Nutritional and Microbiological Assessment of a Complementary Food from Grain Amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus), African Yam Bean (Sphenostylis stenocarpa) Seed, and Carrot (Daucus carota) Blends

Abstract

The unbalanced nutrient density and low microbiological quality of many complementary foods are still the primary causes of infant malnutrition in poorer countries. In this study, complementary food was produced using blends of grain amaranth, African yam bean, and carrot flour. The resultant complementary food was analysed for proximate, mineral, antinutrients, antioxidant compositions, vitamin C, beta-carotene, microbial properties, and sensory evaluations. Principal component analysis was also used to assess nutrient clustering and separate the nutrients into components. The samples demonstrated a rich nutritional profile, with protein content ranging from 4.07 to 26.45%, carbohydrates (53.90-87.66%), fibre (0.08-1.92%), moisture (4.94-7.17%), and energy values between 373.85 and 415.47 kcal/100 g. All the samples have a high mineral content and an Na/K ratio of ~1 or below. The antioxidant properties increased with increasing concentration, with values ranging from 62.98 to 73.09% and from 4.74 to 97.10 mg AAE/g for DPPH and FRAP, respectively. No fecal contamination was observed in any of the samples. The samples, except the control, had bacterial growth ranging from 1.41 to 1.60 log10 (CFU/g). The sample with higher inclusion of African Yam Bean Seeds and the control were more preferred in terms of sensory properties. The PCA showed that the vectors for sodium, potassium, vitamin C, and β-carotene pointed strongly toward the positive side of PC2. Overall, the formulated blends demonstrate strong potential as affordable, nutrient-dense, and microbiologically safe complementary foods for infant and young child feeding.