Improvement of Energy and Nutrient Density of Sorghum-Based Complementary Foods Using Germination (Report‪)‬

INTRODUCTION Malnutrition affects physical growth, morbidity, mortality, cognitive development, reproduction, and physical work capacity [1]. Malnutrition and infectious diseases are the most widespread problems affecting infants and young children in developing countries [2, 3]. Adequate nutrition is essential for adequate growth and cognitive development of infants and young children and to resist and fight against infections [3, 4]. Breast milk is a sole and sufficient source of nutrition during the first six months of infant life [2-5]. Breast milk contains all the nutrients and immunological factors infants require to maintain optimal health and growth [5]. Towards the middle of the first year, breast milk becomes insufficient to support growing infants [2-5]. Therefore, nutritious complementary foods need to be introduced. Inadequate supplementary feeding of infants is an important factor in the high incidence of child malnutrition. Development of complementary foods is guided by nutritional value, acceptability, availability and affordability of raw materials, and simplicity of food processing technologies and equipment [6]. Complementary foods in developing countries are mainly made from starchy staples, which when cooked with water, become viscous and bulky with low energy and nutrient density [7].