Abstract:
Child malnutrition remains a major public health problem in low-income African
communities, caused by factors including the low nutritional value of indigenous/local complementary
porridges (CP) fed to infants and young children. Most African children subsist on locally available
starchy foods, whose oral texture is not well-characterized in relation to their sensorimotor readiness.
The sensory quality of CP a ects oral processing (OP) abilities in infants and young children.
Unsuitable oral texture limits nutrient intake, leading to protein-energy malnutrition. The perception
of the oral texture of selected African CPs (n = 13, Maize, Sorghum, Cassava, Orange-fleshed sweet
potato (OFSP), Cowpea, and Bambara) was investigated by a trained temporal-check-all-that-apply
(TCATA) panel (n = 10), alongside selected commercial porridges (n = 19). A simulated OP method
(Up-Down mouth movements- munching) and a control method (lateral mouth movements- normal
adult-like chewing) were used. TCATA results showed that Maize, Cassava, and Sorghum porridges
were initially too thick, sticky, slimy, and pasty, and also at the end not easy to swallow even at low
solids content—especially by the Up-Down method. These attributes make CPs di cult to ingest for
infants given their limited OP abilities, thus, leading to limited nutrient intake, and this can contribute
to malnutrition. Methods to improve the texture properties of indigenous CPs are needed to optimize
infant nutrient intake.
