COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION OF READY TO USE THERAPEUTIC FOOD (RUTF) AND TOMBROWN.

Abstract

Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) is a condition affecting children, especially in northern Nigeria. Studies have shown that SAM can be mitigated using Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF), but its unavailability and cost of purchase have undermined its effectiveness in the treatment of SAM. This study aims to comparatively evaluate the nutritional composition of RUTF and tombrown and also check if tombrown can serve as an alternative to RUTF, as it is locally made, which makes it readily available and cheaper. The proximate parameters such as moisture, lipid, ash, protein were determined using AOAC (2022) method, phytochemical parameters such as flavonoid, saponin, tannin, carotenoids, alkaloid, phenols and cardiac glycosides were quantitatively determined using AOAC (2022) method and mineral element such as Iron, selenium, calcium, zinc, magnesium, copper and potassium were analysed using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. The results obtained revealed that RUTF contained higher nutritional composition as compared to Tombrown, although tombrown can be modified during production to meet the demands of children suffering from Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM). Keywords: Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM), Ready-To-Use Therapeutic Foods (RUTF), Tombrown, Proximate parameters, Phytochemical parameters and Mineral Element.