Contribution of instant amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus L.)-based vegetable soup to nourishment of boarding school adolescents
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Date
2018
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Food science & nutrition
Abstract
Uganda has one of the youngest populations in the world with about 78% of its population
below 30 years of age, most of which are adolescents. The boarding school diet
fed to adolescents is rich in carbohydrates and proteins but lacks adequate amounts
of micronutrients to meet the adolescent RDA requirements. This study aimed at
contributing to the improvement of the nutritional status of boarding school adolescents
in Uganda by developing an acceptable convenient instant vegetable soup rich
in protein (12.30 ± 0.25–13.26 ± 0.25%), total carotenoids (154.19 ± 12.62–
292.68 ± 3.56 RAE/μg), and iron (2.33 ± 0.06–4.37 ± 0.03 mg). The three soup formulations
showed desirable reconstitution and instant characteristics owing to the
observed functional properties. The soup had a high dispensability (69%–71%), water
absorption capacity of 1.53–1.98 g/g, bulk density of 0.79–0.80 g/ml, and swelling
capacity of 5.05–5.38 g/g. The overall sensory acceptability was within a range of
6.2–6.7 and not significantly different from the control commercial soup. The soups
contributed over 25% of the adolescent RDA requirements for carbohydrate, protein,
dietary fiber, vitamin A, and iron but not for zinc (5.7%) and calcium (9.7%). These
results indicate the potential of the soup to improve the nutritional status of adolescents.
However, there is a need for additional research to increase the formulated
soups’ acceptability, its contribution to zinc and calcium RDA adolescent requirements,
as well as to determine its bioavailability and shelf stability.
Description
Keywords
Adolescents, Amaranth, Convenience foods, Malnutrition, RDA
Citation
Ssepuuya, G., Katongole, J., & Tumuhimbise, G. A. (2018). Contribution of instant amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus L.)‐based vegetable soup to nourishment of boarding school adolescents. Food science & nutrition, 6(6), 1402-1409. DOI: 10.1002/fsn3.664