces difficult challenges, as there are uncertainties regarding the effect in terms of protein quality, antinutrient content, and flatulence factors that will result from the replacement of current dairy ingredients by less expensive protein-rich ingredients. The formulation of alternative RUTFs will require further research on these aspects, followed by efficacy studies comparing the future RUTFs to the existing formulations.