Development, nutritional and functional characterization of an optimized complementary food from local rice, Bambara Groundnut, Moringa, and dates

Malnutrition during the complementary feeding period remains a major public health concern in Cameroon and other Sub-Saharan countries. This study developed and evaluated a nutrient-dense complementary food (CF) using locally available ingredients (rice, Bambara groundnut, moringa leaves, and dates). Flours from the selected ingredients were blended using mixture optimization (Statgraphic Centurion) to obtain an optimized formulation, which was subsequently analysed for proximate composition, functional properties, and sensory acceptability. The optimized formulation (50% rice, 30% Bambara groundnut, 10% moringa, and 10% dates) exhibited a balanced nutritional profile containing 61.27% carbohydrate, 15.27% protein, 4.44% fat, 3.71 fiber, 2.93% ash, and 8.0% moisture, energy value of 346.12 kcal/100 g. The product also provided notable micronutrient levels, including 35.5 µg/g total carotenoid, 15.2 mg/100 g Vitamin C, 540 mg/100 g calcium, 89.00 mg/100 g magnesium, 5.30 mg/100 g iron, 3.00 mg/100 g zinc. Functional property evaluation indicated good hydration and swelling characteristics, supporting ease of preparation and suitable consistency for infant feeding. Sensory evaluation showed good consumer acceptability, with an overall acceptability score of 6.97/9. The findings demonstrate the potential of locally sourced ingredients to produce nutritionally improved and culturally acceptable CF that could contribute to addressing micronutrient deficiencies among infants in resource-limited settings.