Studies on liquid milk based diet formula to ascertain an innovative therapeutic food with bifiodo-genic properties.

Abstract

Malnutrition is a condition in which lack, surplus or inequity of macro and/or micro nutrients in the food exert unfavorable impacts on mental, physical and functional characteristic of body. Half of all children in Pakistan are chronically malnourished (stunted) while 11 % are acutely malnourished (wasted). Malnourished children acquire infections more quickly than the normal. This situation has created high mortality and morbidity rates in less than 5 years of age, undermining their mental and physical growth and leading to significant economic impact on the country’s development and prosperity. WHO recommended two therapeutic formula milks F-75 as a starter and F-100 as a catch-up for rebuilding of wasted tissues in acute malnourished children. Keeping in view the malnutrition severity in children of Pakistan and importance of probiotics, a study was designed to compare locally prepared (LF-75 and 100) and commercial (F-75 and 100) provided by UNICEF with the addition of probiotics. Project was divided into 3 studies as Study-I: Preparation of LF-75 and LF-100 and their physiochemical comparison with F75 and F100 was carried out. Both local formulae were prepared from sugar, vegetable oil, whole dried milk powder and mineral mixed according to the quid lines of WHO. The analyses of these formulae milk show non-significant (p>0.05) difference in pH (6.51-6.58), acidity (0.13-0.14%) and lactose (1.30-1.31 and 4.12-4.24%), while the differences was significant (P<0.05) regarding moisture (84.62-85.86 and 81.97-83.43 %), fat (2.94-2.65 and 5.80-6.08%), Protein (0.84-0.94 and 2.57-2.64%), ash (0.35-0.50 and 0.50-0.70%), calcium (50.3-75-35.5 and 579.2-305.2 mg/ 100 g), Fe (1.3-2.3 and 3.1-2.3 mg/ 100 g), Cu (0.19-0.22 and 2.7-1.2 mg/ 100g), Zn (1.9-1.13 and 20.20-15.02 mg/100g), SNF (7.99-7.26 and 13.62-12.62%) and density (1.57-1.03 and 1.47-1.03 g/cm3). In Study-II; the probiotics were added to above formulae milk samples and their viability and efficacy was assessment through biological studies. For this part of study 12 different treatments were prepared (F-75, F-75+P1, F-75+P2, LF-75, LF-75+P1, LF-75+P2, F-100, F-100+P1, F-100+P2, LF-100, LF-100+P1 and LF-100+P2) using probiotics P1: Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis (BB-12) and P2: Streptococcus thermophilus (TH-4®), Lactobacillus paracasei 431® and BB-12. This study was divided into four distinct stages. In stage-1 acclimatization of the rats was done with standard diet, while in stage-2, malnutrition was induced by providing nutrient deficient diet. In stage-3, F-75 were provided 2 weeks and then F-100 formulae (both) were implemented. The viability of probiotics at 0 and 24 hours was examined and found that storage time, diet sources and probiotics had significant (p<0.01) influence on the viability of probiotics. The number of probiotics increased enough were present to carry out the therapeutic activities. The viable count were in both samples F-75, F-100, LF-75 and LF-100 containing P2 probiotics followed by the samples containing P1. A significant change (p<0.01) in weight, albumin, blood glucose and other attributes of blood was estimated before and after malnutrition. Glucose, albumin, hemoglobin and WPC were increased in rats who were administrated with F-75 and F-100 containing P1 and P2 followed by the LF-75 and LF-100 containing xviii P1 and P2. Histopathological examination showed the normal results of liver and kidney after getting the therapeutic diet except control. The nanofibers containing probiotics prepared with 9% poly vinyl alcohol showed homogenous, uniform, bead free and smooth texture. Considering the prolonged viability of nanofibers containing probiotics was noted at room temperature. It is concluded from the locally prepare milk formulae containing probiotics could be helpful to reduce rate of malnutrition in children.